Prepare for the upcoming UKCAT

• What is the UKCAT
• UKCAT Scores
• Why is Preparation for the UKCAT so Important?
• How to Prepare for the UKCAT
• UKCAT Live Tutoring

What Is the UKCAT?

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is a multiple-choice aptitude test used for medical and dental school admissions in the UK. It has a total of five sub-tests and its purpose is to evaluate your cognitive abilities.

The test is not based on scientific or curriculum material. Its results are provided immediately upon completion of the exam and sent directly to the universities you are applying to.

The UKCAT is a timed test (two hours total). See below a breakdown of its sections (these times include one minute for instructions):

• Verbal Reasoning – 22 minutes
• Quantitative Reasoning – 25 minutes
• Abstract Reasoning – 14 minutes
• Decision Making – 32 minutes
• Situational Judgment – 27 minutes

Verbal Reasoning: You are presented with a short passage followed by a statement. There are two types of questions on this test: One type of question requires you to determine whether a given statement is true, false, or undecided, whilst the other type of question requires you to read a list of options and determine the correct answer from that list.

There are 11 passages in total for this section, each with four questions.  You must be careful to only draw information from the passage and not from your own personal knowledge regarding the subject.

Quantitative Reasoning: You are given either a table, chart, or graph that presenting numerical data, as well as questions on the information provided. To answer the questions correctly, you must have a full grasp of all basic calculations and operations. The same set of information may be used for more than one question.

Abstract Reasoning: Each question consists of identifying the correct shape from a list of options. On average, you have less than 20 seconds per question. This section resembles those in an IQ test, where the use of words or numbers is often minimal, and you have to understand the process that undergo a series of shapes.

Decision Making: This is a new version of the “Decision Analysis” section from previous years. This section involves evaluating statistical information and using logic to assess what is the best decision to take.

Situational Judgment: You are presented with a list of everyday scenarios related to a student of medicine or dentistry. The possible scenarios fall under two categories, either to evaluate the appropriateness of certain behavior or determining the importance of a set of options. It consists of 19 scenarios, each with two to five follow-up questions.

UKCAT Scores

After you have completed the UKCAT and before you leave the examination center, you will receive a copy of your score report. This score is only valid for admission during the UCAS Admissions Cycle (for entry only in the relevant year).

Why Is Preparation for the UKCAT So Important?

Proper preparation for competitive admission exams such as the UKCAT is highly recommended. By being familiar with the types of question to be expected on the exam, you become accustomed to the logic required to solve each and every problem presented. Use your prepping period to accurately pinpoint your strength and weaknesses, then focus on your weaknesses to achieve the highest score.

Knowing how the questions are both phrased and structured allows you to gain valuable time that would otherwise be spent on understanding each question and their requirements. This gives you more time to focus on the question itself and find the correct answer.

Get the most of out of your practice by gathering the materials needed before starting to practice. Plan, progress, and finally possess the skills necessary to improve your performance in time for the examination.

How to Prepare for the UKCAT

Preparing for the UKCAT is essential for two main reasons: The first is to secure a place in an extremely competitive market, and the second is because the test is only administered once a year, which makes your chances to get a good score very limited.

Start by reading up on all the material you have gathered for the test. You can benefit from both long study sessions with long breaks and small study sessions with small breaks. Read the study guides and information provided on our PrepPack to help you progress both effectively and efficiently.

Use one of our tests as a performance simulation. Go over the detailed solutions and try to understand the logic behind them, the reasoning, and later on to reproduce the answer in your own words. Remember to measure the time it takes to compare later and check your improvement.

Practice the extra exercises for the sections that need more help. Repeat the process for additional simulations and compare your progress with our thorough score reports.

UKCAT Live Tutoring  

Try our unique live-tutoring service. Our dedicated team has revised the UKCAT repeatedly and has created a preparation pack to provide you with all the necessary practice to ace your test. Moreover, you may prefer our option of live-tutoring for a more personal, up-close experience.

Furthermore, our pricing structure is very flexible in order to allow you the chance of having as many tutoring sessions as you may need in a comfortable budget. Check our UKCAT tutoring options.