Post UCAT Discussion Thread 2021

[kakarikaji]

Hi!

Well done on your score!
Just a question... Did your test get rescheduled/cancelled etc because of covid? Have mine in Sydney CBD in 2 weeks and wondering if it will be cancelled. Thanks!

No... unfortunately ): . I know all my friends doing UCAT at the Sydney ITIC center got theirs rescheduled. They were sent an email telling them the new date. Friends who did it at the Pearson centers didn't get their tests rescheduled at all.
If your appointment details haven't changed in your Pearson account then I think your test should still be on but probably check on the UCAT website closer to the date to be safe.

 

[JeydinNewWon]

Hey all, I was disappointed with my results so I wasn’t even going to post them but feel like it’s good in case there are other lurkers like myself out there.

Date completed: July 12th

Venue: Adelaide

General thoughts on your results:
VR - 600 (my VR mock scores were generally high 700s so this was definitely disappointing but not shocking considering the issues with setting up)
DM - 700 (was surprised as I felt very confident during this section)
QR - 870 (was expecting 800+ but not this high, very happy)
AR - 630 (all of the patterns were more difficult than the mocks I had done, was really hoping for more here as my mock scores were generally 750-850ish)
Total: 2800
SJ - 710 (not sure how to interpret this but as my total score is on the lower end I hope it’s considered a good score in case it’s used comparatively!!)

General comments on your experience:
When I arrived the man who was there to meet me seemed to wish he was anywhere else in that moment, not only making myself and the girl I walked in with sign the wrong forms but told us they didn’t have earbuds when I later saw someone else hand them to other students. After I went to the bathroom he took me straight to the testing room and logged my computer on without saying a single word or even looking at me so when I asked him where I was putting my phone and bag; he got angry and made me run with him through the building to put it away in a locker then run back to my test of which the timer had already begun counting down. Definitely damaged my mindset going into VR and I hope such an experience doesn’t happen to other students. A learning experience I wasn’t expecting, but oh well not everything can go smoothly for every test.

That sounds absolutely horrid. Hope everything is going fine for you, just know that it isn't your fault for all this...

 

[jinjja21]

Hey all, I was disappointed with my results so I wasn’t even going to post them but feel like it’s good in case there are other lurkers like myself out there.

Date completed: July 12th

Venue: Adelaide

General thoughts on your results:
VR - 600 (my VR mock scores were generally high 700s so this was definitely disappointing but not shocking considering the issues with setting up)
DM - 700 (was surprised as I felt very confident during this section)
QR - 870 (was expecting 800+ but not this high, very happy)
AR - 630 (all of the patterns were more difficult than the mocks I had done, was really hoping for more here as my mock scores were generally 750-850ish)
Total: 2800
SJ - 710 (not sure how to interpret this but as my total score is on the lower end I hope it’s considered a good score in case it’s used comparatively!!)

General comments on your experience:
When I arrived the man who was there to meet me seemed to wish he was anywhere else in that moment, not only making myself and the girl I walked in with sign the wrong forms but told us they didn’t have earbuds when I later saw someone else hand them to other students. After I went to the bathroom he took me straight to the testing room and logged my computer on without saying a single word or even looking at me so when I asked him where I was putting my phone and bag; he got angry and made me run with him through the building to put it away in a locker then run back to my test of which the timer had already begun counting down. Definitely damaged my mindset going into VR and I hope such an experience doesn’t happen to other students. A learning experience I wasn’t expecting, but oh well not everything can go smoothly for every test.

im so sorry for the experience you had
can I know if it was the city one or the thebarton one? i have my test in thebarton...

 

[elijah1]

Hey all, I was disappointed with my results so I wasn’t even going to post them but feel like it’s good in case there are other lurkers like myself out there.

Date completed: July 12th

Venue: Adelaide

General thoughts on your results:
VR - 600 (my VR mock scores were generally high 700s so this was definitely disappointing but not shocking considering the issues with setting up)
DM - 700 (was surprised as I felt very confident during this section)
QR - 870 (was expecting 800+ but not this high, very happy)
AR - 630 (all of the patterns were more difficult than the mocks I had done, was really hoping for more here as my mock scores were generally 750-850ish)
Total: 2800
SJ - 710 (not sure how to interpret this but as my total score is on the lower end I hope it’s considered a good score in case it’s used comparatively!!)

