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UKCAT for 2017 Entry to UK

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Great thread guys! Keep up the god work!
A list of all the unis that require UKCAT!

http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/about-the-test/who-should-take-the-test/
Original post by ronnydandam
Thanks, I'll have four weeks...do you think doing more than 3 hours a day would hinder me


We get asked questions like this a lot. Although it varies from person to person, generally most people need around 4 weeks of dedicated preparation time of increasing intensity + focus. Dong 7+ hours a day does risk you burning out/getting bored of the test which could result in you getting disinterested in revision in the last week before your test (a guaranteed way to under-perform!)

Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your UKCAT Preparation taken from our blog - www.uniadmissions.co.uk/ukcat-top-tips :

1.

Schedule Wisely While it can be very tempting to put the test off until the very last moment, and there is the option of waiting until late September to take the exam, this isn’t recommended. It is important to study for the UKCAT, and you don’t want to be doing this on top of school work. It’s best to schedule the test for the summer months, when it can have your undivided attention.

2.

Make Time Don’t try to do a last minute cram session for this test. That will only increase your anxiety levels and leave you ill-prepared. Set aside time, regularly, to study and do so for several weeks before the exam. In general, it is recommended that you set aside two hours per day for three weeks before the test. This may be done on your own or in the form of UKCAT courses.

3.

Collect Study Materials in Advance The more practice questions that you have at your disposal when you get ready to start studying, the better. Collect as many practice exams as you can now, whether in a UKCAT book or via online resources, so you won’t be scrambling to find them later.

4.

Mimic the Test Taking Environment Much of the anxiety that people feel when taking these tests has more to do with the atmosphere than it does with the material. If you practice in a similar situation, you will be less intimidated on testing day. That means that you should remove yourself from distractions, choose a quiet area, and work your way through a practice exam from start to finish without interruption.

5.

Be Comfortable and Calm on Test Day Be sure that you go to bed early the night before, so you can get plenty of sleep. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. Eat a big breakfast before you go, and walk in with confidence. If you prepared well, there is no reason to feel nervous.

Hope that helps!

UniAdmissions
Original post by clairebear101
'messed up'.... i cant even get 700 in any of my sections in practice.. i keep scoring only 660 av... going away for 2 weeks pn holiday then got 2 weeks when im back to practice.... so im screwed.....


Don't be. All the mocks tend to be harder than the exam, so I am sure you will be fine. And 660 is actually a pretty good score, for VR it is well above average.
Reply 464
Avatar for vka94
vka94
What is a competitive score this year for the UKCAT?
Original post by vka94
What is a competitive score this year for the UKCAT?


Nobody knows yet. The few results I've seen so far have been on the higher side, but it's far too early to know.

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Original post by UniAdmissions
We get asked questions like this a lot. Although it varies from person to person, generally most people need around 4 weeks of dedicated preparation time of increasing intensity + focus. Dong 7+ hours a day does risk you burning out/getting bored of the test which could result in you getting disinterested in revision in the last week before your test (a guaranteed way to under-perform!)

Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your UKCAT Preparation taken from our blog - www.uniadmissions.co.uk/ukcat-top-tips :

1.

Schedule Wisely While it can be very tempting to put the test off until the very last moment, and there is the option of waiting until late September to take the exam, this isn’t recommended. It is important to study for the UKCAT, and you don’t want to be doing this on top of school work. It’s best to schedule the test for the summer months, when it can have your undivided attention.

2.

Make Time Don’t try to do a last minute cram session for this test. That will only increase your anxiety levels and leave you ill-prepared. Set aside time, regularly, to study and do so for several weeks before the exam. In general, it is recommended that you set aside two hours per day for three weeks before the test. This may be done on your own or in the form of UKCAT courses.

3.

Collect Study Materials in Advance The more practice questions that you have at your disposal when you get ready to start studying, the better. Collect as many practice exams as you can now, whether in a UKCAT book or via online resources, so you won’t be scrambling to find them later.

4.

Mimic the Test Taking Environment Much of the anxiety that people feel when taking these tests has more to do with the atmosphere than it does with the material. If you practice in a similar situation, you will be less intimidated on testing day. That means that you should remove yourself from distractions, choose a quiet area, and work your way through a practice exam from start to finish without interruption.

5.

Be Comfortable and Calm on Test Day Be sure that you go to bed early the night before, so you can get plenty of sleep. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. Eat a big breakfast before you go, and walk in with confidence. If you prepared well, there is no reason to feel nervous.

Hope that helps!

UniAdmissions


Thank you for a very comprehensive reply. I am new to the UKCAT and as confused as others. Should I focus on books, online course or go attend courses? Reading on the forum, it looks like, courses may be a waste of time? How do I know which course is good ?
Original post by clairebear101
I havnt got medify yet but i have got the 600Q book and the questions in it are jsut rediculous. I will go back and practice them but i need to do easier ones first instead of jumping in at the deep end. I am struggling to get past 67% on QR


Original post by Hugh Laurie
i dont suggest timing yourself on the QR questions in the ISC600/1000 books. they are known to be much harder than the real thing, I generally gave myself twice the normal time to do them.


