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With every page reviewed and every hour spent studying for the upcoming University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT), two emotions rise in the heart of a Filipino student: hope and a dream. Amid it all, one question keeps echoing: Are we merely hoping or are we truly dreaming? Hope is mixed with anticipation for what might be, just like a calculated bet on what is about to happen in the future. We have hope because we studied hard, stayed up late most days, and attended review centers. But hope has a quieter, deeper sibling: the dream. Dreaming isn’t always about certainty. It’s walking through darkness without a guaranteed path while holding a clear vision of where you want to go. I dream of passing the UPCAT. Not because I’m sure I can, but because I choose to believe, even when doubts swirl in my mind. Hope comes from study hours and test scores. A dream, however, is what pushes you forward even when you’re worn out, even when your mock test results are low, even when others seem smarter, better prepared, or have more resources than you. People often say, “Don’t get your hopes up, you might just get hurt.” But what if hope isn’t enough? What if real strength lies in the dream—not in the obviously possible, but in the seemingly impossible? A dreamer doesn’t solely wait for results. A dreamer takes action, fights, and risks everything even without certainty. In the context of the UPCAT, hoping the test is easy won ’t work. Wishing for luck won’t suffice. It must be paired with late nights of study, discipline, and most of all, a dream that carries weight. The difference between hoping and dreaming lies not only in words, but also in actions. The one who hopes may wait; the one who dreams moves forward. The one who hopes may give up after failing; the one who dreams will rise and try again—no matter how many times they fall. So to everyone like me who dares to dream for the UPCAT—do not be afraid. Do not be ashamed. Dreaming is not weakness but courage. Not every dreamer will reach their goal, but every success started with a dream. To dream of UP is to dream of becoming more than what the world expects of us. It is to claim a future that once felt unreachable. So when I walk into that testing room, I will not be carrying mere hope—I will be carrying the weight of a thousand dreams, mine included. And in that moment, I will not whisper my dream—I will live it. And this dream, no matter how challenging, chaotic, or frightening, will carry me to the final question of the UPCAT, to the very last moment of the fight. And if it ever comes true, it won’t be because I hoped. It will be because, without guarantees, I chose to dream and fight until the end.