*MEGATHREAD* - UKCAT 2014 Entry Discussion Megathread (inc. changes to the UKCAT)

Original post by mli26

That's a good idea, have you got any advice for the other sections? :smile:

Just don't panic if you find you're not finishing all the questions. And guess anything you're not sure of before moving on to the next question, because you might not have time to come back and have another go at the end and it's better to guess than not put anything at all! I guessed a remarkable amount of the AR questions, so I must have been lucky and got some of them right.

Reply 1182

Original post by MJK91

I know, it's just scary as I'm relying on it for interviews really :P I'm scared of wasting say 3 places for Kings, Newcastle and Barts if they drastically raise the cut-off to say 700 in each section or something daft like that! I think I'd still be okay for the others as they don't usually raise cut-offs that much.

I'm hoping my consistency (all >640) and my Band 1 in the SJT will keep me in it, as well as the 740 average?

740 is a fantastic average, and 640 would be a relatively high cut-off for an average, let alone for each section. I think a cut-off of 700 in each section would be excessively high, cos most people score lower than that for their average (I know it doesn't seem like it so far this year, but I'm sure it will be!). There will be plenty of excellent candidates who don't get scores like that, and I don't think that universities will want to exclude them just because they haven't got remarkable scores on the UKCAT. After all, universities want to select the best students, and the UKCAT is not the only tool they'll be using to do that.

Where are you thinking of applying?

Reply 1183

Physicsrules23

Hey everyone can someone who's done the test already give like a straight up honest opinion on how hard the abstract reasoning was like are there loads of mixing relationships involving different objects in the sets or is it mostly simple relationships like number and type and angles and colour occurrence etc
thanks a lot :smile:

Reply 1184

Brachioradialis

Original post by woodpecker

740 is a fantastic average, and 640 would be a relatively high cut-off for an average, let alone for each section. I think a cut-off of 700 in each section would be excessively high, cos most people score lower than that for their average (I know it doesn't seem like it so far this year, but I'm sure it will be!). There will be plenty of excellent candidates who don't get scores like that, and I don't think that universities will want to exclude them just because they haven't got remarkable scores on the UKCAT. After all, universities want to select the best students, and the UKCAT is not the only tool they'll be using to do that.

Where are you thinking of applying?

Ahh, you're an undergraduate? I'm applying for graduate entry and the cutoffs are much higher each year (approx 680-730) and that was when most undergraduates were getting places with 620s :tongue:

Warwick, Barts, Newcastle and King's I think :smile:

how about you?

Reply 1185

mli26

Original post by mynameisntbobk

Just did the 600Q mock and got:
QR: 800
AR: 709
VR: 697
DA: 761

Average 741.75

I know their method isn't as accurate or anything but I'm quite surprised. I'm not surprised I did the worst in VR, but I expected my QR to be much lower. Also, only managed to do DA in the allocated time, AR I wasn't top stretched, maybe 5 minutes extra. QR was so bad with time, at least an hour and a half on it :s-smilie:

VR wasn't too long either, maybe 10 minutes extra.

With my test in less than 2 weeks, I'll use my Kaplan resources solely in aim to speed everything up.

Just wanted to say well done to all the great scores so far and thanks to everyone who's given such great advice. Good luck to everyone who has yet to take it!!

Did you do it under time limit? That's really good considering how hard those questions are!

Reply 1186

Original post by MJK91

Ahh, you're an undergraduate? I'm applying for graduate entry and the cutoffs are much higher each year (approx 680-730) and that was when most undergraduates were getting places with 620s :tongue:

Warwick, Barts, Newcastle and King's I think :smile:

how about you?

Oh ok, I didn't realise grad entry cut-offs were so high. I still think you'll be fine though :smile:

Sheffield, Birmingham, Cardiff and then either Bristol or Leeds, but I think after today it'll probably be Leeds, as Bristol don't use UKCAT.

Reply 1187

mli26

Original post by mynameisntbobk

Just did the 600Q mock and got:
QR: 800
AR: 709
VR: 697
DA: 761

Average 741.75

I know their method isn't as accurate or anything but I'm quite surprised. I'm not surprised I did the worst in VR, but I expected my QR to be much lower. Also, only managed to do DA in the allocated time, AR I wasn't top stretched, maybe 5 minutes extra. QR was so bad with time, at least an hour and a half on it :s-smilie:

VR wasn't too long either, maybe 10 minutes extra.

With my test in less than 2 weeks, I'll use my Kaplan resources solely in aim to speed everything up.

Just wanted to say well done to all the great scores so far and thanks to everyone who's given such great advice. Good luck to everyone who has yet to take it!!