General comments on your experience:
When I arrived the man who was there to meet me seemed to wish he was anywhere else in that moment, not only making myself and the girl I walked in with sign the wrong forms but told us they didn’t have earbuds when I later saw someone else hand them to other students. After I went to the bathroom he took me straight to the testing room and logged my computer on without saying a single word or even looking at me so when I asked him where I was putting my phone and bag; he got angry and made me run with him through the building to put it away in a locker then run back to my test of which the timer had already begun counting down. Definitely damaged my mindset going into VR and I hope such an experience doesn’t happen to other students. A learning experience I wasn’t expecting, but oh well not everything can go smoothly for every test.

Im sorry to hear that about your experience. Besides that incidence how was the test centre in general. How many laminated pages were you provided? How were the computers and the noise in the centre? thanks in advance

 

[Monkeyman]

Does everyone get the same questions in the UCAT test?

If a person have about 200 points fluctuation between different UCAT mock tests, It will be the same reason there are about 200 points fluctuations between different students in the same tests, if everyone get different questions. This is a bit different with the GAMSAT where everyone got the same questions.
Off course, it still be able to find the differences between a person with 3200 and a person with 2800.

 

[kfcrat]

Date completed 21st July 8am
Venue: Box Hill
General thoughts on your results:
VR- 670
DM-790
QR-760
AR-830

Total: 3050 :0
SJT- 598 lol

for reference here are my results from last year
VR- 600
DM- 800
QR- 660
AR- 630

Total:2700
SJT- 633

I am just in total shock right now!! In all my mocks I was doing fairly average, only hitting 3000’s once! My overall score is the highest I have ever gotten even in all my mocks so im pretty happy! Last year I sat the ucat and even though I prepped alright for it, it was SO hard to juggle both VCE and ucat prep. I always had the mindset that the ucat was something my brain ‘just isn’t built for’ because im not naturally all that quick! But I think this shows that the ucat IS something you can improve as long as you put the effort in!! I also think it was a combination of being less nervous due to sitting the exam once before, and also LUCK! VR passages were shorter than expected but definitely not any easier than last years I don’t think. DM was trickier than last year’s IMO. QR was so much better than the mocks (so don’t cry like I did if you’re failing the mocks haha) I think my AR patterns were all fairly straightforward, I guessed maybe 3 patterns overall! Hopefully this score will be enough for me to at least get an interview somewhere as a non standard student



General comments on experience: the workers were all super sweet and kind and made the experience enjoyable!! nothing important really to say here hahaha

 

[med23]

Is it quite common for the computer to crash? I'm so worried that will happen during my exam as Im also sitting my exam in parra.
and what happens if it does crash? do they let you sit it again?

also... did anyone else find the on screen calculator in official mocks/q banks to be super laggy and slow? its not like that in the actual exam right?
i swear it wasnt like that when i was using these banks last yr but idk what theyve done lol the alt+x also doesnt work anymore (on mac) and its all so slow

 

[dotwingz]

It happens occasionally. Best course of action is letting a supervisor know ASAP. I remember garmonbozia 's computer crashing in 2019, but I can't recall anyone else.

And yeah, the online calculator is much better in the exam. Still a crappy calculator though, so I would learn how to avoid it.

 

[kkkk]

Date completed 21st July 8am
Venue: Box Hill
General thoughts on your results:
VR- 670
DM-790
QR-760
AR-830

