Discussion: UMAT being replaced by UCAT

[DrDrLMG!]

3. The UMAT was historically a supervised test taken under exam conditions. Given the accessibility of the internet and an internet-based test, what in the world stops you from getting a seasoned UCAT veteran to just take the test for you?

See my ETA above re. testing centres. Presumably ID will be a strict requirement?

 

[Crow]

I've just taken a look at the UCAT test centre locations and am pleased to see some increased flexibility with testing being available over a 1-3 day period at some less-populated locations that weren't offered for UMAT e.g. Rockhampton in QLD. Nice to see as this may help (even if in a minor way) address some potential disadvantages presented to those who originally had to pay extra travel and accommodation expenses who may now no longer have to do so!

 

[Logic]

I've just taken a look at the UCAT test centre locations and am pleased to see some increased flexibility with testing being available over a 1-3 day period at some less-populated locations that weren't offered for UMAT e.g. Rockhampton in QLD. Nice to see as this may help (even if in a minor way) address some potential disadvantages presented to those who originally had to pay extra travel and accommodation expenses who may now no longer have to do so!

A lot of the test centres in smaller locations appear to be in locations that have a medical school there. e.g. in Wagga, UNSW, Armidale- UNE etc.

 

[Ruffle]

Another issue that's been raised is that previously, with the physical UMAT booklets, candidates were able to do working in the margins, etc. In the UKCAT they do supply "noteboards" and a marker, but not pen+paper- presumably so that your working is more easily seen- but this still doesn't allow the candidate to annotate the diagrams, or underline key words/phrases in sections like Verbal Reasoning. So it appears that having a better short-term memory would help you out better in the UCAT.

Also (minor point)- you're not allowed to have your water bottle with you in the UKCAT, for whatever reason! (Maybe to do with the electronics?) If this is the case for the UCAT , one will have to think out hydration/toilet strategies very thoroughly especially as the test is so fast paced.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Also (minor point)- you're not allowed to have your water bottle with you in the UKCAT, for whatever reason! (Maybe to do with the electronics?) If this is the case for the UCAT , one will have to think out hydration/toilet strategies very thoroughly especially as the test is so fast paced.

#inspirational

 

[Ruffle]

LMG! The battle cry of all UCAT2019ers @ 2.00

 

[Zed]

I have a concern about the fact that the test can be sat on any day during a testing period (not sure how long the period is) as opposed to UMAT where you could only sit the test on one day of the year at the same time as everyone else is sitting it.

I'd be interested in what sort of security UKCAT had in place to prevent unscrupulous students from sitting it twice (or more often) during the testing period.

If someone had a fake ID and sat it at the start of the testing period then they could re-sit the test on a later day (at another location) under their actual name but this time with a big advantage. In saying that, I make the assumption that applicants for sitting the test need not be enrolled in a high school or a university.

Come to think of it, another permutation could be that person A sits the test with no intention of applying to med school but is there only to be able to provide a "brain-dump" to person B soon after they leave the testing venue.

Thinking this through somewhat further, I don't think UKCAT could have different questions on different days because then it wouldn't be a level playing field. In other words, the test will be the same no matter which day you sit it during the testing period. They could perhaps randomise the sequence of the questions in each section but I don't know how much more secure that would make the test.

Maybe UKCAT had some way of comparing the images of the IDs submitted. For UMAT a photo had to be emailed as part of the application and then a photo ID had to be provided on the day but I don't think there was any comparison done between the photo sent as part of the application and the photo ID provided on the day of the test. There was less need to I guess as everyone sat the test on the same day.

For UMAT I guess it's possible someone could send a ring-in on the day of the test so no system is totally crim-proof.

Maybe facial-recognition software could compare photos of everyone who sits the exam but even if that was technically feasible (and not too fallible) it would only catch the multiple-test-sitters, it would not catch the brain-dump cheats.

If anyone is wondering, the answer is "yes" I AM wearing a tin-foil hat as I type this

 

[Q3]

I have a concern about the fact that the test can be sat on any day during a testing period (not sure how long the period is) as opposed to UMAT where you could only sit the test on one day of the year at the same time as everyone else is sitting it.

I'd be interested in what sort of security UKCAT had in place to prevent unscrupulous students from sitting it twice (or more often) during the testing period.

If someone had a fake ID and sat it at the start of the testing period then they could re-sit the test on a later day (at another location) under their actual name but this time with a big advantage. In saying that, I make the assumption that applicants for sitting the test need not be enrolled in a high school or a university.


Thinking this through somewhat further, I don't think UKCAT could have different questions on different days because then it wouldn't be a level playing field. In other words, the test will be the same no matter which day you sit it during the testing period. They could perhaps randomise the sequence of the questions in each section but I don't know how much more secure that would make the test.

Maybe UKCAT had some way of comparing the images of the IDs submitted. For UMAT a photo had to be emailed as part of the application and then a photo ID had to be provided on the day but I don't think there was any comparison done between the photo sent as part of the application and the photo ID provided on the day of the test. There was less need to I guess as everyone sat the test on the same day.

For UMAT I guess it's possible someone could send a ring-in on the day of the test so no system is totally crim-proof.

If anyone is wondering, the answer is "yes" I AM wearing a tin-foil hat as I type this

Lol that last line made me laugh.

