Discussion: UMAT being replaced by UCAT

[lottodo]

I'm not sure if you have already seen this but just in case, UCAT practice materials can be found here - Preparation | UCAT Consortium

Thanks and I just went to preparation material. It takes us to UKCAT official website. That means UCAT=UKCAT. Then the expectation will be similar. I mean you may have to get around 700 on average.

Also, they have strategically planned the UMAT changeover date. That is they waited until UKCAT registration closed. So no one can try that path.

 

[Numerouno]

Also, they have strategically planned the UMAT changeover date. That is they waited until UKCAT registration closed. So no one can try that path.

That’s an interesting point and a valid one may be. UCAT consortium will have a zero sum game by moving UMAT out after the UKCAT registration closing date. If Medentry sat in the executive committee during the decision making, this move makes sense as they will lose bulk of test takers registering for Medentry if they already experienced the taste of UKCAT. But this is only assumption... but it is a big business for Medentry so they will try and protect their share of profit in whatever way possible.

 

[PimpOfRivia]

If Medentry sat in the executive committee during the decision making

I don't think Medentry is affiliated with any decision making. They're a private company that just sells preparation materials.

 

[A1]

If Medentry sat in the executive committee during the decision making,

You probably didn't know that the med schools absolutely dislike the prep companies. Watch the UNSW Med info video you will see how they emphasize to students not to waste their money on prep companies.

 

[Numerouno]

You probably didn't know that the med schools absolutely dislike the prep companies. Watch the UNSW Med info video you will see how they emphasize to students not to waste their money on prep companies.

Agreed. sorry, it was a bad assumption but the timing and the abruptness in introduction of UCAT and the total website landscape change in Medentry makes one wonder how good they are to grasp the pulse of the situation to react for marketing. I remember reading Bill Gates quote "Business at the Speed of Thought", we found an example (almost).

 

[Latte47]

Hi y’all,
Forgive me if I’m posting in the wrong spot of the forums.
I’ve attempted some UCAT practice questions (UKCAT app) and I haven’t been getting them right. I don’t know what to do. Maybe medicine is not for me?

 

[unknownuser123]

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.

When you did the UKCAT , were you given loose paper to write on / do working out on ? how does that work, since its on a computer?

 

[PimpOfRivia]

Here's the UKCAT guide:

https://www.ukcat.ac.uk/media/1237/ukcat_guide_2018-web.pdf

 

[unknownuser123]

Here's the UKCAT guide:

https://www.ukcat.ac.uk/media/1237/ukcat_guide_2018-web.pdf

looks like you get a noteboard and a pen

 

[Numerouno]

When you did the UKCAT , were you given loose paper to write on / do working out on ? how does that work, since its on a computer?

Although I was not allowed to take a water bottle inside the exam room, I was given a small note pad and pen to work out answers. I found it unhelpful and a distraction as I raced against time. That's my perception. A score in the vicinity of 3100 plus a SJT of 2 should get a place if the interview as very good. Anyway, it does not matter for Australia as the UCAT is an unknown ghost! We do not know the scaling, cut off for various universities as yet. So, it is better to wait before drawing any conclusion.

 

[unknownuser123]

Although I was not allowed to take a water bottle inside the exam room, I was given a small note pad and pen to work out answers. I found it unhelpful and a distraction as I raced against time. That's my perception. A score in the vicinity of 3100 plus a SJT of 2 should get a place if the interview as very good. Anyway, it does not matter for Australia as the UCAT is an unknown ghost! We do not know the scaling, cut off for various universities as yet. So, it is better to wait before drawing any conclusion.

Yes true but the style and question types will inevitably be the same.

I would think it would be difficult to work out the problem solving questions without a pen and paper, or maybe thats just me

 

[PimpOfRivia]

hhitch since we get 25 minutes for 36 questions I would think pen and paper would be a distraction ://

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Also does this mean that the July 25th (correct me if I’m wrong I can’t rmbr the official umat date) remains the same date? If changed what date is the UCAT for Australians?