Total: 3050 :0
SJT- 598 lol

for reference here are my results from last year
VR- 600
DM- 800
QR- 660
AR- 630

Total:2700
SJT- 633

I am just in total shock right now!! In all my mocks I was doing fairly average, only hitting 3000’s once! My overall score is the highest I have ever gotten even in all my mocks so im pretty happy! Last year I sat the ucat and even though I prepped alright for it, it was SO hard to juggle both VCE and ucat prep. I always had the mindset that the ucat was something my brain ‘just isn’t built for’ because im not naturally all that quick! But I think this shows that the ucat IS something you can improve as long as you put the effort in!! I also think it was a combination of being less nervous due to sitting the exam once before, and also LUCK! VR passages were shorter than expected but definitely not any easier than last years I don’t think. DM was trickier than last year’s IMO. QR was so much better than the mocks (so don’t cry like I did if you’re failing the mocks haha) I think my AR patterns were all fairly straightforward, I guessed maybe 3 patterns overall! Hopefully this score will be enough for me to at least get an interview somewhere as a non standard student



General comments on experience: the workers were all super sweet and kind and made the experience enjoyable!! nothing important really to say here hahaha

Hey great score! Did you find the questions were harder this time around (considering the passages were not as long) *For VR

 

[med23]

It happens occasionally. Best course of action is letting a supervisor know ASAP. I remember garmonbozia 's computer crashing in 2019, but I can't recall anyone else.

And yeah, the online calculator is much better in the exam. Still a crappy calculator though, so I would learn how to avoid it.

okay, thank you!

 

[kfcrat]

thanks! the questions weren't like considerably harder, but some questions weren't as straightforward? i feel like it might be just a 'me' problem tho because I had alot of political passages which I struggle to understand alot hahaha but overall wasnt too bad! Hardest part about VR imo is fighting the urge to zone out ! hope this helps

 

[JCUlove]

im so sorry for the experience you had
can I know if it was the city one or the thebarton one? i have my test in thebarton...

It was the Thebarton one. But when I was leaving there was a lady that was working who apologised for how he acted and said he isn’t normally put on so hopefully he won’t be working when you are there. Just make sure they take you to the locker room before the testing room!! I also recommend bringing your own earplugs and mask there. The location is a little confusing, entrance is through the side street. Good luck with your test and getting through this mini lockdown !

 

[jinjja21]

It was the Thebarton one. But when I was leaving there was a lady that was working who apologised for how he acted and said he isn’t normally put on so hopefully he won’t be working when you are there. Just make sure they take you to the locker room before the testing room!! I also recommend bringing your own earplugs and mask there. The location is a little confusing, entrance is through the side street. Good luck with your test and getting through this mini lockdown !

thank you so much for the advice

is the registration area located at a close distance to the testing room? one of my friends told me that the door of the testing room was left opened and that he was exposed to the noise coming from the registration area

 

[Rei]

Date completed 21st July 8am
Venue: Box Hill
General thoughts on your results:
VR- 670
DM-790
QR-760
AR-830

Total: 3050 :0
SJT- 598 lol

for reference here are my results from last year
VR- 600
DM- 800
QR- 660
AR- 630

Total:2700
SJT- 633

I am just in total shock right now!! In all my mocks I was doing fairly average, only hitting 3000’s once! My overall score is the highest I have ever gotten even in all my mocks so im pretty happy! Last year I sat the ucat and even though I prepped alright for it, it was SO hard to juggle both VCE and ucat prep. I always had the mindset that the ucat was something my brain ‘just isn’t built for’ because im not naturally all that quick! But I think this shows that the ucat IS something you can improve as long as you put the effort in!! I also think it was a combination of being less nervous due to sitting the exam once before, and also LUCK! VR passages were shorter than expected but definitely not any easier than last years I don’t think. DM was trickier than last year’s IMO. QR was so much better than the mocks (so don’t cry like I did if you’re failing the mocks haha) I think my AR patterns were all fairly straightforward, I guessed maybe 3 patterns overall! Hopefully this score will be enough for me to at least get an interview somewhere as a non standard student



General comments on experience: the workers were all super sweet and kind and made the experience enjoyable!! nothing important really to say here hahaha

How were you going for your mocks btw?

