How I Scored 900 in UCAT with a UCAT Question Bank and a UCAT Tutor
Introduction
Hi there! My name is Kunal and today I’m going to tell you how I scored 900 (the maximum score) in the UCAT using a combination of UCAT Question Bank, a UCAT Tutor and lots of UCAT practice!
Table of Contents
ToggleI’m currently a 6th Year Medical Student at UCL, and it is absolutely brilliant. The opportunities you get at university, both socially and in terms of Medicine as a course, make it the one of the most exciting times of your life.
This is why your UCAT revision now is so worth it. I remember panicking about the UCAT every day of summer, just like most students do. However, I managed to score 900 and Band 1 in four sections of the UCAT. Some of this was definitely down to luck, of course. But when I sat my UCAT exam I had improved leaps and bounds from when I first started. By the end of my revision, I felt as if I had “worked out” the exam and knew exactly how to approach each section.
Using the right resources such as a UCAT Question Bank and a UCAT Tutor plus working hard I managed to get the best possible score. I found that by using certain techniques an almost impossibly difficult exam soon turned very manageable and almost (dare I say it) enjoyable!
There are so many shortcuts in the UCAT:
- In VR you can often answer based on just the type of language in the question.
- With QR there are tricks to speed up your use of the UCAT calculator.
- In AR there are 12 key triggers to help you spot certain patterns faster.
- When it comes to SJT make sure you don’t fall into common traps they set.
- In DM, technique is more important than ever.
What UCAT resources did I use? (UCAT Question Bank and UCAT Tutor)
Everyone uses different revision material. Some students go on 3 different day-long expensive courses. Some students just use UCAT Questions banks. I personally used three things: the official UCAT questions, a UCAT question bank, and a UCAT tutor.
UCAT Tutor
I was reluctant to use a UCAT tutor at first. I found that people said that you can’t revise for the UCAT, which put me off. To begin with I thought I would use a tutor to help me sit down and collate my progress continually, but I found it much more useful than I first imagined.
My advice is to be very careful about who you pick. I went through 3 tutors before finding the right one. Many can just be inexperienced university students tutoring in their summer holidays, whilst others can be teachers or even full time tutors.
What are my top tips?
Do the UCAT Test before you go back to school
I was always tempted to delay my UCAT, especially as it grew closer. One of my friends had even pushed it back 4 times believe it or not. Personally, I think the last week of August is the best time to sit your exam. This gives you the maximum time to revise but also makes sure you get it done before a busy year kickstarts at school.
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Get used to the UCAT test conditions
So many candidates go in unprepared. You can’t highlight Verbal Reasoning passages like you can in a book. As well as this, you haven’t got a scientific calculator by your side. Don’t forget you only get a whiteboard, an on screen very basic calculator, and a small stuffy room. I recommend practice by doing a 2 hour test in your local library to get used to the conditions.
If you are using the Medic Mind Question Bank, you’ll be able to try out the flagging function, UCAT Calculator, UCATSEN and other realistic timing features. The official UCAT bank also has this, as do other question banks such as Medify (although these other banks often vary significantly in how realistic they are).
Don’t neglect UCAT theory
UCAT Questions are invaluable, yes, but without proper theory you really are limiting yourself. I improved initially by just doing 100 UCAT questions per day. But soon my progress stagnated.
Working with my tutor and reading around, I started to actually break down my technique. Step by step. For example, for Verbal Reasoning statement questions, do you look at the statements in a random order and always run out of time?
Well you are wasting your time! You can look at certain factors such as ‘Extreme Language’ to make your life 100x easier (see our free Youtube Tutorials below).
Focus on timing from the beginning.
Time is marks in the UCAT. So your approach needs to be time efficient. You need to work on timing from the get-go, because otherwise you will be in for a real shock further down the line.
Don’t panic if you do badly
If you do well, congratulations and well done. If you do badly, then do not panic. Apply to universities which focus less on UCAT, and strongly consider sitting the BMAT.
Final Note
Those are some of my tips in a nutshell. As I said above, for the section by section techniques try our UCAT Online Course or our 1-1 UCAT tutoring – which most UCAT students tend to go for.
I know it might feel like you are not improving. But do not panic. You will get there with practice. But make sure you are using the correct techniques – it has to be quality practice. I wish you the best of luck.
Kunal Dasani
Co-founder
Related: What Is UCAT
Frequently Asked Question
→What is UCAT?
UCAT stands for the University Clinical Aptitude Test. It is an admissions test used by a consortium of UK universities for applicants to their medical and dental programs. The test is designed to assess a candidate’s cognitive abilities, attitudes, and behaviors considered important for success in these fields. The UCAT is taken on a computer and consists of multiple-choice questions that measure a candidate’s abilities in areas such as verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, and abstract reasoning. The UCAT is typically taken by candidates in their final year of secondary school or during their gap year and is used alongside other factors such as academic qualifications and interviews to determine admission to medical and dental programs in the UK.
