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UKCAT for 2017 Entry to UK

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Original post by Natalierm2707
The average varies each year, and we may see a big shift this year in the average score as there are only 3 sections making up the total rather than 4 (hence one section fewer to drag your mark down or one section fewer to drag your mark up, it could work either way) so it could vary a lot from previous years.

All the information I am going to quote below I have gathered directly from the UKCAT test statistics document which can be found here: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/App_Media/uploads/pdf/UKCAT%20Test%20Statistics%202015.pdf
I will be using the average scores which do not include decision analysis in them, even though decision analysis was used in previous years, this is because it is more of a fair comparison.

The averages excluding DA from the previous years are: 623 (2012); 624 (2013); 630 (2014) and 634 (2015). This gives an overall average over the past 4 years of 628.
generally to be scoring above average of approximately 630 would be placing you in decile 5 or above, wheras scoring below average would be placing you in decile 4 or below. Obviously the higher the decile the better your score is in comparison to that year, you are aiming for the higher deciles.
Last year (2015) to enter decile 9, the highest decile without DA you needed an average of 720, wheras to be placed in the lowest decile of 1 you needed an average of 550 without DA.

I would personally say:
- a score below 600 is below average and will make choices of universities limited for these candidates.
- a score between 600 and 650 is a decent average score. it may not make you stand out at universities which heavily use the UKCAT but there are many options with a score like this.
- a score between 650 and 700 is a good score, it may be risky for places such as newcastle or glasgow but for unis which use the UKCAT in conjunction with other factors it will be a good score.
- a score of over 700 is an excellent score.

Obviously this is not fact, this is my opinions based on the deciles from the UKCAT document. My best advice is yo use that document to compare your UKCAT score to the deciles, if your in decile 7/8/9 then fantastic, if your in decile 5/6 then good but make wise decisions, if your lower than that make sure you consider your options of medical school carefully as you need to apply to your strengths.


I swear, your posts are always so amazing :lol:

Also, does anyone else feel like we should have a UKCAT sticky? Only for tips, techniques, as a sort of FAQ. I feel we are answering the same questions over and over (don't mind, but it can get annoying), and it would be a good resource for people
Hey guys, could someone please help me with this question? The answer should be C but I'm confused as to how to get there. Thanks! 🙂
Original post by charlotteelisiha
Hey guys, could someone please help me with this question? The answer should be C but I'm confused as to how to get there. Thanks! 🙂


They've left out everything but the horizontal arrow for the next box, and they've just mirrored it.
Original post by Gogregg
I swear, your posts are always so amazing :lol:

Also, does anyone else feel like we should have a UKCAT sticky? Only for tips, techniques, as a sort of FAQ. I feel we are answering the same questions over and over (don't mind, but it can get annoying), and it would be a good resource for people


100% would love a UKCAT sticky, it would be great for candidates to refer back to year on year as I answer so many of the same questions and its hard for people to sift through these threads to find answers unless we directly quote them.
Original post by Chutiya
What did you get


Posted from TSR Mobile


737 average band 2

I know its not thaaat amazing as many people have got higher but just thought it could help to get more info as I wish there was more out there when I did it!
guys when i practice my results are so inconsistent sometimes i'll do better then i'll do worse i don't know what to do to improve
Original post by Yazmin123
guys when i practice my results are so inconsistent sometimes i'll do better then i'll do worse i don't know what to do to improve


That's the nature of the UKCAT, really. It's a stupid test but there we go.
Original post by michrab123
737 average band 2

I know its not thaaat amazing as many people have got higher but just thought it could help to get more info as I wish there was more out there when I did it!


last year that would have been in the top decile! how is that not amazing??

PLEASE PLEASE to anyone on TSR reading through forums often the scores for the UKCAT you will see are going to be high, the same reason why most people on TSR get really high grades at GCSE and Alevel. its because they spend a lot of time preparing, but be aware this does not in any way represent the whole population who have taken the test, your better reffering to the past years deciles to see how competitive your score is, and as I said previously anything over 700 is an incredible average score! That is above most cut off scores I was aware of for 2016 entry!

please dont be disheartened if your scores arent in the 700s+ as most people will score between 600 and 700, and that is a perfectly respectable score!
Original post by michrab123
737 average band 2

I know its not thaaat amazing as many people have got higher but just thought it could help to get more info as I wish there was more out there when I did it!


Not that amazing... It's in the top ten percent of the last 5 years!
Original post by Bowie22
Not that amazing... It's in the top ten percent of the last 5 years!


Thanks - I am pleased with it but I am also aware people can get much higher so I don't want to say I know everything about the UKCAT as I am not perfect! :smile:
Original post by Natalierm2707
last year that would have been in the top decile! how is that not amazing??

PLEASE PLEASE to anyone on TSR reading through forums often the scores for the UKCAT you will see are going to be high, the same reason why most people on TSR get really high grades at GCSE and Alevel. its because they spend a lot of time preparing, but be aware this does not in any way represent the whole population who have taken the test, your better reffering to the past years deciles to see how competitive your score is, and as I said previously anything over 700 is an incredible average score! That is above most cut off scores I was aware of for 2016 entry!

please dont be disheartened if your scores arent in the 700s+ as most people will score between 600 and 700, and that is a perfectly respectable score!



