Holiday just before BMAT

I'm going to japan for 14 days in october and coming back on the 16th of october. I just looked up that the only BMAT date this year is on the 18th october?! now im stressing because ill probably be super jet lagged which i heard caused memory problems??!!! we planned/booked the holiday ages ago before i even thought that i wanted to go to uni let alone medical school so if i'd known i wouldn't have agreed to going away right when uni applications are. any advice for this?
the unis im interested in are brighton and sussex, bristol, kent and medway and ucl.
(also can anyone confirm that definitely is the date for BMAT)

Reply 1

TSR Hippocrates

10

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Original post by teagzz

I'm going to japan for 14 days in october and coming back on the 16th of october. I just looked up that the only BMAT date this year is on the 18th october?! now im stressing because ill probably be super jet lagged which i heard caused memory problems??!!! we planned/booked the holiday ages ago before i even thought that i wanted to go to uni let alone medical school so if i'd known i wouldn't have agreed to going away right when uni applications are. any advice for this?
the unis im interested in are brighton and sussex, bristol, kent and medway and ucl.
(also can anyone confirm that definitely is the date for BMAT)

Yes, it's on October 18th.

I'd recommend spending your summer preparing. Ensure you're ready for that test before you even go away on holiday.

Reply 3

user123456324

13

you could try slowly adjusting back to the UK timezone in the last few days of ur holiday if ur plans allow for it. This will help with the jet lag issue and give you more time to adjust

Original post by teagzz

I'm going to japan for 14 days in october and coming back on the 16th of october. I just looked up that the only BMAT date this year is on the 18th october?! now im stressing because ill probably be super jet lagged which i heard caused memory problems??!!! we planned/booked the holiday ages ago before i even thought that i wanted to go to uni let alone medical school so if i'd known i wouldn't have agreed to going away right when uni applications are. any advice for this?
the unis im interested in are brighton and sussex, bristol, kent and medway and ucl.
(also can anyone confirm that definitely is the date for BMAT)

Reply 4

GGIN

13

Original post by teagzz

I'm going to japan for 14 days in october and coming back on the 16th of october. I just looked up that the only BMAT date this year is on the 18th october?! now im stressing because ill probably be super jet lagged which i heard caused memory problems??!!! we planned/booked the holiday ages ago before i even thought that i wanted to go to uni let alone medical school so if i'd known i wouldn't have agreed to going away right when uni applications are. any advice for this?
the unis im interested in are brighton and sussex, bristol, kent and medway and ucl.
(also can anyone confirm that definitely is the date for BMAT)

I am so jealous - I would love to go to Japan. I am sure you have an amazing time...

So the BMAT may be a bit of a challenge but there have been some good suggestions from others to mitigate it. Good luck with that.

In general terms applying to a few BMAT unis always makes me feel it is a bit of a shot in the dark as you cant be very strategic with the results of an exam you have yet to sit.

So am sure you have planned your summer carefully, but I would recommend that if not already done so that you plan to prep for and sit your UCAT early on. That will give you some time to be strategic in your application choices (ask on the megathread once you have got your score) - Bristol was on your list and that requires a super super high score. If you have your UCAT unis determined strategically then you will feel more confident going into your BMAT. If you do amazingly you may even consider that 2 BMAT unis isnt worth the risk. The aim of the game is to get those interviews.

The other thing is you wont get back until after the UCAS deadline, so the more important thing for me would be to work on refining your PS over the end of the summer and get the rest of your UCAS form done (here knowing your strategic UCAT choices will help) and impressing on your school that you will need them to do all their referencing etc very very early so that you can do whatever is needed in order to finalise it before you go to Japan. Given the time difference and the fact you will no doubt be out and about having a good time I personally wouldnt want to be tweaking it and hitting send from Japan. But I guess the internet is everywhere so not a disaster if so, just if me, I would be too stressed so would want it gone before I did !

Ps wise spend some time learning thr application policies of your UCAT strategic choices. Many dont look at the PS at the tricky shortlisting for interview stage, (or even later if part of the decision making process rather than prompts for interview) those that do sometimes look for specific things so if your strategic choices are one of those, or if going for non-strategic preference BMST unis that say they look at it in the preinterview sift stage, work out what they are all looking for and design your PS accordingly so they can find your evidence clearly. If not choosing unis that look at it then less trauma and focus on the things you would like to speak well about at interview and evidence you more generally.

The school has always been a bit of a stumbling block timewise for UCAS applications in my house, so give them far more time than you think they will need. And say "I need to send it off on x date (2-3 days before you go)." I would find out who is doing the referencing in your school and talk to them now, say when you need to send it off and ask when they would want it by to do that, and then give it to them before that. Remind them closer to the time. Become friends ! Think about when they will need to refine their predictions and work like the clappers to get good ones. People applying in Jan have more time to bump up their grades. Yours might be reliant on your last summer exams.

The earlier you are able to put the ball firmly in their court the more time you will be able to dedicate to BMAT prep.

Also, you may be away for the open days. If there is a BMAT uni that you are going to apply to whatever happens then consider going to their summer open day and book early med slots often ger booked up quick. Then decide if you can get to the strategic UCAT application open days in sept /oct once you know what they are, or look at the online ones. If not plenty of info online, or just wait til those offer days roll in 😃

Lastly, some unis require a post UCAS additional information evidence form. If your strategic choices turn out to be one of those then you can use any spare time (!) In the summer to start drawing that type of info together and making sure you can evidence it so that not so pushed after the BMAT to do it.

Either way, start planning your summer with military precision.

EdIT: just realised I really rambled on. Sorry. Didnt mean to worry you, i know it sounds a lot. It is, but its doable, just need to plan it carefully in my view. Good luck.

Also haunt the TSR threads there are loads of people in the same boat feeling the same ptessure and there is loads of support about. The sticky threads are always a useful read. Plus the threads for this years applicants for your strategic UCAT choices and any preference BMAT choices.

(edited 11 months ago)

Holiday just before BMAT

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