So how to ace the UCAT?

[HipOrHop]

DD is in year 10 and set on trying for Medicine. She's hard working and academic but the UCAT is a whole new world in itself. Please can anyone share tips and ideas how to have the best chance at doing well in this test? DD is at our local comp which doesn't seem to get many pupils into med school so they won't be able to guide us much. Having looked at some of the situational questions, they are not always clear cut and I wonder how one best prepares for these. Maths should be in general no problem, she has never done non-verbal reasoning though. She is a cadet first aider and has been volunteering at events for the last year so hopefully that side of things is covered if she gets selected for interviews.

I think they have to select using some measure other than A levels (everyone predicted at least AAA), and work experience (much easier for kids with medical connections). So the UCAT is a tool to help narrow down all the v bright students who apply.
It's like the 11+ or selection tests for private schools. Not fair as it's how you do on that day, but it gives some guide.

And I think part of the selection process is being able to research how and where you should apply. It's what my DD did, as no one at her school knew all the rules. I just nicked her spreadsheet and built on it over the years. Currently updating it for 2025 as more changes are happening all the time. Will be around if anyone needs a hand (as will all the others 😊).

Those are all fair points, @mumsneedwine. Though I dislike the 11+ for very similar reasons!!

It would be interesting to know, though, if anyone has done any research on the validity of the UCAT for predicting success at medical school. However "success" might be defined.

@Medschoolmum there has been a lot of research and the drop out rate for medical schools is surprisingly low. But all the students who apply are probably bright enough to cope with the academic stuff. Not sure how it could be done another way (but I think the UCAT is evil !!).

And I too hate any selection exams at 10/11. Always seems ridiculous to me that kids can be segregated at that age. Might be my comp education, my kids comp education and my employment as a comp teacher 😊

At this stage the only thing to work on is GCSEs. Secondary to this is getting some work experience/ part time job at 16 in a medical related field, DDs friend worked pt and school holidays in a nursing home, she got 4 offers for med school including Cambridge.

A part time job anywhere is good, if customer facing. Cafe, supermarket, McDonalds. Teaches lots of skills, and Unis love to see commitment.

Yep, I "failed" my 11+ but thrived in my comprehensive school - had fabulous teachers, got great exam results, went on to Oxbridge anyway etc. Thankfully, the only selective schools where we live now are private, so dd went off to her state comp and thrived as well. I see no benefit in segregating children at 11.

As for UCAT, I'll have to have a look for the studies!

Yep, dd had several opportunities to talk about her part time cafe job at her interviews...everything from working as part of a team to dealing with challenging people!

It would be interesting to know, though, if anyone has done any research on the validity of the UCAT for predicting success at medical school. However "success" might be defined.

You're right to identify the difficulty of defining a measurable marker of success. There is some slight incremental predictive value of UCAT for some outomes associated with "success" (i.e. still some relation to UCAT scores even when prior educational attainment has been corrected for) but it's certainly not a strong predictor (Bala et al, 2022; Tiffin et al, 2016). It's worrying, though, that paid-for preparation activities (self-reported) are associated with higher scores, and that these are significantly more likely to be undertaken by students from less deprived backgrounds (Kulkarni et al, 2022), so UCAT score is partly an indicator of privilege. There is also the long-standing issue of UK-based students whose first language isn't English performing significantly less well (UCAT Technical Report 2022, Table 31).

I thought I might try and fire up this old thread. @HipOrHop and @Crunk are your young people still aspiring med students? How is the GCSE prep going? My DD is in the middle of mocks at the moment.

She is turning her mind to volunteering opportunities for year 12 in readiness for uni applications in early year 13. The summer between yr 12 and yr 13 will be dedicated to UCAT prep, so wants to get some solid experience before then. She found a great volunteering scheme with a local hospice, but they have to be 17+ - but DD doesn't turn 17 until the end of year 12 :-( I wrote to them to point out the disadvantage but they just said tough luck.

I wrote to the careers' advsior at DD's school to ask whether school would be interested in working together to persuade our local hospital (a stone's throw from the school) to introduce a volunteering scheme for yr 12 students at the school and they basically said 'I can't see this happening, so I can't be bothered'. I also wrote to the Head of Sixth Form asking about their support of students wanting to apply for med school and I got a mad reply 'we have medics who get in every year. Not a large number but it is around a 66% success rate. The nature of the school means that we do have students that are unrealistic about their potential in spite of our compassionate advice' - I found this really demoralising! Not sure what is meant by 'nature of the school' and it felt like they don't really support the pupils that want to do it and just lave it to them - it seems such a contrast from the way @mumsneedwine talks about supporting students at her school, she seems to try throw everything at helping them to get in - and for lots of people who seek her advice on here too!

Anyway, just wondered how everyone was getting on, and comunicate with people with more enthusiastic attitudes than those I have encountered at DD's school!

@SuperSue77 although frustrating they probably want to make sure they are emotionally mature enough. There will be other opportunities working with different people and although my dd found the hospice experience really useful she also did other volunteering.

Volunteering in brownies/ scouts might be a good start or mentoring younger students at school. Holiday playschemes, especially for children with additional needs might be useful. Or approach some older people's homes to pass round teas, sit and chat with people.

Just a part time job will give similar experience of working with people. There are no minimum thresholds of relevant experience in the same way that vet med seems to require.

She can apply to the hospice volunteering once she is 17. As long as she has started by mid October she can still put it down and by the time interviews happen in Dec/Jan she might have three months experience to draw on. It is not as much the length of experience but more the reflection on it and lessons learnt. It is challenging work being in a hospice. I know my dd especially found it hard seeing people with young families in there.

I tried not to get involved myself in organising volunteering so maybe take a step back in terms of communicating with places, but keep an eye on local opportunities and pass them on to your dd. She will find something if she is willing and motivated.