I just meant I'm not the best that's all :smile:

I did put in a hell of a lot of work for it, and practiced from every resource I could find. It was not easy for me to get my score and tbh I surprised myself as I did better than I expected, so stay positive and don't give up !!
Original post by michrab123
Thanks - I am pleased with it but I am also aware people can get much higher so I don't want to say I know everything about the UKCAT as I am not perfect! :smile:


You're extremely modest and I respect that a lot.

Congrats! Best of luck for your application
x
Original post by michrab123
I just meant I'm not the best that's all :smile:

That's something you'll need to get used to for Medical School, I'm afraid. :tongue:
Original post by michrab123
I just meant I'm not the best that's all :smile:

I did put in a hell of a lot of work for it, and practiced from every resource I could find. It was not easy for me to get my score and tbh I surprised myself as I did better than I expected, so stay positive and don't give up !!


I understand what you mean, but people are so quick to play down their scores, if when I took the UKCAT two years ago I came out with your score I wouldnt be saying its not the greatest, you work so damn hard and you deserve the score you got! so huge well done!

I was putting the disclaimer out there because so many people come to me with UKCATS of 680, 695 upset because all the people on the forums seem to get really high scores, and I just wanted to make people aware that it is just not the case, you are way more likely to post a good score on here than a bad, and also on TSR a lot of people do well. I just wanted to make sure people werent judging their scores to harshly like i did based on TSR users scores because i totally regret doing that!

If your score is above the cut offs for UKCAT heavy universities in the previous years, then its a great score and it doesnt matter if you get 720 or 850 average if the cut off is 710 you will both get in, being in higher deciles matters much much more than the average!

good luck with everything!
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by usycool1
That's something you'll need to get used to for Medical School, I'm afraid. :tongue:


urrrghhh tell me about it... :colonhash:
Original post by Natalierm2707
The average varies each year, and we may see a big shift this year in the average score as there are only 3 sections making up the total rather than 4 (hence one section fewer to drag your mark down or one section fewer to drag your mark up, it could work either way) so it could vary a lot from previous years.

All the information I am going to quote below I have gathered directly from the UKCAT test statistics document which can be found here: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/App_Media/uploads/pdf/UKCAT%20Test%20Statistics%202015.pdf
I will be using the average scores which do not include decision analysis in them, even though decision analysis was used in previous years, this is because it is more of a fair comparison.

The averages excluding DA from the previous years are: 623 (2012); 624 (2013); 630 (2014) and 634 (2015). This gives an overall average over the past 4 years of 628.
generally to be scoring above average of approximately 630 would be placing you in decile 5 or above, wheras scoring below average would be placing you in decile 4 or below. Obviously the higher the decile the better your score is in comparison to that year, you are aiming for the higher deciles.
Last year (2015) to enter decile 9, the highest decile without DA you needed an average of 720, wheras to be placed in the lowest decile of 1 you needed an average of 550 without DA.

I would personally say:
- a score below 600 is below average and will make choices of universities limited for these candidates.
- a score between 600 and 650 is a decent average score. it may not make you stand out at universities which heavily use the UKCAT but there are many options with a score like this.
- a score between 650 and 700 is a good score, it may be risky for places such as newcastle or glasgow but for unis which use the UKCAT in conjunction with other factors it will be a good score.
- a score of over 700 is an excellent score.

Obviously this is not fact, this is my opinions based on the deciles from the UKCAT document. My best advice is yo use that document to compare your UKCAT score to the deciles, if your in decile 7/8/9 then fantastic, if your in decile 5/6 then good but make wise decisions, if your lower than that make sure you consider your options of medical school carefully as you need to apply to your strengths.


Thank you for the very informative answer! xx

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by michrab123
737 average band 2

I know its not thaaat amazing as many people have got higher but just thought it could help to get more info as I wish there was more out there when I did it!


Trust that is amazing. UKCAT scores on the student room are always distorted. Some people lie. On the other hand people with lower scores are reluctant to post their scores so don't let it scare you.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Natalierm2707
last year that would have been in the top decile! how is that not amazing??

PLEASE PLEASE to anyone on TSR reading through forums often the scores for the UKCAT you will see are going to be high, the same reason why most people on TSR get really high grades at GCSE and Alevel. its because they spend a lot of time preparing, but be aware this does not in any way represent the whole population who have taken the test, your better reffering to the past years deciles to see how competitive your score is, and as I said previously anything over 700 is an incredible average score! That is above most cut off scores I was aware of for 2016 entry!

please dont be disheartened if your scores arent in the 700s+ as most people will score between 600 and 700, and that is a perfectly respectable score!


Thanks for reminding us of this. It's really true. Some people who got low 700s or high 600s managed to get places in the GEM courses. So yeah it's not all lost if you don't get a high or mid 700.
Original post by Natalierm2707
100% would love a UKCAT sticky, it would be great for candidates to refer back to year on year as I answer so many of the same questions and its hard for people to sift through these threads to find answers unless we directly quote them.


I see you used emedica. Useful or not?
Is a good resource, many of you might have some of the pdfs,

Though didnt get the email straight away, took a day.

https://gospaces.com/s/YvmG

I got an average of 720ish on my UKCAT!

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