Yes! The QR questions in the ISC books are so damn time-consuming! Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!
Original post by raniafern
Yes! The QR questions in the ISC books are so damn time-consuming! Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!


Lol. It does have a reputation for being tough on QR. But once you can do those in 50 seconds then you know you can do anything.
Original post by tammy1999
Thank you for a very comprehensive reply. I am new to the UKCAT and as confused as others. Should I focus on books, online course or go attend courses? Reading on the forum, it looks like, courses may be a waste of time? How do I know which course is good ?


It depends on what your learning style is. The trick with the UKCAT is practice practice practice. The best way to do that is to use multiple resources, so books and onine practice. Bear in mind that the UKCAT is a computer based test, so something like Medify is good for allowing you to get used to doing a test on a computer and practice using the shortcuts etc.
Courses generally tend to suit people who need to be walked through test strategy by a person. But you have to work out if thats worth the money for you. There are plenty of people online who will give you similar advice for free. For example, users who've taken the test often post their tips and strategies on the UKCAT threads on here.
Original post by ForestCat
It depends on what your learning style is. The trick with the UKCAT is practice practice practice. The best way to do that is to use multiple resources, so books and onine practice. Bear in mind that the UKCAT is a computer based test, so something like Medify is good for allowing you to get used to doing a test on a computer and practice using the shortcuts etc.
Courses generally tend to suit people who need to be walked through test strategy by a person. But you have to work out if thats worth the money for you. There are plenty of people online who will give you similar advice for free. For example, users who've taken the test often post their tips and strategies on the UKCAT threads on here.


Yes I agree. Plus there are so many sections to the UKCAT that in one day you will barely do much on each section. That then means the most effective courses would be the longer ones but then they will cost a fortune.
guys, can someone help. basically, i just paid for my UKCAT course/ and on the receipt that they send. there aretwo different addresses. one under (ship to) and then the other addrss under (bill to). i changed my address because i moved homes. the one under (bill to) is the correct one. what shall i do? thanks!
Original post by Lilly1234567890
guys, can someone help. basically, i just paid for my UKCAT course/ and on the receipt that they send. there aretwo different addresses. one under (ship to) and then the other addrss under (bill to). i changed my address because i moved homes. the one under (bill to) is the correct one. what shall i do? thanks!


Call the company asap. Or email them if you dont have their number.
I need help!!! Can someone advise me on whether to take the uni admissions course? For the UKCAT, edinburgh. I am aware on how some courses are unnecessary and have therefore decided not to do KAPLAN. But I am undecided on whether I should just go big and maximise my chances by doing a cheaper course. Is Medify any good also? I read it is similar to something drawn up by a three year old.


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Original post by esmegardiner1997
hey guys, I did the UKCAT in 2015 and 2014.
Got 650 average in 2014 (having gone on a course)
and 712.5 average last year.
VR - 560
QR- 830
AR - 740
DA - 720
I started using medify 2 weeks before my test date and it saved me. It's reasonably priced (£30 ish for 3 weeks i seem to remember) so would 100% advise to use that to help prepare. I'm more than happy to answer any ukcat questions people have. I have an unconditional offer for medicine now for a UKCAT uni :smile:


Is it much better than the books? And also is it a suitable replacement for a course?


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Original post by GabbytheGreek_48
well for abstract reasoning its 14 mins (excluding one min reading time) and quantitative I think its bout 25 or 29 mins not sure and sorry I cant give any tips im noy even sure of how im going to do on the test so scared and the situational judgement again idk ukcat dont really post much about how the score

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Thankyou!
I'm very scared too!!!


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Original post by tammy1999
It could lead to loss of confidence. I am not going for ISC books in that case. What shall I do ?


just do it...people are telling you its meant to be harder than the real exam and will take longer to do, so why would it lead to confidence loss? despite generally having a few extra calculation steps in the questions, its still the same level of maths and very good practice. all the mocks i did (medify, official, isc1000) were a fair bit more difficult than how the real exam turned out, but they definitely played a part in me getting a good score.
Original post by Hugh Laurie
just do it...people are telling you its meant to be harder than the real exam and will take longer to do, so why would it lead to confidence loss? despite generally having a few extra calculation steps in the questions, its still the same level of maths and very good practice. all the mocks i did (medify, official, isc1000) were a fair bit more difficult than how the real exam turned out, but they definitely played a part in me getting a good score.


Your score is good. I wish I can get scores like you. I have ordered another book
same here im like yyyyyy
Original post by vka94
What is a competitive score this year for the UKCAT?


You will only find out in October after everyone has received their results. But in a way it doesn't matter what that may be. Your objective remains to score as high as you can

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