If UCAT runs like UKCAT (which it seems like it will), candidates will book a testing session on any (presumably) weekday from 01st - 31st July. There isn’t a single testing day.

 

[Crow]

If UCAT runs like UKCAT (which it seems like it will), candidates will book a testing session on any (presumably) weekday from 01st - 31st July. There isn’t a single testing day.

(With the addition of some smaller test centres only running on 1-3 days in July - the dates to be confirmed in March 2019 - https://www.ucatofficial.com/ucat-anz/registration-booking/test-centre-locations/)

 

[Ian Naga]

I wonder if gamstat could be on the way out as well. Many UK graduate entry schools use UKCAT as well. May be there was a reason why they selected the name UCAT (university CAT instead of Undergraduate CAT).

Currently I believe one can do UKCAT in YEAR 11 and hence current year 10 (going to year 11 in 2019) can consider having a trial run in their year 11 in 2019. I assume UKCAT would be similar to UCAT. I wonder if one can do UKCAT and UCAT in the same year? If so, it would be similar to gamstat (run twice a year with a UK run and a Australian run). As the admission cycle is different in the UK (Sept start), some of what I have mentioned might be possible. Additionally, there are tons of study materials for UKCAT (like SAT/ACT exams) unlike UMAT. So I see a lot of positives with this switchover.

 

[unknownuser123]

We should sue Medentry, I mean I haven’t purchased it but did bring up the intial point about false claims so can students start suing Medentry now considering they the false claims and misleading information. Straight up just crtl + F > umat > ucat.

I’m probably gonna purchase UKCAT resources probably since Medentry and other UMAT resources are redundant.

Also does this mean that the July 25th (correct me if I’m wrong I can’t rmbr the official umat date) remains the same date? If changed what date is the UCAT for Australians?

Yes purchase UKCAT resources and don't rely on previous UMAT providers who claim they have UCAT resources (MEDENTRY).Or just use the official ones on ukcat website. Have a look at some of the UKCAT books on amazon, you can buy them for like 20 bucks, so much more reasonable than UMAT.

PearsonVUE exams are booked whenever is convenient for you in a time frame (e.g. 1st-31stJuly) . You cant cheat because you can only sit it once and there is a large bank of questions that is dissimilar from person-to-person.

 

[NY Mentality]

I wonder if gamstat could be on the way out as well. Many UK graduate entry schools use UKCAT as well. May be there was a reason why they selected the name UCAT (university CAT instead of Undergraduate CAT).

Currently I believe one can do UKCAT in YEAR 11 and hence current year 10 (going to year 11 in 2019) can consider having a trial run in their year 11 in 2019. I assume UKCAT would be similar to UCAT. I wonder if one can do UKCAT and UCAT in the same year? If so, it would be similar to gamstat (run twice a year with a UK run and a Australian run). As the admission cycle is different in the UK (Sept start), some of what I have mentioned might be possible. Additionally, there are tons of study materials for UKCAT (like SAT/ACT exams) unlike UMAT. So I see a lot of positives with this switchover.

If Gamsat does change, I think it MCAT would be a more likely replacement. MCAT is also computer based.

 

[AoEAoC]

Does anyone know how this would effect the importance of UCAT compared to UMAT when it comes to med entry? What I mean is before in the UMAT the difference in raw score between someone who had a low percentile and someone who had a high percentile wasn't significant enough to impact your HSFY score to the point where all is lost if you do bad/average . Could this potentially be the case with the UCAT too?

 

[Perplex]

Does anyone know how this would effect the importance of UCAT compared to UMAT when it comes to med entry? What I mean is before in the UMAT the difference in raw score between someone who had a low percentile and someone who had a high percentile wasn't significant enough to impact your HSFY score to the point where all is lost if you do bad/average . Could this potentially be the case with the UCAT too?

Only time will tell. Perhaps best to consult UK data and see what the spreads have been like (if it is available)?

 

[AoEAoC]

Only time will tell. Perhaps best to consult UK data and see what the spreads have been like (if it is available)?

Yeah good idea, fingers crossed us 2019 guinea pigs aren't screwed over too badly xd