→What is the highest score average in UCAT?
The UCAT is not scored on a traditional scale with a maximum or minimum score. Instead, the UCAT is scored using a complex algorithm that takes into account the number of correct answers, the difficulty of the questions answered correctly, and the number of questions answered overall. The UCAT score is then presented as a scaled score, which ranges from 300 to 900. The average UCAT score varies from year to year, but typically falls within the range of 650-700. It is important to note that the UCAT is used in conjunction with other factors, such as academic qualifications and interviews, to determine admission to medical and dental programs in the UK. A high UCAT score does not guarantee admission, but it can make a candidate a more competitive applicant.
→How much time should I spend studying for the UCAT?
The amount of time you should spend studying for the UCAT depends on your individual needs and schedule. However, most candidates spend several weeks to several months preparing for the test. It is important to develop a study plan that works for you and includes regular practice with UCAT questions, review of UCAT content and strategies, and feedback from a UCAT tutor or other experienced UCAT professional.
→How can a UCAT tutor help me score 900 in the UCAT?
A UCAT tutor is a trained professional who can provide personalized instruction and feedback to help you improve your UCAT skills and test-taking strategies. A UCAT tutor can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, develop a targeted study plan, and provide guidance and support throughout the UCAT preparation process. With the help of a UCAT tutor, you can gain the confidence and skills necessary to score 900 or higher on the UCAT.
→What are some strategies for improving my UCAT score?
To improve your UCAT score, consider developing a targeted study plan that includes regular practice with UCAT questions, review of UCAT content and strategies, and feedback from a UCAT tutor or other experienced UCAT professional. Focus on your areas of weakness, but also continue to practice your strengths to maintain your proficiency. Make sure to pace yourself during the test, read and understand each question carefully, and use process of elimination to help you narrow down answer choices. Finally, practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization to help you manage test anxiety and stay focused during the test.
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AnonymousMedic Mind Tutor
2 June 2021
Right now, I’m only able to answer 25 questions out of 36 questions with a minute remaining in the QR section, how can I improve this?
Anna CharlotteMedic Mind Tutor
6 June 2021
Try to avoid using the calculator where possible as it’ll slow you down. And when you do use it, make sure to use keyboard shortcuts so you spend less time inputting numbers into the computer. The seconds saved will all add up!
AnonymousMedic Mind Tutor
7 June 2021
how can I speed up on Decision making
Anna CharlotteMedic Mind Tutor
17 June 2021
Take a look at our decision making tips! A good way to speed up is to triage your questions. This means you evaluate how much time a question might take you and decide if it’s “worth” your time to fully complete it. If a question is time-consuming it might be a good idea to make an educated guess and move on so you can spend your time answering several easier questions in the same time instead.
AnonymousMedic Mind Tutor
7 June 2021
For verbal reasoning I always start panicking and then have to read over and over the text to understand what is it saying which is too time consuming. As its the first section its really hard to stay calm. Any advice will be appreciated.
Anna CharlotteMedic Mind Tutor
17 June 2021
The first section has been made challenging for a reason! Very few candidates answer every question in Verbal Reasoning, so be reassured you don’t need to fully complete it to score well. It’s partly designed to be a test of resilience to see if the shock of not finishing the first section (which many candidates will assume means they scored poorly) will have an impact on the rest of the exam.
A good tip for VR is to use the keywords technique to reduce the amount time you spend reading the passage. You can read more about it in our VR guide here or watch our free YouTube tutorial too. Hope that helps!
AnonymousMedic Mind Tutor
17 June 2021
When do you think i should start studying for the exam and how long should i spend?
Anna CharlotteMedic Mind Tutor
17 June 2021
We recommend spending a few months doing a small amount of preparation each day. In the weeks leading up to your exam you should increase the amount of time you spend practicing by completing full mock exams. Now (mid-June) is a good time to start preparing for exams in the coming summer if you haven’t started already 🙂
AnonymousMedic Mind Tutor
28 June 2021
Do you have any tips for improving mental arithmetic for QR? To become less reliant on the calculator
AnonymousMedic Mind Tutor
14 July 2021
What are the 12 triggers mentioned for AR?
Anna CharlotteMedic Mind Tutor
2 August 2021
Take a look at our Abstract Reasoning guide here
AnonymousMedic Mind Tutor
28 July 2021
If someone was using medify only, how many sets of questions should they complete? There are around 4000 sets in total.
Anna CharlotteMedic Mind Tutor
2 August 2021
There is no set amount of questions that will guarantee you a good score. The more questions you do, the more of an idea you’ll have of they style and types of questions you can face. However, make sure you’re not just doing questions for the sake of it. Make sure you’re also working on your answer technique and timing for each section as well. It’s also important to take notes of which questions you’re getting wrong and ensure you can work on areas of weakness. If you can apply everything you learn from this to the questions you do, you’ll be in a very good position for the exam.