4 Tips for Making the Most of Your UCAT Study Time
1 month ago by Stan
It’s easy to sit back at this point in the year and feel like you have forever until UCAT and while that might feel true, it’s definitely not. Right now is the time to be getting your head around the different question types in UCAT, finding your weaknesses and sorting them out, and working out how best to spend the next few months in preparing for UCAT. On that note, here are some tips to manage your UCAT study time.
1. Use a calendar to plan your UCAT prep macroscopically
Depending on your MedEntry package and school/university/work commitments, this will look different for everyone. It’s best to aim to do a little bit of UCAT preparation every day, such as two Qbank attempts or a mini-test, and one full UCAT exam under simulated conditions every week.
Here’s an example of a basic UCAT study plan:
2. Use a to-do list to plan your UCAT prep microscopically
So let’s say you’ve worked out that you have an hour each week day to do UCAT study, plus two hours on Saturday for a UCAT exam and another three hours on Sunday to review that UCAT exam, so what's next? The next step is to break that time up. If you’re sticking to doing UCAT guides, Qbank attempts and mini-tests on weekdays, try a 60-minute daily plan like this:
3. Find your UCAT weaknesses
It is really easy to focus on UCAT questions you’re good at because it feels warm and fuzzy to be always getting them right. However, while the things you’re good at will get you into medical school, the things you’re not so good at yet are what will keep you out. Use your UCAT exams to find your weaknesses, and your UCAT guides, Qbank attempts and subtest mocks to get so good at them that they become strengths. Once you’ve worked out your weaknesses and strengths you can choose to really focus on the UCAT subtests you’re not so great at, and spend a lot less time on the things you are great at.
For example, someone who is fantastic at UCAT Verbal Reasoning but not so great at UCAT Decision Making should aim to do Decision Making preparation most days and Verbal Reasoning preparation only once per week:
UCAT DM guides
UCAT DM Qbank
Review Qbank attempts
Review subtest mock
UCAT DM subtest mock
Review subtest mock
UCAT VR Qbank
Review Qbank attempts
QR Qbank
Review QR Qbank attempts
UCAT DM Qbank
Review Qbank attempts
UCAT SJ Qbank
Review SJ Qbank attempts
UCAT DM subtest mock
Review subtest mock
UCAT exam under simulated conditions
Retry incorrect UCAT questions and review UCAT exam in detail
4. Take time to review your UCAT exam
Yes, the UCAT practice exams are a test-run for the real thing, but they’re also an opportunity to learn from your mistakes so ensure you re-try your incorrectly answered UCAT questions and thoroughly review the solutions. After each UCAT exam, take some time the next day to analyse it and find out where you’re going wrong and how you can improve.
I hope this blog has been helpful and has inspired you to get organised and get studying for UCAT! You can find a fully interactive study calendar on our Online Learning Platform to help you make the most of the next few months before UCAT!
