UMAT is probably the hardest test you will ever have to sit. Many students, especially those who do not prepare, are shocked by the difficulty of UMAT. Some who do prepare become disillusioned. So why is UMAT so hard? And what can you do about it? Read on!  1. UMAT is very different to every other type of test you have sat Why?  School and university exams test your knowledge and your ability to apply that knowledge. UMAT is not a test of knowledge; it is a test of your generic skills. You most likely have never sat a test of...

 Students often find non-verbal reasoning questions the most difficult initially, especially if they have never encountered them before. Here are a few tips to help tackle these questions from an experienced UMAT tutor.  Tip 1: Keep it Simple. Non-verbal reasoning questions will require you to find the most simple and logical answer. It may feel like the questions are out to trick you, and that may lead to you trialling overly complex rules. However, in many situations, the simple pattern is the correct pattern. Having this in mind will help form your approach to the questions. For example, if you have...

There are a wealth of resources available to you on the LMS. You can check your progress by visiting the Check Progress page, either by clicking on the icon on the homepage of the LMS or by clicking on the icon next to the ‘Check’ section under UMAT resources:    When you arrive on the Check Progress page, you can view your progress with the practice exams or drills by clicking on the relevant tab:   Practice exams You will see a drop down list of your UMAT exams and information about their completion. Click on the drop-down arrow to see...

To some lucky people it comes easy, but for many this is the section with some of the most difficult questions in the exam. Whether you are just starting your UMAT preparation or are deep in your practice so far, the following tips from an experienced tutor who scored highly in this section should help you maximize your score: Firstly, read the introductory text included in the passage.  • This appears before the actual body of the passage and is often written in italics or brackets. Although this may seem like an obvious tip, many students don’t take the time to...

Looking for some tips on how to improve your score in Logical reasoning and Problem solving?  Terrified by long passages with scientific jargon and perplexing puzzles? Worried about running out of time? Remember the following advice and you’ll be well on your way to maximising your score.    1. Read the question stem first This construct can often be time-consuming due to lengthy passages that may contain complex ideas or complicated technical terms. Although it might be tempting to start reading the passage straight away, it’s always a good idea to read the question stem first. Sometimes, you’ll be able to...

This impending Wednesday is without a doubt one of the most terrifying – yet unusual days of the year. Throughout the past seven years, I have uttered the phrase “The UMAT is a game” innumerous times, and now, on the brink of becoming an actual doctor (finally!) and exiting the world of UMAT, I thought I’d pass on my suggestions for this game.    Suggestion 1: Your mood is your top priority. The UMAT is designed in such a way that your mood greatly impacts your performance. Why? Because it’s an exam of emotions, of empathy and of understanding. Feeling stressed/anxious/overwhelmed...

It’s July which means the UMAT is less than a month away. This is a crucial time for all students and what you do in these final days will greatly impact your performance on the actual exam. Many of you would have started completing or already completed many practice exams on LMS and possibly ones provided by ACER too. If not, it is especially important that you do these as they can significantly boost your confidence, and hence your score. Additionally, these practice questions will also help you finally polish your skills as well as improve your time-management. Identify any particular...

Is your son or daughter interested in becoming a doctor? Do you want to give them the best chance to succeed? Dr Edward Boyapati discusses how you, as a parent, can assist your child to achieve their goal.  Dr Edward Boyapati is the Principal Lecturer for MedEntry, Australia’s most trusted UMAT Educational Institution. He is also the father of two incredibly successful children, Ray and Ann. Both obtained 100th percentile in UMAT, were offered places to study medicine at all universities across Australia, won full scholarships to study medicine, were successful in entering highly competitive specialties (Gastroenterology and Dermatology) and achieved...

Your venue for the UMAT can become a very scary place very quickly. While being academically prepared is extremely important for UMAT, it is also useful to know what to expect when you get to the venue. Firstly, you’ll see a range of different students at the UMAT venue – while some are great to have a conversation with before the exam commences; others, not so much: 1. The Downplayer – This is a student who will consistently talk about how they have not done any practice for the UMAT, keep reinforcing that they’re going to fail and claim to have...

  Year 12 is a stressful time. Add in UCAT and the pressures of getting into medicine, and stress levels can rapidly sky rocket. As a parent it is easy to succumb to feelings of powerless as you watch your son or daughter struggle to prepare for such an important and difficult exam. However, there are many things you can do to boost their performance and have a positive impact on their wellbeing.  1. Provide a sound working environment   UCAT is a two-hour test requiring extreme concentration. The best way to prepare is to complete full length trial exams under...

