How to Prepare for the PNP Entrance Exam
A step-by-step plan for the months before exam day, from your first practice test to what to bring on the morning of the exam.
Watch for registration first
NAPOLCOM opens online registration about two months before each exam. For the April 2026 exam, it opened on February 15. Follow napolcom.gov.ph and your regional office's Facebook page so you can register on time, then use the plan below for your review.
Four steps to a better score
Know what's on the exam
The exam tests General Information, Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning. See the topics under each one in the PNP Entrance Exam 2027 guide.
Take a practice test first
Before you study anything, take a full practice test. Your score in each subject shows where to spend most of your time, so you don't review everything equally.
Learn from every mistake
When you miss a question, look up why the right answer is right. Read a topic's key facts before you quiz yourself on it, and retake the topics you scored lowest on a few days later.
Practice against the clock
The exam runs for three hours. A 150-item practice test in that time gives you about 1 minute and 12 seconds per item. Find the question types that slow you down, and on the exam, skip hard items and come back to them.
A 12-week study plan
This plan fits about an hour of study a day. If you have more time before your exam, stretch out the middle weeks.
| Weeks | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Take a full practice test. Review the basics: grammar rules, vocabulary, and the four math operations. |
| 3–6 | Focus on one subject a day with topic quizzes. Read 10 minutes of General Information facts every day, and keep up with the news. |
| 7–9 | Spend extra time on your weakest subjects. Move up to 50-item quizzes, and take your first full mock exam. |
| 10–11 | Take one full mock exam each week under the 3-hour time limit, then review every question you missed. |
| 12 | Light review only. Get enough sleep, check your testing center, and prepare what you'll bring and wear. |
Follow this plan in the app
Topic quizzes of 20, 30, or 50 items, Study Guide cards, and a full 3-hour mock exam.
Tips for each subject
General Information
Know the main PNP laws: Republic Act 6975, which created the PNP under the DILG; Republic Act 8551, which reformed and reorganized it; and Republic Act 11200, which set the current police ranks. Learn the five pillars of the criminal justice system and the basics of the 1987 Constitution, and read the news every day for current events.
Verbal Reasoning
Learn a few new words each day, and review common grammar rules such as subject–verb agreement. For reading comprehension, read the question first, then look for the answer in the passage.
Quantitative Reasoning
Calculators aren't allowed, so practice solving by hand. Get comfortable with fractions, decimals, and percentages. For word problems, write down what you know and what you're solving for before you compute.
Logical Reasoning
For verbal items, go only by what the statements say, not by what seems likely. For non-verbal items, check how the figures change from one to the next: what turns, what moves, and what gets added or taken away.
Exam-day checklist
Check your testing center and its location a few days before.
Arrive early. The exam starts at 8 a.m.
Bring your Notice of Admission and a valid ID with your photo and signature.
Wear a plain white T-shirt or white polo shirt, dark pants, and shoes. Examinees who don't follow the dress code aren't admitted.
Leave phones, smartwatches, calculators, review materials, and bags at home. Weapons of any kind are not allowed.
These reminders are based on NAPOLCOM's rules for recent exams. Check the official announcement for your exam date, since details can change.
Sources
NAPOLCOM Exam Reviewer is an independent reviewer and is not affiliated with NAPOLCOM or the PNP.