[inspiron1]

UKCAT discussion for DENTISTRY 2013 entry

This thread is for all discussion of the UKCAT for 2013 entry applications to Dentistry.

http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/

What is the UKCAT?

The UKCAT stands for the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test and is an admissions test used by the majority of medical schools. The test is sat between 5 July and 7 October and should be taken by applicants who are planning to apply to medical school in the same year. The test takes about two hours and tests mental aptitude and ability and is not a test of knowledge. It is not possible to revise for the exam, however it is perfectly possible to practice. It is made up of four sections which each test different things: Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, Decision Analysis and Verbal Reasoning. Each section is scored between 500 and 900, which leads to an overall UKCAT average score of between 500 and 900. The majority of applicants will score between 600 and 700, with approximately 620 being the average.

Important Information

Key Dates

Registration Opens: 01 May 2012
Testing Begins: 03 July 2012
Registration Deadline: 21 September 2012
Bursary Application Deadline: 21 September 2012
Exemption Application Deadline: 21 September 2012
Last Testing Date: 05 October 2012

Key Costs

Tests taken in the EU between 3 July 2012 - 31 August 2012: £65.00
Tests taken in the EU between 1 September 2012 - 5 October 2012: £80
Tests taken outside the EU: £100

[inspiron1]

So has anyone started preparing? Have you booked the test yet?

I'm waiting until pay day so that I can book the exam!

[Solid.Snake]

I've booked mine on the 12th July and i'm not looking forward to it

Just out of interest, is there anybody who likes the UKCAT?
Personally i think it is a stupid exam that turns into a random guessing lottery with ridiculous time limits....but i guess that is just me...

[rawragee]

hopefully booking mine for August 31st my parents keep putting off booking it!

[inspiron1]

I'm hopefully going to book mine for around 20th September!

[EcclesReece]

I'm really not looking forward to it. The maths sections keep throwing me!

[inspiron1]

Apart from the 600 questions, are there any other good books out there that anyone would recommend?

[ansy123]

I have a question to ask about quantitative reasoning - is it just me or do we have to do quite a lot of calculations in a very short space of time? Not sure how I'm going to get through all the questions in the actual test!

And regarding books, I'm going to get 'UKCAT for dummies' I think it's called. It is published in 2012 so it should be up to date.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[jojo1995]

(Original post by ansy123)
I have a question to ask about quantitative reasoning - is it just me or do we have to do quite a lot of calculations in a very short space of time? Not sure how I'm going to get through all the questions in the actual test!

And regarding books, I'm going to get 'UKCAT for dummies' I think it's called. It is published in 2012 so it should be up to date.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I also find myself spending quite a large fraction of the given time on one quantitative reasoning question - but i think its a practice thing.

[cptKernow]

(Original post by ansy123)
I have a question to ask about quantitative reasoning - is it just me or do we have to do quite a lot of calculations in a very short space of time? Not sure how I'm going to get through all the questions in the actual test!

And regarding books, I'm going to get 'UKCAT for dummies' I think it's called. It is published in 2012 so it should be up to date.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

There's a few things to bear in mind here.
First if you answer 3/4 of the questions only (but get them correct) you should score over 700.
Second, you will have to guess some. Try and triage out any long looking questions and make an educated guess. All questions are worth the same, short or long.
Third. Timed practice will improve your speed.

[ansy123]

Thanks for your advice jojo1995 and cptKernow. I've heard about answering about 75% of the questions tip before, sounds like the key to success (so I hope :P)!

[cptKernow]

(Original post by ansy123)
Thanks for your advice jojo1995 and cptKernow. I've heard about answering about 75% of the questions tip before, sounds like the key to success (so I hope :P)!

I think the key about the 75% is don't try to work out every single answer. Accept that you will be guessing a few of the longer / trickier questions. Focus on working out the easier ones accurately.

[Gucci Mane2010]

From what I have seen on TSR it seems as if the 600 UKCAT book is harder than the actual test. Is it logical to assume that this makes for the best practice, to master questions in this book together with the mock online tests?

Is it also possible to score over 700 by answering less than 75% accurately? Maybe 60% firm answers with a faster approach to the rest of the questions?

[NoreenK]

All the resources seem to be poor for the VR section, everyone's saying VR is harder in the real test and that the texts are longer.

[cptKernow]

(Original post by NoreenK)
All the resources seem to be poor for the VR section, everyone's saying VR is harder in the real test and that the texts are longer.

Medify is quite good for VR

[JoshL123]

Hi there. I looked thorough the quantitative reasoning questions in the 600 question ok and also on the ukcat practice test on the ukcat website and the questions seem to be too difficult to answer in the allocated time. It takes me a lot longer to complete the questions than what is recommended. Is it really like this in the real exam. I have heard that it is considerably easier


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[ansy123]

(Original post by JoshL123)
Hi there. I looked thorough the quantitative reasoning questions in the 600 question ok and also on the ukcat practice test on the ukcat website and the questions seem to be too difficult to answer in the allocated time. It takes me a lot longer to complete the questions than what is recommended. Is it really like this in the real exam. I have heard that it is considerably easier


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I've also heard that the quantitative section is easier in the exam than the 600 questions book but I'm not sure how much by. In some other UKCAT books I've seen, the quantitative sections are slightly easier than in the 600Qs book which is reassuring. I'm finding that it takes me longer to do the quantitative questions than any other sections in the practice books.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[periodontics]

Have any prospective dental applicants sat the UKCAT yet? What types of scores have people been getting so far?

If you haven't sat it yet, when do you have it booked for?

Mine is booked for the end of September.

[jojo1995]

(Original post by periodontics)
Have any prospective dental applicants sat the UKCAT yet? What types of scores have people been getting so far?

If you haven't sat it yet, when do you have it booked for?

Mine is booked for the end of September.

mine is booked for the end of august in 1.5 weeks

[periodontics]

(Original post by jojo1995)
mine is booked for the end of august in 1.5 weeks

Oooo so soon, how are you feeling? confident? I'm using the 600 questions book and Medify to practice.