BMAT scores

Well, BMAT scores are mainly used by Oxbridge unis to shortlist applicants for interviews. However, provided you've A* grades from your GCSEs, you still might get considered for interview even if you obtain below the minimum average scores. Here is what Oxford wrote to me last year.

Oxford to me

We had approximately 1100 applications for 150 places this year. To ensure the consistency of the final decision-making we need to be able to interview all short-listed applicants at two colleges, for which purpose we have had to restrict the shortlist to 425 candidates.

The two quantitative and objective measures used in the short listing process were performance at GCSE and at BMAT. If you had not taken GCSEs, we gave more weight to your BMAT result. In order to get onto the shortlist you therefore had to fall in approximately the top 40% of candidates based on these two parameters. There was no minimum score on BMAT for interview.

The average GCSE performance of our applicants was 67% A*.
In Section 1 of BMAT, the average mark of all our applicants was 5.0.
In Section 2, the average of all of our applicants was 4.6.
In Section 3, the average score was 7.6.

All candidates not making the initial automatic shortlist were reviewed in detail (taking into account such information as their personal statement and school reference) and those at the margins were further scrutinised by a cross-college panel. As a result of this process another 10% were added to the shortlist.

Unfortunately, my BMAT scores were below average :frown:

.
I got 3.3 in Sec 1, 3.8 in Sec 2, and 6 in Sec 3.
Click here to see the distributions of November 2004 BMAT scores.

On the other hand, UCL doesn't deselect applicants by using the BMAT scores. Nevertheless, applicants are guaranteed to be invited for interviews on obtaining minimum 5.5 in each of sections 1 & 2.

Hope this info can give you some ideas about the consideration of BMAT scores. :smile:

Reply 2

Hawk

1

I can't rember my exact scores but they were all just average.

Cambridge stated this as being the main reason they didn't give me an offer for VetMed (when my overall application was looked at I fell jsut below the level of those made offers and a higher BMAT score would have fixed this :frown:

)
On the otherhand RVC told me they would not be relying heavily on the BMAT and I subsequently got an ABB offer (quite rare). I also got an offer from Bristol VetSchool who also require BMAT.
On the whole BMAT isn't the be all and end all, interview, grades and personal statement are all alot more important. But I would say for Oxbridge you need to be scoring highly.

Reply 3

CasterTroy

Interview definately the most important. In Oxford they generally interview people with 'good' GCSE's, AS levels, and as long as you get an average BMAT you should get the call up. From my experience, they didn;t really give a **** about the personal statement, though it may difer from college to college.

Reply 4

Toby T

OP

1

Thanks guys, that's exactly the sort of answer I was looking for. I'm applying to Nottingham, Bristol, RVC, and Liverpool. I'm sitting the BMAT in November so that has made me feel quite a lot better.

Thanks, Toby

Reply 5

Hey this may sound stupid, but how exactly do the scores work. I did a practice papaer today and got 6 out of 12 questions right on the first section for example. So does this mean I would get a score of 6 on the first section?

Reply 6

OoO and also on the website it says it involves key stage 4 stuff, that's GCSE level... so does this mean a level work is not involved?

Reply 7

soulonfire

Hey this may sound stupid, but how exactly do the scores work. I did a practice papaer today and got 6 out of 12 questions right on the first section for example. So does this mean I would get a score of 6 on the first section?

Nope.

There are 35 questions in Section 1 of the Specimen paper where each question worths 1 mark. So you need to find out the % and then convert your score out of 9.

Please read the Specification (.pdf file), which illustrates the detail specification and the Structure of the Test.

If you don't have one, then click here.

Reply 8

soulonfire

OoO and also on the website it says it involves key stage 4 stuff, that's GCSE level... so does this mean a level work is not involved?

Yes, you're right! the A' level knowledge is not required to answer BMAT questions. However, unfortunately, that doesn't mean the questions are too easy. If you've read the specimen papers then you already know that all the questions are Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and so they are very often tricky.

The most important thing is that you need to complete your exam within 2 hours only [60 minutes for Sec 1 (which contains 35 questions), 30 minutes for Sec 2 (containing 27 questions), and 30 minutes for Sec 3 (1 of any 3 Essays).] In Sec 1 & 2, not all questions are precise and so you need to read them carefully. Thus you need to be very efficient to complete your exam on time. This is the real challenge of BMAT. :cool:

Reply 9

visesh

17

I did mine in 2003, (the first batch) and got 5.7 (top 100 or so) and 6.3 (top 30 or so IIRC). my essay was not marked.

Reply 10

okay so is 5 a good score to have in the 1st section?!

Reply 11

btw thankyou for your help, i think i understand a little more of the marking system now

Reply 12

aanderson

The whole process jnust seems over complicated, surely the uni's will have to think of an easier way to select candidates in the future

Reply 13

soulonfire

okay so is 5 a good score to have in the 1st section?!

Yes, it's a good score but you should aim to obtain 6 or higher, coz you never know what becomes the average score (mode) for this year. As mentioned earlier, you can be guareented an interview in UCL if you get 5.5 in each of Sec 1 & 2.

Reply 14

Elles

17

CasterTroy

Interview definately the most important. In Oxford they generally interview people with 'good' GCSE's, AS levels, and as long as you get an average BMAT you should get the call up.

hmm, have you read the published official process recently? :confused:

or you're showing your age.. :wink:

AS grades don't seem to feature in the shortlisting at all.

& to be guaranteed an interview with 'good' GCSEs of say half at A* (don't know what your thinking of 'good' is exactly!) last year you'd have had to have been in the top 27% of BMAT scores of applicants! which is more than just "average" to my way of thinking! :eek:

even with amazing, all A* GCSEs you needed to be top 63% of BMAT, which isn't that below an 'average' score...
(stats on official site)

& ~50-60% of applicants aren't getting the call up these days apparently.

outdoubtly interviews are important. but for Oxford, i really wouldn't understate the significance of the BMAT! :p:

Reply 15

<A-S-H-I-Q-U-E>

Yes, it's a good score but you should aim to obtain 6 or higher, coz you never know what becomes the average score (mode) for this year. As mentioned earlier, you can be guareented an interview in UCL if you get 5.5 in each of Sec 1 & 2.

Thankyou ashique! I'm getting really worried now I only started revising today, is it too late? I didn't think I would ned the BMAt but ive decided to apply for imperial and shockingly, considering my bad luck :mad:

, you need to take it! Has anyone taken it and how long did you "revise" for it? I really dont know what to revise for apart from physics. Am I right in saying, you can' really revise? Just practice or is it too risky? Dudes... this is far more depressing than expected! Do the universities need a specific score, like for example UCL say an overall score of 20. Is it just oxford cambridge and UCl or do all unis require a certain score... *sigh* Nooooooo... *jumps off the side walk* :redface:

Reply 16

specialhelens

i did not revision and arrived back from a holiday to malaysia two days before and did pretty well, i got 6.7,6.7 and 11.5 so don't worry about revision just get down to it

Reply 17

desyek

Can't remember my exact results but I had slightly higher than average - bearing in mind this was 2 years ago now - I think it had just come out or something - the school was soooo not prepared. Anyways, didn't even get an interview - but i'm in med school, Bristol to be precise, and i'm doing fine - i get the same GMC approved degree as an Oxbridge student, so i don't care really! I just wanted to reject Oxford...

Reply 18

moojoo

8

I got 5.3, 5.3 and 10.5, which I think is around average. And I thought the tests were the most horrific things I had ever done in my life (one of my friends cried after and I had to comfort her). So I wouldn't worry too much, even if you think it went badly it usually ends up ok.

Reply 19

Dimez