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Reply 100
Hi everyone,

I have my UKCAT tomorrow and I'm so nervous! :frown:
I seem to be okay at VR and DA, but I keep running out of time for QR and I get so lost with AR!

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for speeding through QR (I'm quite good at maths usually), and recognising patterns in AR, cause I can't seem to nail them.

Thankssss :smile:
Original post by grrr
Hi everyone,

I have my UKCAT tomorrow and I'm so nervous! :frown:
I seem to be okay at VR and DA, but I keep running out of time for QR and I get so lost with AR!

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for speeding through QR (I'm quite good at maths usually), and recognising patterns in AR, cause I can't seem to nail them.

Thankssss :smile:


for qr, you can usually tell which questions are gonna require some time so i suggest flagging and quickly guessing those before moving on to others which u think you can do. this will not only save u time, but it will allow u to get some points in the bag. when u get to the end, just go back to the questions which require more attention.

for ar go through the basics first. such as number of objects, followed by counting all the edges/sides, then looking at the colours etc... spend no more than 40 seconds tryna figure out the relationships and then pick where each shape should go. if ur stuck after 40 seconds then guess the shapes and move on. dont get bogged down as this will reduce the time u have for the remaining questions. and who knows.. u mite get easier shapes towards the end ?? so its always important to answer all the questions and move on.
Original post by SomeoneYouDon'tKnow
Does anyone know how our UKCAT scores are linked to our UCAS forms? Are the names/dates of birth etc. just matched up? On threads from previous years I've seen people talking about entering your UCAS number into your Pearson Vue profile, but I can't see anywhere to do this. Presumably this is no longer necessary? Or if I'm being dumb, please could someone point out how to do this?

Thanks :smile:


wow. may i ask how u did so well on da ??? did u write the code down first ?? and how was the exam compared to the practice papers ?? :rolleyes:
Hii guys my exams tomorrow and I jus wanted to ask a quick q

In the 600Q book in the VR bit the hint is that if you're not sure of an answer you should guess 'can't tell' as an answer as it is easier writing ambigous statments. But when i did the official ukcat practise test I didn't think it was the case


What do you guys think?
hey, my UKCAT is tommorow at 2:30pm. Really nervous! Last time I got 552.5 so I got no offers due to this. This time im more prepared but still find VR and possibly AR hard. want over 700 average and atleast over 650 in each subset. Any hints and tips would be grateful. Thanksss
Reply 105
Original post by rohitbd
Can I ask what you were getting in your kaplan mcoks, and congrats on your score:smile:


Yeah in my kaplan practise tests i did 3 and in the first one i got 687.5, in the second one i got 695 and in the third i got 725 and then didnt do the last 2 cause i was really happy with the 725 and wanted to go in with confidence. I found the questions to be the most similar to the ones in the actual test and they use the same logic eg abstract reasoning in most books is really inconsistent with its logic. If you are thinking of going on the course next year my advice would be do it! It was probably the best thing I ever did. £299 is a lot of money and I had to sell my xbox to help pay for it (im not one of those kids with ridiculously rich parents willing to hurl money at them to "buy" their place at med school) but I can honestly say it was 100% worth it and im so happy with my mark, theres no way i could have done it without kaplan. Haha oh God I sound like a salesman now but honestly, if you want an outstanding ukcat score and not just a "good" one, go on the course and use the kaplan techniques!
Reply 106
How did you guys find VR in the 600Q book compared to the real thing. I did the mock test there and only got 510 for it. FECK. It was my lowest last year with 540... HELP.
Reply 107
Original post by Braddd
How did you guys find VR in the 600Q book compared to the real thing. I did the mock test there and only got 510 for it. FECK. It was my lowest last year with 540... HELP.


My best advice for VR is to first look at the question, identify key words, then scan the passage looking for these key words. At kaplan we were taught the "moo" method which stands for match, opposite, outside. If the statement matches the bit in the passage then true, if it says the opposite then false and if it is outside the given info (because you cant assume anything) then it is can't tell. Also dont waste time if you cant decide between 2 just pick one and move on and if youre rushed for time scan quickly for words, if you dont see them then always guess cant tell! Hope this helps mate
Reply 108
Original post by immy542
My best advice for VR is to first look at the question, identify key words, then scan the passage looking for these key words. At kaplan we were taught the "moo" method which stands for match, opposite, outside. If the statement matches the bit in the passage then true, if it says the opposite then false and if it is outside the given info (because you cant assume anything) then it is can't tell. Also dont waste time if you cant decide between 2 just pick one and move on and if youre rushed for time scan quickly for words, if you dont see them then always guess cant tell! Hope this helps mate


Yeah I'm trying that. It's the bloody time that I can't handle. I end up scanning it and then missing out vital words and end up putting 'can't tell'... Thanks anyway though :smile:

DA is harder too isn't it? I remember going into it last year thinking I was amazing at it and then being like WUT when the questions came up.

From the 600Q book:
AR - 774
DA - 814
VR - 510
QR - It can piss off.