Life isn’t the only thing full of surprises. The upcoming UMAT exam could hold a range of new, never-before-seen questions and it is important to know how to deal with these in an exam situation.  The first step is to identify these types of questions in reading time. When looking through your UMAT exam booklet, mentally note these questions and have them simmering away in the back of your mind. By doing so, you’ll be better prepared for these “surprises” and less likely to panic when you go on to attempt these questions. When writing time begins, start doing the questions...

For twenty years since UMAT has been in existence, the UMAT was divided into three, separately timed sections: • Section 1: Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving • Section 2: Understanding People • Section 3: Non-Verbal Reasoning  In 2013, there was a significant change to the structure of UMAT. Now UMAT is presented as a single three-hour exam with 134 questions. It still consists of the three broad types of questions outlined above (now known as ‘constructs’), but instead of them being divided into sections, the questions from each construct are jumbled up. For example, the first unit you encounter may be...

Many students who have scored 100th percentile in the UMAT have said that preparing for UMAT is like preparing for a marathon. There are many similarities: they both require significant motivation, consistent practice over a period of time and a clear head under pressure. Not to mention that for many people both a marathon and the UMAT are the hardest challenges they have faced so far in their lifetime. So what can we learn from marathon runners that will help us prepare for the UMAT? Step 1: Develop muscle In the UMAT you will have a limited amount of time to...

Sometimes it can feel like the UMAT has got nothing to do with being a doctor. It can feel like just another one of the oddly-shaped hoops one must jump through in the medical entry process. However, this mindset that the UMAT is just a barrier to doctor-hood can be demotivating and counterproductive. In this post, I’ll give some real life examples of how each section of the UMAT relates to skills I’ve had to develop in medical school, and how UMAT preparation is related to, or perhaps even beneficial to, the study of medicine. Section 1: Logical Reasoning and Problem...

As many of you would have noticed, UMAT preparation takes time. And I mean a LOT of time! It’s often overwhelming trying to get those practice exams you’d promised yourself to get done as well as study for that first chemistry quiz if you’re in Year 12 or dealing with a cranky boss at work.    In many cases, students often lose time, confidence and their interest in UMAT since it simply adds to their already overwhelming workload. So before you start stressing about the UMAT exam, let’s just take a quick look at how you can manage studying for the...

For some people sitting UMAT, those nerves may not hit until the day of or the night before UMAT. We get butterflies in the stomach and perhaps even the need to vomit. These feelings are natural and can even help us to do better. But, for those of us who have difficulty handling the nerves, there are a few simple things to do to minimise them. Make sure you have everything that you need in advance A few days before the UMAT, read through the admission ticket and instructions and make sure that you have everything you need. Print out your...

Most people find sitting the UMAT a nerve racking, stressful experience, but that does not mean you should allow those nerves to get the best of you.  There are some simple ways to help you get through this period and come out feeling great about your chances.  Take some of the pressure off of yourself.  If you’re anything like me, you expect a lot from yourself and that can result in a large amount of unnecessary pressure. That pressure can prove to be your undoing, but there are simple ways in which to take some of that pressure off. Remember that...

Many students sit the UMAT for the first time thinking that they must to do well in UMAT because it is the only way for them to be accepted into their dream uni degree, medicine. This is untrue! This thinking places an enormous amount of unnecessary pressure on students. The reality is there are numerous ways to be accepted into medicine. Sitting UMAT, getting a good ATAR and smashing an interview may be the easiest and quickest way to get into medicine, but it is not the only one. Other options to be accepted into medicine can include:  • Taking a...

With the exception of the Non-Verbal Reasoning component (section three), UMAT is primarily comprised of written – rather than pictorial – questions. Thus, it stands to reason that your UMAT preparation should include improving your reading skills. With that in mind, here are some of the many strategies you can use to develop your reading efficiency for UMAT.  Firstly, you must ensure that you read every single component of the stimulus, particularly for section two (Understanding People). A past UMAT stimulus, for example, described a middle-aged man. This information was included in the introductory stem of the stimulus, but nowhere else....

In preparing for something as mammoth as a medical school interview, there are a lot of things to consider. When preparing you have to understand what type of language the interviewers might use, what to include in your answers and how you can respond both verbally and through your body language.   General advice for medical interviews • Walk into the room with a big smile. • Be confident, honest, friendly, understanding, respectful and empathic. • It doesn’t matter which side of the argument you decide to adopt, take your stance and defend your arguments until the end. Give reasons to...