Sorry:P I didn't read your post properly, ignore my last question :smile:

Reply 1188

BeckyFitz

Original post by sarahlikesgrapes

Well done thats great! Your DA score is amazing! You should be really happy, well done :biggrin:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Awww thankyou! :smile:

and thankyou so much for your advice and staying calm and stuff, it really helped :biggrin:

Reply 1189

Ama2007

Just done the mock in 600Q book (timed)

VR 560 (half not done)
QR 600
AR 540 (anyone else found they were harder than Medify?...)
DA 600

Not looking good :frown:

Moi = very worried

I am towards the end of my revision...

Reply 1190

Original post by Physicsrules23

Hey everyone can someone who's done the test already give like a straight up honest opinion on how hard the abstract reasoning was like are there loads of mixing relationships involving different objects in the sets or is it mostly simple relationships like number and type and angles and colour occurrence etc
thanks a lot :smile:

I found it quite hard and must have guessed at least half of the questions, but then I never really got the hang of it in practice either so... The ones I got seemed to be quite obvious, and they often seemed to have relationships between the numbers of shapes, but then there were loads I didn't get, so those relationships could have involved anything. Sorry I can't be of more help!

Reply 1191

mynameisntbobk

Original post by mli26

Sorry:P I didn't read your post properly, ignore my last question :smile:

Haha its fine, I'm horrible with QR, I waste so much time, so doing it under the limit isn't even feasible :tongue:

I thought the AR were alright, there were a few nasty ones, but in general, they weren't too bad. DA is definitely the least time pressured section and its not necessarily hard either

Reply 1192

Original post by Ama2007

Just done the mock in 600Q book (timed)

VR 560 (half not done)
QR 600
AR 540 (anyone else found they were harder than Medify?...)
DA 600

Not looking good :frown:

Moi = very worried

I am towards the end of my revision...

That's about what I got when I tried that mock the other day, but I found the actual exam way easier! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine :smile:

Reply 1193

Brachioradialis

Original post by woodpecker

Oh ok, I didn't realise grad entry cut-offs were so high. I still think you'll be fine though :smile:

Sheffield, Birmingham, Cardiff and then either Bristol or Leeds, but I think after today it'll probably be Leeds, as Bristol don't use UKCAT.

Good choices, have you heard since last year that Sheffield don't use the UKCAT as much? Until last year you needed a great score, but then they changed it to >600 only and the rest is personal statement.

You may already know, but just checking :tongue:

Reply 1194

mli26

Original post by Ama2007

Just done the mock in 600Q book (timed)

VR 560 (half not done)
QR 600
AR 540 (anyone else found they were harder than Medify?...)
DA 600

Not looking good :frown:

Moi = very worried

I am towards the end of my revision...

DW, I just did it and I got :frown:

VR 540
QR 590
AR 550

I find medify a lot easier than 600 :frown:

Reply 1195

BeckyFitz

Original post by Becca_j

Hey

thanks thats reassuring cos I have been guessing loads of the practice questions for VR and QR, especially on QR. And no I am doing it on friday! :s-smilie:

Friday!! best of luck to you! :biggrin:

Tell us how you get on :biggrin:

Reply 1196

the A* guy

2

Can Someone tell me how to tackle the DA part of the test, I have Just started revision as my test is in late september. How to use the fact that there are commas between numbers and letters, for numbers and letters are but together; and when brackets are used??

All and Any help is appreciated ! :smile:

Reply 1197

Original post by MJK91

Good choices, have you heard since last year that Sheffield don't use the UKCAT as much? Until last year you needed a great score, but then they changed it to >600 only and the rest is personal statement.

You may already know, but just checking :tongue:

Thanks, yeah I know, except that it's gone up this year from last year to this >650 (at least that's what they said at their open day!). I'm not particularly looking for universities that put a lot of weight on the UKCAT, it's just that I really can't decide between Leeds and Bristol for my fourth choice, but it would seem silly not to use my UKCAT score if everything else is balanced.

I think more and more universities are putting more weight on personal statements, rather than academics or UKCAT (at least for undergrad!).

What do med schools in general want for grad entry?

Reply 1198

Ama2007

Original post by mli26

DW, I just did it and I got :frown:

VR 540
QR 590
AR 550

I find medify a lot easier than 600 :frown:

I am bit worried because I was doing great with medify AR (so doable!!!) then I do the mock in the book and I get such a rubbish score. Oh well only few days and it will be over!!! and HOPEFULLY I will never have to sit this stupid test again!

When is your exam?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1199

Brachioradialis