What's Actually on the RSHS Entrance Exam? Subject Coverage Explained
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Once a pupil is eligible to sit for the RSHS Entrance Exam, the natural next question is simple: what's actually on it? The honest answer is that it's two genuinely different kinds of test bundled into one process — and one of them goes further than standard Grade 6 material.
Stage 1: the mental ability and aptitude test
This first stage isn't a subject test at all — it's a standardized measure of reasoning and aptitude: pattern recognition, logical sequencing, spatial reasoning, and similar general problem-solving skills, rather than memorized curriculum content. That's an important distinction for prep purposes, which we cover in the next post in this series: you can't really "review" for it the way you'd review for a Science quiz.
Stage 2: the Mathematics portion
The proficiency test's Math component commonly spans pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics. Worth flagging directly: trigonometry and formal algebra are typically beyond what a standard Grade 6 MATATAG curriculum covers (see our Grade 6 curriculum breakdown) — meaning a genuinely well-prepared applicant usually has some exposure to math beyond the standard Grade 6 scope, not just strong grades within it.
Stage 2: the English portion
The English component commonly covers parts of speech, sentence structure, and grammar mechanics — closer to standard Grade 6 English competencies than the Math portion is, though still at a more rigorous level of application than a typical classroom quiz.
Stage 2: the Science portion
The Science component commonly spans biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science — a broader spread across scientific disciplines than a single Grade 6 quarter typically covers in depth, since it's assessing general science reasoning across topics rather than one term's specific competencies.
A note on passing thresholds
Published sources differ on the exact proficiency-test cutoff needed to advance to the interview stage — figures of 75% and 80% both appear in different regional materials. Rather than anchor prep to either specific number, treat the real target as "comfortably above a typical passing grade," and confirm the current year's actual cutoff with your specific RSHS admissions office once your child is eligible to apply.
Where to find the actual current-year screening exam details
There's no single official "sample entrance exam" that DepEd publishes nationwide — what does exist are the actual regional memoranda announcing each year's screening exam, issued by each region's own DepEd office. As one real example of what these look like: DepEd Regional Office 1 publishes its own RSHS screening examination memorandum for incoming Grade 7 (and Grade 10) applicants directly on its official site, covering exam dates, venues, and requirements for that specific school year.
That's the actual, verifiable source worth checking — not a "reviewer" PDF of uncertain origin circulating on Scribd or similar sites. Search your own region's DepEd regional or schools division office site directly (for example, "DepEd Regional Office [your region] RSHS screening examination memorandum") for the current year's equivalent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What subjects are on the RSHS entrance exam?
The exam has two stages: a general mental ability/aptitude test (not subject-specific), followed by a proficiency test covering Mathematics (pre-algebra through trigonometry and statistics), English (grammar and sentence structure), and Science (biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science).
Does the RSHS entrance exam cover material beyond Grade 6?
The Math portion commonly does — topics like trigonometry and formal algebra typically go beyond the standard Grade 6 MATATAG curriculum. The English and Science portions stay closer to core Grade 6-level competencies, tested more rigorously.
Can you review for the mental ability/aptitude test?
Not in the same way as a content subject — it measures general reasoning, pattern recognition, and logical thinking rather than memorized material. Practicing general logic puzzles and reasoning exercises is more useful than reviewing a specific syllabus.
Is there an official sample RSHS entrance exam I can download?
DepEd doesn't publish a single nationwide sample exam. What does exist are each region's own official screening-exam memoranda — for example, DepEd Regional Office 1 posts its RSHS screening exam memorandum directly on its own site. Search your specific region's DepEd office for the current year's version rather than relying on an unofficial reviewer PDF.
Quick Takeaways
- The exam has two genuinely different parts: a reasoning-based aptitude test (Stage 1) and a Science/English/Math proficiency test (Stage 2) — they need different kinds of preparation.
- The Math portion (pre-algebra through trigonometry and statistics) commonly goes beyond standard Grade 6 MATATAG content, so exposure to more advanced math matters, not just strong Grade 6 grades.
- English and Science portions stay closer to core Grade 6 competencies, but are tested at a more rigorous, cross-topic level than a typical classroom quiz.
- Passing-score figures vary across sources (75-80%) — confirm the actual current-year cutoff with your region's RSHS rather than anchoring to either number.
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