1. UKCAT

2. UKCAT Dates (2018) Registration and booking:
Registration and booking opens - 1 May 2018
Registration and online booking closes - 18 September 2018 at 5pm
Final booking deadline - 1 October 2018 at midday
Testing:
Testing begins - 2 July 2018
Last testing date - 2 October 2018

3. UKCAT Fees Test taken in the EU between 2 July and 31 August 2018: £65
Test take in the EU between 1 September and 2 October 2018:
£87
UKCAT Fees

4. 5 sections:
Verbal reasoning Quantitative reasoning Abstract reasoning Decision making Situational Judgment

5. Verbal Reasoning
This section requires you to read a 200 to 300 word passage of text. After this, you have to answer 4 related questions.
21 minutes to answer 44 questions.
Tip: Don’t use prior knowledge, everything must follow on from the text
2 types of questions:
1. True / False / Can’t Tell
Following the passage you are presented with four statements. For each statement you must decide if, based on the passage of text, it is true, false or you cannot tell if it is true or false.
2. Free text
Following each passage you will be presented with four questions or incomplete statements. You must then choose which of four free text answers applies. This question style assesses critical thinking abilities, such as identifying conclusions and proving causality.

6. Verbal Reasoning tips 1. Read the question first
Reading the question first will save you a lot of time scanning the passage, so your reading can be more focused.
2. Understand what true and false actually mean
A statement is true if it follows logically from the information you have read in the passage and the opposite for false if it doesn’t follow logically. If you cannot decide if the statement follows logically then the correct response is most likely ‘can’t tell’.
3. Don’t think too deeply about what you’re being asked
Examiners are not trying to trick you out, so do take statements at face value. It’s quite likely that if you have to think too much about an answer it is probably ‘Can’t Tell’.
4. If you’re running out of time go with your instinct
If you are running out of time just go with your gut instinct in a high pressure situation – it is often right. Don’t take time to doubt yourself as it’s not a good use of the time.

7. Quantitative REASONING
Total number of questions: 36
Total time: 24 minutes
For each scenario, you are presented with data and asked to use this data to solve problems. This data can take the form of tables, graphs, charts, as well as two and three-dimensional shapes. There are five potential answers to choose from, and some of these may include ‘can’t tell’.
You will have access to an online calculator throughout the exam. However, you shouldn’t need it for every question.

8. Quantitative REASONING tips
1. Familiarise yourself with common QR topics
There have been many questions in the past involving percentage change, currency conversions, interest rates, ratios, speed-distance time graphs, areas and volumes and basic statistics such as mean, median and mode – as well as data interpretation from charts and graphs, so revise these.
2. Practice under time pressure
You may have no trouble doing the sums to arrive at the correct answer, but the difficult part is doing this under timed conditions.

9. Abstract reasoning
In total, you have 13 minutes to answer 55 questions
The UKCAT Abstract Reasoning section tests your pattern recognition skills with different types of shapes.
There are four types of abstract reasoning questions:
Type 1 and 4 are similar in that there are two sets (A or B) of shapes given. Type 1 questions ask you to choose which set a given test shape will belong to. Type 4 questions are subtly different in that you need to choose the test shape which matches either Set A or Set B from four potential options.
Type 2 and 3 questions assess how you respond to dynamic patterns. Type 2 questions ask you to identify which test shape ‘comes next’ in a sequence, and type 3 questions ask you to extrapolate the change of pattern that occurs between two shapes, to a new test shape.

10. Abstract reasoning TIPS
1. Look for the pattern
Start by identifying the pattern present. Once you get the pattern, you will then quickly be able to identify which Set each test shape fits into.
2. A and B are linked
The patterns tend to be reciprocal. So if it’s the number of intersections in Set A it will be something to do with the number of intersections in Set B.
This means if you’re struggling to find the pattern in Set A, look at Set B. it might be easier! Once you’ve identified the pattern, you can then apply the ‘rules’ back to Set A and hopefully it will now be easier to spot.

11. Decision making
29 questions – based on text, charts, tables, graphs or diagrams
Total time: 32 minutes (1 min for instruction and 31 mins for items)
Decision Making is designed to assess your ability to apply reasoning and logical to a problem, and your ability to evaluate different arguments.
4 types of questions:
1. Deductive Reasoning
You’ll be provided with an opening statement, and you’ll have to decide which of the following conclusion statements you are provided with follows.
2. Evaluating Arguments
After reading the question, and any text with it, you’ll be provided with a choice of arguments. You’ll then have to choose which is the best argument.
3. Statistical Reasoning
Here, you need to be able to make conclusions based on data (numbers and graphs) provided to you.
4. Figural Reasoning
In these items, you have to make conclusions based on sequences given to you.

12. Decision making tips Practice under timed conditions
Use the paper provided to make rough sketches and note key information
Decision making tips

13. Situational Judgment
You will be presented with 69 questions associated with 22 scenarios.
You have 26 minutes to answer all questions.
The UKCAT Situational Judgement Test assesses your non- academic abilities including: ethics, empathy, integrity, communication skills and team working.

14. Situational Judgment tips
To prepare for situational judgment read ‘Good Medical Practice’
Look out for key themes: honesty, professionalism, patient confidentiality, patient safety
You get half marks for selecting the answer next to the correct one so if you are really unsure it is better to select from the two middle options, not the top or bottom
Situational judgment is designed by a panel of medical professionals so think about what they might judge to be the ideal response.

15. Final tips
Different universities require different UKCAT scores so if you don’t get a really high score, it doesn’t mean you won’t get an offer.
If you’re running out of time, guess, flag and move on.
You don’t lose marks for putting the wrong answer so always make a guess even if you’re unsure.

16. http://practice. ukcat. ac. uk/pages/menu. aspx
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