Candidate Advice
Each year around 36,000 students sit the UCAT. Here, a selection of high-scoring candidates who’ve recently sat the test talk about their experience and offer their advice on how they prepared for the UCAT.
"Focus on one section at a time, refine and perfect it, then move on"
Score: 98th Percentile
This candidate scored in the top 2% of their test year and started practising at the start of the summer holidays: “My test was booked for the last week of the summer. I had done a few questions occasionally prior to this to get familiar with the format but focused on my UCAT prep for roughly 6 weeks. I tried to do about 2 hours each day, rotating the sections I did, but it could be more or less, depending on how I felt. I started off doing untimed practice and then switched to timed to refine my time management during the test. It is important to take breaks when you feel tired, so you don’t overwork yourself. Keep it as fun as possible, because when you relax and enjoy yourself, you’ll do better.”
The free UCAT resources were the most accurate I used in regards to how the software would function for the actual test. I would advise using the free UCAT question banks to practice different question styles and use the mock exams in the couple of days leading up to the test.”
When asked their top tips, this candidate said:
“Keep it fun so you don’t burnout – practice with friends or family, have breaks and remember to still enjoy your summer!
Make sure you know how to use the calculator and keyboard shortcuts as they’ll make you lots quicker in the test.
My biggest challenge was it looked very overwhelming to start with. When you’re faced with a 2 hours exam, and a lot of questions, it can seem daunting. But don’t stress yourself out – I found it useful to focus on one section at a time, refine and perfect it, then move on. So build up in small chunks – don’t try sit a 2 hour mock straight away.”
"I used the UCAT official website: they are really useful resources"
Score: 99th Percentile
This 2024 candidate scored in the top 1% and shared their tips on how they did it.
“Firstly, I used the UCAT official website: the question banks and tests. They are really useful resources.
Secondly, I made sure I didn’t get burnt out. This is the biggest tip I could ever give you; you need to prioritise your mental health. The UCAT doesn’t have to take over your life for the month (that I revised for at least). Every morning, I tried to keep to a schedule of one mock test for two days and then a break day where I reviewed those mock tests and then I did questions relating to the subsections I did worst in. I don’t recommend revising for more than two-three hours per day, because beyond that, you’re too tired, and you’re just not going to see much improvement. Just make sure you wake up every morning and be like ‘do I feel like doing the UCAT preparation today?’ If not, that’s absolutely fine. Take that day for yourself and just spend time with friends and family.
My final tip is: on that test day, make sure everything’s prepared and that you get enough sleep. Even getting to this point is crazy, and I hope you all do amazing!”
"Keep practising, work on your weaknesses, and stay calm"
Score: 97th Percentile
A 2024 candidate who scored in the top 3% shared their preparation strategy.
Starting a couple of months before the test, they began by familiarising themselves with the exam structure and watching tutorials. Six weeks before the exam, they timed themselves while doing questions, then moved on to timed mocks to build endurance. “In the final couple of weeks, I would do a full mock exam at the same time as my real exam and would spend the rest of the day analysing my performance and completing questions in my weaker subsections.”
Key tips included practising using the test tools such as the online calculator and flag-and-review. They also highly recommended the official UCAT question banks and practice tests for getting used to the test format and keyboard shortcuts: “They are the most realistic resources by far and so you should use them as much as possible. I also found that reading past candidates’ advice was very helpful and I modelled my revision around their methods and timetables.”
The candidate also provided specific tips for each subtest:
- “For Verbal Reasoning focus on speed reading and retention – I did this by practicing skimming and retaining key details from random Wikipedia pages.
- In Decision Making start by familiarising yourself with the question types. Develop a clear system for tackling each question type, such as using Venn diagrams for syllogisms or tables for logical puzzles, to organise information effectively.
- For Quantitative Reasoning, effective time management is key. Additionally, brush up on basic maths skills like times tables, speed-distance-time calculations, and percentage changes. Being quick and confident with these will improve your efficiency and accuracy.
- In Situational Judgement start by reading the GMC Guide to Good Medical Practice. This will help you understand the principles behind the questions and guide your decision-making. Focus on approaching scenarios with a balanced and sensible mindset.”
The candidate emphasised feeling mentally prepared. Consistency, focusing on weaknesses, and staying calm were key to success: “Try to sit your mocks at the same time of day as your actual exam to prepare your body and mind for the test timing, helping you feel more comfortable on the day. Timed subtests are also useful for building speed and familiarity while identifying areas that need extra attention. My practice was very mentally tiring. To overcome this issue I would try to change which areas of practice I would focus on in each session. For example, I would sometimes completely step away from practice for a day or watch a tutorial of a section instead. Remember that small but consistent practice is much better than cramming for your test.
Keep practising, work on your weaknesses, and stay calm. Good luck!”