2010 test:
AR - 690
DA - 620
VR - 540
QR - 600

2011 Test:
AR - 690
DA - 740
VR - 560
QR - 660

I'll edit this tomorrow with my results... AW NAW.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 109
Original post by feverdream
Some of the courses only require chemistry at a pass if you're a graduate applicant, I can't remember which but I was looking at a uni the other day that certainly said that. Some don't even look at your A levels if you offer a science degree which you do. I don't know if you've done this but it's worth making a list of all the UK medical schools, looking online for their entrance requirements and if necessary ringing them to clarify. It's tedious but you may as I did find that you are eligible for more courses than you thought!

I'm applying to Warwick (GEP), King's (GEP), Dundee (5 year) and UEA (5 year).

BTW I know I'm probably being paranoid but for some reason I'm worried that UCAS and UKCAT aren't going to marry up my UKCAT score :rolleyes: you didn't have to provide UCAS with any info about your UKCAT ID, or vice versa.... right? They just match you up based on your name, DOB or whatever other info you gave?


Yeah, I see what you mean. Already done that. But that's only about meeting the entry requirement which I meet for lots of uni (12 precisely!). But once they start assessing your application, they give points on the grades you get at A-Level. Even when they say they require a pass in Chemistry A-Level, they give you marks on the grades, so someone with a 'B' grade at A-Level will get a better mark than one with 'C' and so on. So when doing this, I will end up getting a low score which means I won't be invited to the interview! Only few uni (that I'm eligible to apply to) invite people based on UKCAT and for these, my UKCAT is not strong enough! So, I hope you get the picture there :smile: Its sad but I kinda know I won't get in already, so still think what's the point in applying, but there's always something called hope and that's how my application will be based sadly! :colondollar: what did you get on your ukcat btw? :smile:
Reply 110
Original post by cobra2k10
hey, my UKCAT is tommorow at 2:30pm. Really nervous! Last time I got 552.5 so I got no offers due to this. This time im more prepared but still find VR and possibly AR hard. want over 700 average and atleast over 650 in each subset. Any hints and tips would be grateful. Thanksss


Good Luck. Let us know how you get on!
hey guys, ive got the exam tommrow... do i only need to take my passport with me ?? or is anything else required ?? thanks
Original post by taken4granted
hey guys, ive got the exam tommrow... do i only need to take my passport with me ?? or is anything else required ?? thanks


print off the confirmation email (and notification email). take ur passport or any other photo id such as driving license. mines today at 2:30pm. dreadin it. :redface:
Reply 113
Original post by cobra2k10
print off the confirmation email (and notification email). take ur passport or any other photo id such as driving license. mines today at 2:30pm. dreadin it. :redface:


Mine is today at 4. GOOD LUCK.

I feel physically sick with nerves.
Reply 114
Did it yesterday! Average: 692.5 :biggrin:

VR: 640 (texts weren't that long compared to the last emedica ones, there were some short ones)
QR: 690 pretty easy stuff with a couple of tricky ones, pretty similar to emedica
AR: 720 easy enough, couldn't get one or two I think but most were blatantly obvious (especially after doing UPO)
DA: 720 Harder than most of the practices, probably comparable to the one in the Kaplan free test (although maybe slightly easier, with shorter codes than that)

Wasn't really that bad, I thought VR would have been worse after everyone said it was horrible (although still my worst score.) Overall very chuffed! :tongue:
When you flag questions, are you able to return to them at any point during the test (ie. go back and forth between questions), or do you have to wait until the end in order to review those?
Reply 116
Original post by CrystalArtemis
Hii guys my exams tomorrow and I jus wanted to ask a quick q

In the 600Q book in the VR bit the hint is that if you're not sure of an answer you should guess 'can't tell' as an answer as it is easier writing ambigous statments. But when i did the official ukcat practise test I didn't think it was the case


What do you guys think?


I'd normally say can't tell when the text says something about "a theory" or "a proposal" where you can't tell if it's been proven or if it will actually go ahead. You're just as well guessing true or false than can't tell in the real thing if you need to guess some. Didn't seem that long in mine though, you should be able to get through all the Q's :smile:
Original post by KCosmo
Did it yesterday! Average: 692.5 :biggrin:

VR: 640 (texts weren't that long compared to the last emedica ones, there were some short ones)
QR: 690 pretty easy stuff with a couple of tricky ones, pretty similar to emedica
AR: 720 easy enough, couldn't get one or two I think but most were blatantly obvious (especially after doing UPO)
DA: 720 Harder than most of the practices, probably comparable to the one in the Kaplan free test (although maybe slightly easier, with shorter codes than that)

Wasn't really that bad, I thought VR would have been worse after everyone said it was horrible (although still my worst score.) Overall very chuffed! :tongue:


Just about the same score as me:smile:You can apply to Glasgow now:biggrin:
140 minutes until my exam...!!! im gona do the ukcat practise mock now. see what i get and then go over the 600q book mock. still nervous. got 552.5 last year and aimin for 700 average this year..
Reply 119
Original post by Anterior view
Just about the same score as me:smile:You can apply to Glasgow now:biggrin:


Haha, definitely! This is justice for the 580 I scored last year :tongue: And it also kind of proves that you can study for it, I went up 112.5 points from last year :O

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