UCAT TOP TIPS
UCAT Top Tips
How to ace your UCAT
It's UCAT season! Arguably, one of the toughest parts of the entire medical application process. While others are out enjoying their summer, you're stuck staring at your screen, trying to understand how you'll ever manage to interpret information from an essay in 30 seconds. However, there are ways to make this entire preparation process more bearable.
UCAT Overview and Timings
First, let's briefly review the sections and timings of the UCAT.
Section 1: Verbal reasoning
This section evaluates your ability to critically analyze and interpret written information.
44 questions in 22 minutes (approx. 30s per question)
Section 2: Decision making
This section tests your ability to make sound judgments based on complex information.
35 questions in 37 minutes (approx. 64s per question)
Section 3: Quantitative reasoning
This section tests your ability to apply numerical skills to solve problems.
36 questions in 26 minutes (approx. 43s per question)
Section 4: Situational Judgement
This section measures your understanding of ethics and professionalism in various scenarios.
69 questions in 26 minutes (approx. 23s per question)
Verbal Reasoning Tips
When first practising VR, it can seem like you are trying to understand an entirely new language. But - with practice, patience, and a bit of strategic skim reading - it's possible to ace this section.
Tip 1: Read the Question first
To efficiently select the necessary information, you need to identify which parts are useful. The only way to do that is to read the question first (including the answer options). This not only saves time but also helps you to accurately focus your attention on the relevant information in the passage. This leads me on to my next tip...
Tip 2: Look for keywords
After reading the question first, you can now scan through the passage and look for keywords that will lead you to the answer. Using an example of a question from the official UCAT website:
It states, "According to the passage, Teruel is known for:"
A. The notability quality of its soil
B. The increasing consumption of truffles
C. Its high production of black truffles
D. The premium price of its truffles
The correct answer is C, as the passage states, "Today Teruel is the world’s biggest producer of Tuber melanosporum, the prince of black truffles."
By reading the question first, you were able to search the passage for the keywords "Teruel" and "truffles," which would have helped you find this key phrase.
Tip 3: Watch out for negatives
Pay close attention to words like "not", "except", and "cannot". If missed, these can easily lead you to confidently choose the wrong answer, as they can completely change the meaning.
Tip 4: Stick to the passage, NOT your own knowledge
Take everything literally and do not try to base the answers on what you already know. This section is testing your ability to interpret information given, not your current knowledge. So make sure to always base your answers on the information in the passage, even if it contradicts your own understanding of a particular topic.
Tip 5: Learn what True, False, and can't tell actually mean
True = directly supported by the text
False = directly contradicted by the text
Can't tell = not enough information in the text to say
Tip 6: If you get stuck, guess, flag it, and move on!
Remember, you only have about 30 seconds to answer each question. So if you get stuck on a question, don't waste time trying to figure it out. At the end of the day, each question is worth the same, no matter the difficulty - so don't sacrifice lots of easy marks for one difficult question.
Decision Making Tips
Decision Making tests more than just maths or logic - it challenges how you think. At first, it can feel super random, but there’s structure beneath the chaos. Once you learn how to break problems down and apply clear reasoning, this section becomes far more manageable.
Tip 1: Learn the question types
Familiarise yourself with all formats: logic puzzles, syllogisms, Venn diagrams, probability, and interpreting arguments. Recognising the type quickly helps you determine the best way to approach the question.
Tip 2: Use your "whiteboard"
In the UCAT exam, you will get a laminated notebook, which you can use to help write things down so you don't have to try to remember things. Ensure you jot things down important numbers you might need further into your working out to help you get to your answer.
Tip 3: Pay attention to keywords in statements
Words like “some,” “all,” “none,” “only,” and “must” are critical in logic questions. They can completely change the meaning - especially in syllogisms and conclusions.
Tip 4: Manage your time wisely
This again goes for most sections in the UCAT, but ensure you are not wasting your time. In DM, especially, it's easy to end up spending more time than necessary on a question. That's why it's important to read the question carefully to determine what you actually need from the 'puzzle' so you don't end up completing it, then realise you got the answer a few steps ago. Also, if you are really struggling with a question, just take an educated guess, flag it, and move on!!
Quantitative Reasoning Tips
QR isn’t about tricky maths - it’s about speed and clever thinking. Once you master the basics and learn to how spot shortcuts, this section can actually become one of the easiest to score highly in.
Tip 1: Know your basic maths
As I'm sure you're aware, the UCAT is very time-pressured. So to save time, it's best to nail down the basics: percentages, ratios, speed-distance-time, fractions, and currency conversions.
Tip 2: Familiarise yourself with the UCAT calculator
In the UCAT, you can't use a physical calculator like you would in exams. Instead, you are only allowed to use the on-screen calculator. So it's important to familiarise yourself with it and practise with it as much as possible to simulate exam conditions. Make sure you use the number pad on your keyboard instead of wasting time using your mouse to click each number.
Tip 3: Read the question carefully
Carefully read the question to determine what's actually being asked of you before diving straight into calculations. This way, you can look for key data and the information you actually need.
Tip 4: Estimate when possible
For certain questions, the answer options may be quite far apart. For these questions, try to save time by estimating as much as you can.
Situational Judgement Tips
The SJT tests your judgement in real-world scenarios. Once you get the hang of what professionalism and patient care look like, choosing the right answers gets a lot easier.
Tip 1: DO NOT neglect it
One of the most important tips for this section is not to neglect it during your revision. I've heard too many people say that it's just "common sense" when in reality, many of the questions actually require you to have decent knowledge of core principles in medicine for you to accurately answer them. Many universities also use your SJT score to allocate points, which ultimately decides whether or not you get an interview. Most medical schools also reject applicants who score a band 4 in situational judgment, so even if you did amazing in the other UCAT sections, a low SJT score can really affect your chances.
Tip 2: Learn the core values
Read the GMC's Guide to Good Medical Practice to familiarise yourself with the guidelines doctors need to adhere to, such as the importance of patient confidentiality, which often comes up a lot in questions. Also, learn the 4 pillars of medical ethics (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice), as these help guide you to the best course of action.
Tip 3: Prioritise patient safety and wellbeing
In dilemmas, actions that protect patients and maintain trust usually take precedence.
Tip 4: Read all of the options before choosing
Even if one answer looks good at first, there might be a better option further down, so it's important to read all of the options before deciding on an answer.
General tips
- Prioritise time. If you're stuck on a question, guess, flag it, and move on. You can always come back to it if you have time. But ultimately, it's not worth spending too much time on one difficult question when you could easily spend that time confidently getting multiple easier questions right instead.
- Watch walkthrough videos and explanations. Especially if you're feeling fed up with constantly doing mocks.
- Don't burn yourself out. Easier said than done, I know. But ensure you're taking regular breaks, otherwise you'll end up doing more harm than good.
- Believe in yourself. If you tell yourself you’re going to flop, you won’t achieve your full potential.
* Note - Abstract reasoning is no longer a section on the UCAT. So if you see anything related to this when you are revising, make sure to ignore it.
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