 

[kfcrat]

I had a spreadsheet of all my mock scores that I’ll post soon! But overall my mocks were pretty average. The offical mocks were terrible the highest I got was 2700 hahaha in mock D. In my QR mini mocks I was often getting 500s so I thought I’d flop in that section. So I guess remember to take the mocks with a grain of salt, if you’re not doing all that well, don’t lose your confidence! Highest mock score of mine was 3030 but overall average would probably be like 2600s hahaha

 

[cocodreams]

Date completed 21st July 8am
Venue: Box Hill
General thoughts on your results:
VR- 670
DM-790
QR-760
AR-830

Total: 3050 :0
SJT- 598 lol

for reference here are my results from last year
VR- 600
DM- 800
QR- 660
AR- 630

Total:2700
SJT- 633

I am just in total shock right now!! In all my mocks I was doing fairly average, only hitting 3000’s once! My overall score is the highest I have ever gotten even in all my mocks so im pretty happy! Last year I sat the ucat and even though I prepped alright for it, it was SO hard to juggle both VCE and ucat prep. I always had the mindset that the ucat was something my brain ‘just isn’t built for’ because im not naturally all that quick! But I think this shows that the ucat IS something you can improve as long as you put the effort in!! I also think it was a combination of being less nervous due to sitting the exam once before, and also LUCK! VR passages were shorter than expected but definitely not any easier than last years I don’t think. DM was trickier than last year’s IMO. QR was so much better than the mocks (so don’t cry like I did if you’re failing the mocks haha) I think my AR patterns were all fairly straightforward, I guessed maybe 3 patterns overall! Hopefully this score will be enough for me to at least get an interview somewhere as a non standard student



General comments on experience: the workers were all super sweet and kind and made the experience enjoyable!! nothing important really to say here hahaha

Hey, this is a wonderful score and such a great improvement! Well done
How did you find the exam in comparison to the official mocks, and did you regularly review official mocks/qbank leading up to the exam?

 

[kfcrat]

Hey, this is a wonderful score and such a great improvement! Well done
How did you find the exam in comparison to the official mocks, and did you regularly review official mocks/qbank leading up to the exam?

thanks!! Actual exam was definitely a bit easier than the mocks. I found DM more difficult this year compared to last years exam though! the QR in the official mocks is crazy difficult tho haha
During the uni semester I'd probably do a few questions every night, but I honestly really didn't start doing timed prep until two weeks before the ucat (which is kinda bad ik). It helped because since it was uni holidays, I could put all my focus onto ucat prep which really I think is what was different about this year compared to last year. I had a mistakes book where I would write difficult patterns for AR and I would review mocks or mini mocks I had from time to time (which i think is esp important in AR)
Hope this helps!

 

[JCUlove]

thank you so much for the advice

is the registration area located at a close distance to the testing room? one of my friends told me that the door of the testing room was left opened and that he was exposed to the noise coming from the registration area

Ah yes, I could hear people in other rooms chatting and at times even laughing (was clearly a good joke because wow) so definitely recommend earplugs, I didn’t take them but they wish I did!
I don’t think it was loud enough to throw me off significantly but definitely took my attention from my test at times and made me frustrated.

Im sorry to hear that about your experience. Besides that incidence how was the test centre in general. How many laminated pages were you provided? How were the computers and the noise in the centre? thanks in advance

Can’t really complain too much about the experience besides the man at the start. There were more than enough laminated pages and they brought in and set up new test takers fairly quietly, I was shocked when I left and saw how many people had come in during my test.

As I just explained in a seperate reply- I would recommend bringing ear plugs as the admin staff were close to the test room with the door open and chatting quite loud. Wasn’t too distracting though! Good luck

 

[medboy20]

Hey guys, not sure if this is an applicable question so moderators please remove if it is against the rules but a lot of test takers have said DM was difficult this year. Are you guys able to answer it without breaking NDA or any rules? Is it more time consuming? Are the questions generally more challenging? Thanks!

 

[JeydinNewWon]

Hey guys, not sure if this is an applicable question so moderators please remove if it is against the rules but a lot of test takers have said DM was difficult this year. Are you guys able to answer it without breaking NDA or any rules? Is it more time consuming? Are the questions generally more challenging? Thanks!

As I said, “difficult” is subjective. I haven’t done the exam myself but a majority of people would say it would be “difficult” as it is much easier to find someone who scores in, say, a lower percentile than a higher one.