UCAT!

[Mafaldaweasley]

Posted on the medicine thread a few days ago but not had any replies!

Just wondering how people are getting on with the UCAT/ how much have your dc managed to do so far? My dd started looking at the questions a couple of weeks ago, but it feels quite overwhelming and also challenging to fit with so many other demands - homework, having to write personal statement, D of E this weekend... She is finding processing all the info tricky, she has dyslexia and will get extra time but not sure this will fully compensate. She has been watching tik tok and youtube for tips, so far resisted paying for all the myriad of things that are being advertised (tutors, courses) but have paid for Medify.

She is hoping to get a date around 20th August before we go on holiday, just not sure 4.5 clear-ish weeks of summer holidays will be enough! Be good to hear how other people are getting on/ any tips?

It's a tough test. Keep practising a few hours every day for 6-8 weeks before hand, ramping up to 5-6 hours the week before. Use Medify diagnostics ti see her weaknesses and practice those (the book is v handy to explain questions). Keep ucats own practice tests for the weeks before and make sure do under timed conditions.
If taking too long on a question, guess, flag and move on.
Keep practicing ! And if it doesn't go as well as hoped there are still options. Many Unis look at other things alongside UCAT.

DC1 used this advice from mumsneedwine when they were applying a few years ago and got a really decent score.

DS has only just finished his mocks yesterday, I doubt he will have time to properly get stuck in until first week of July

Hi, my son has just finished his GCSEs - would now be a good time to start getting familiar with the UCAT? If so, which book would you recommend (they are a few different ones on amazon).
also anything he can do to try and prepare? What my boost his CV? Many thanks
ps: planning to do Biology, chemistry maths and further maths at a level

@Placestogo No !!!! A year too early. 2-3 months if revision for it is plenty. You can start to lose marks if do too much as you start to over think answers.
Enjoy the summer. Get some volunteering or a part time job.

Totally agree with Mums. No need to touch the preparation for UCAT until after they’ve taken their A’Levels.

Like I said upthread, we followed advice from Mums a couple years ago and DS got a really rather decent score.

Concentrate instead on volunteering and work experience, particularly things that he can discuss in interviews or makes him stand out from all of the other applicants.

@mumsneedwine was helpful for my DD too. Looking back now it is so easy to get carried away in UCAT panic when actually a calm study plan is what is needed including practice tests. That gives them time to do volunteering, hobbies, get great grades and all the other super human things future medics are expected to achieve! Its a hard slog but my DD is loving studying medicine!

Hi, apologies all I started this thread in a panic then got sidetracked on to the medicine 2027 thread - though that has gone a bit quiet!
Anyway, thank you for the helpful and sensible advice; trying to apply it, along with other tips from youtube etc, however finding UCAT challenging to say the least. Dd had a wobble today, and questioning whether to bother as she thinks unlikely to get a score high enough for dentistry. VR and timing in general both tricky, even with the extra time. She also is telling herself that everyone else doing it is a 'maths genius' and doing A level maths, which she isn't (appreciate you only need gcse level maths if that, but problem here is mainly speed, even though she has learned the calculator tricks).
On plus side, SJT going well!
Feel like it will be a stressful 4 weeks - would be good to know how others are finding it.

@Mafaldaweasleyits a horrid exam. Keep going, practice does work. And most people get their best score on the day so 🤞🤞

Thanks @mumsneedwine hoping so!

@Placestogo I would echo previous responses to your post. My daughter did however find this sort of crossover study book a productive use of part of her extended summer break after GCSEs.

Bundle of 3 Head start A level study books Biology Chemistry Maths
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/178325669360

Starting back in September with the relevant GCSE material fresh in the mind and having a preview / early start to the A Level syllabus topics got her off to a confident start which she maintained all throughout Y12 leaving her confident to use the following summer hols to tackle UCAT.

Yes definitely keep going if you have got this far. She'll only know by sitting the exam!

They have to take it the summer before they apply so can only wait until after they have taken their A levels if they are planning to apply during a year out.