I think in regards to fake ID, in theory that could happen with UMAT as well. but it is hard to find somebody who is excellent at aptitude exams who is also willing to break a few laws.

I think the biggest concern is sitting the exam on separate days. The exams would have to select questions from a question bank so people get different exams, but since the questions would be of similar style this would be negligible.

 

[Zed]

Lol that last line made me laugh.

I think in regards to fake ID, in theory that could happen with UMAT as well. but it is hard to find somebody who is excellent at aptitude exams who is also willing to break a few laws.

I think the biggest concern is sitting the exam on separate days. The exams would have to select questions from a question bank so people get different exams, but since the questions would be of similar style this would be negligible.

Yes, the separate days is the core issue, it is the root cause of all the problems. Having different questions certainly fixes that problem but I don't agree that having a similar style of questions makes the variation between exams negligible. I think it likely that some students will have an easier exam than other students. I guess the discussion is really "how much easier?"

 

[Q3]

Yes, the separate days is the core issue, it is the root cause of all the problems. Having different questions certainly fixes that problem but I don't agree that having a similar style of questions makes the variation between exams negligible. I think it likely that some students will have an easier exam than other students. I guess the discussion is really "how much easier?"

I guess each exam will be made up of questions that are considered hard and easy so it may balance out.

But it is a valid point, given that the stakes for medical school entry are so high it does seem unfair to compare people's scores across exams that are not exactly the same.

 

[Zed]

I guess each exam will be made up of questions that are considered hard and easy so it may balance out.

Yep, that would go some way to making it more fair I guess. I dunno, making it available only on none day at the same time for everyone is the most secure thing I think. Having said that, we have time differences between the states and (guessing here) we could find that the UCAT in the UK is the same as the UCAT here so once again you have more scope for shenanigans.

I have a vague recollection that similar issues occur with GAMSAT. I do remember something about Irish GAMSAT tests being the same as the Australian GAMSAT tests and that causing some risks. I can't remember where I read it.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

The exams would have to select questions from a question bank so people get different exams, but since the questions would be of similar style this would be negligible.

There are statistical methods for ensuring question difficulty similarity (and therefore developing a possible bank), the more interesting questions is, do the UKCAT/UCAT developers use them(/intend to use them), I guess (assuming a bank of questions is used at all).

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Cocoa

(our search function clearly needs some re-jigging! ETA: nope, the search works just fine, UCAT and UKCAT mentions are clearly listed if you use the search function)

 

[Cocoa]

Cocoa

(our search function clearly needs some re-jigging!)

HAHA i knew it... sorry guys good intentions

 

[travellingspaceman]

Is there a limit to how many times you can take the UCAT? - once a year? unknown yet?

 

[A1]

Is there a limit to how many times you can take the UCAT? - once a year? unknown yet?

I saw in the UCAT or UKCAT website you can take once a year, unlimited times from Y12 onward, on any day of the open period.

 

[unknownuser123]

1. Will UCAT be identical/parallel to the UKCAT exam, both externally (PearsonVUE digital, /3600, etc) and internally (actual exam structure/contents)? So if one preps for UKCAT, are they inherently prepping for UCAT? UKCAT has been running since 2006, so if UCAT = UKCAT, there is info available.
2. What about the med/dent uni's NOT listed to use UCAT (Griffith, La Trobe, CSU, JCU etc)? Are we expecting a massive entry requirement update/change if anyone knows, and WHEN would we know?
Ill try keep this thread updated myself.

 

[A1]

Yes, it was a CBT and I got the results as I walked out of the Exam hall i.e I could get a print out of all my section scores.

Thanks for the good info. Apart from getting the raw scores were you also informed later of the scaled scores that were sent to the unis (the 300-900 per section)?
If yes can you describe for us the correlation between the two sets of scores?

 

[A1]

I had to take the Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning (real pain this one) and Decision making plus SJT. SJT topples your brain out with every answer seems correct but the most appropriate one for 69 questions in 26 minutes ( need to develop speed reading skills). I was marked for 3600 total and 1 to 4 for SJT. Somehow the UKCAT consortium decided not to consider the Decision Making scores for all candidates as it was a new trial or something last year. So, my selection scores were based on the total of 2700. I got the actual scores from the center after I finished the test and that was reported to the medical schools of my choice. I am not sure if there was any scaling done as most of the schools replied that I was within their cut off range for 2700 total. I just got only the raw score and nothing else. Its a long process for UK admission, you take the UKCAT almost 10 months before the actual start. Hope this is helpful.

I read in the UKCAT website that regardless of which section each question is worth 1 mark. Then each section's marks will be scaled to the 300-900 range. By your description above it seems we are given straightaway the scaled score (out of 3600), not the raw number of correct answers/marks?

 

[Q3]

I read in the UKCAT website that regardless of which section each question is worth 1 mark. Then each section's marks will be scaled to the 300-900 range. By your description above it seems we are given straightaway the scaled score (out of 3600), not the raw number of correct answers/marks?

I read in the thread linked below that your mark gets scaled according to a baseline of the that consists of the marks of the first cohort that sat the UKCAT, the 2006 group, so maybe that is why the results can be given immediately.

2006 UKCAT highest score?