Going well in UMAT without prep courses (1 Viewer)

[ubermale]

Hi. I am quite serious on a career in Medicine, so I'm hoping people can help me out on ways to improve my UMAT marks without preparation courses. I think I would benefit from such courses but my family isn't really in the financial situation to pay for one.

What I have purchased though is the collection of three practice booklets off the UMAT site. So far all I've completed is the blue booklet titled 'Practice Questions, Volume 1, 2nd Edition' under timed exam conditions. My marks are as follows:
Section I - 15/22
Section II - 16/18
Section III - 11/15

Section II is the only section I'm confident with; I complete it well within the allocated time and get most questions right. My concerns more so lie with the first and third sections in which my marks are quite mediocre. So my basic question is how do I improve in these sections? I would also appreciate any criticisms on the decency of these marks.

Thanks in advance

 

[lionking1191]

section 1: get some logical reasoning puzzle books. practice speed reading - books by tony buzan (i think thats how u spell it) might help also.

section 2: read some fiction novels (especially dramatic/personal/relationship ones) and when going through them put yourself in the shoes of the character and have a guess at what they would be feeling in each scene. look up EQ, self analysis, and stuff

section 3: look around for mensa puzzles books. there's a lot of IQ ques anthologies out there and they are fairly cheap

those marks are decent but obviously there is a lot of room for improvement, especially in s3 and 1. s3 is usually the easiest to improve, as opposed to s2 so it's looking good. atm these marks would be borderline if you want to secure an interview, as acer booklets are usually not very difficult, but you have not done any prep at all so it doesn't mean much.

 

[ubermale]

Thanks for the advice. I googled Buzan and Mensa and they seem like good ways to improve. Could you please comment on the marks that I achieved in this practice; is it credible to get into the top percentiles with marks like these or do I still have a lot of practice to do?

 

[lionking1191]

Thanks for the advice. I googled Buzan and Mensa and they seem like good ways to improve. Could you please comment on the marks that I achieved in this practice; is it credible to get into the top percentiles with marks like these or do I still have a lot of practice to do?

one practice really isn't enough to give you much of an idea of anyting - not to mention this is only half the actual test. i woudln't worry much about it. it's always hard judging your percentile even with peer ranking systems like MedEntry's ones.

 

[cccclaire]

the ACER material is way too easy. If your school isn't in the financial situation to pay for a prep course, i would approach your school.

I just know so many people who don't do prep courses and get around an 80th percentile and just kick themselves saying "I wish i did a prep course"

 

[dp624]

Yeah, I know someone who got 100 UMAT (235) without prep.
But then again, he's probably just "out there." he got 100 UAI too.

It's not too hard, if you can, get the past papers from F2f and medentry from someone who's done it.

 

[Wooz]

If your school isn't in the financial situation to pay for a prep course, i would approach your school.

That's right kids, ask your poor public or independent school for charity!

Medentry has a few scholarships for people in very low socio-economic circumstances.

 

[cccclaire]

That's right kids, ask your poor public or independent school for charity!

Medentry has a few scholarships for people in very low socio-economic circumstances.

I meant to say if your parents won't pay ask your school.

Coz when i was at Medentry the girl who I was talking to went to Killara, and they paid for hers.

 

[rcr4fags]

Yeah, I know someone who got 100 UMAT (235) without prep.
But then again, he's probably just "out there." he got 100 UAI too.

It's not too hard, if you can, get the past papers from F2f and medentry from someone who's done it.

yeah just like Usain Bolt who ran 9.68 and was only the first ever 100meter event he competed in. anyone can do it if he did that

 

[tommykins]

yeah just like Usain Bolt who ran 9.68 and was only the first ever 100meter event he competed in. anyone can do it if he did that

what

 

[rcr4fags]

what

exactly:rofl:

 

[xxstef]

yeah, im serious about doing med and im going without the prep courses.
a few friends did face2face and apparently it was a waste of time and money.

just hoping the acer booklets and a bit of extra related q's on the net will get me through

 

[ubermale]

That's right kids, ask your poor public or independent school for charity!

Medentry has a few scholarships for people in very low socio-economic circumstances.

Ok. Well I'll see if my school is willing to pay. I guess my careers advisor is the person to ask.

I'll also look into those scholarships.

 

[rcr4fags]

yeah, im serious about doing med and im going without the prep courses.
a few friends did face2face and apparently it was a waste of time and money.

just hoping the acer booklets and a bit of extra related q's on the net will get me through

thats why they bought in UMAT


the HSC rewards you if you work your ass off. you can be pretty stupid, but with shit load of tutoring and motivation you can quite easily get 95+

but for umat if you are a slow learner, then you wont be able to think laterally and outside the square, no matter how much tutoring u get you will do shit in umat.


not everyone is cut out to be a doctor

 

[dolbinau]

thats why they bought in UMAT


the HSC rewards you if you work your ass off. you can be pretty stupid, but with shit load of tutoring and motivation you can quite easily get 95+

but for umat if you are a slow learner, then you wont be able to think laterally and outside the square, no matter how much tutoring u get you will do shit in umat.


not everyone is cut out to be a doctor

Well it is disputed whether UMAT is appropriate in judging ability to study Medicine or not.

 

[-::Sanni::-]

yeah, im serious about doing med and im going without the prep courses.
a few friends did face2face and apparently it was a waste of time and money.

just hoping the acer booklets and a bit of extra related q's on the net will get me through

LOL! XD That was my attitude last year and...well I didn't do so well with UMAT -_-' I need a whole lot of practise before this year's UMAT so I'm going with MedEntry.

So Face2Face isn't that good eh? Hmm...well I'm definitely doing MedEntry! ^^

 

[ubermale]

but for umat if you are a slow learner, then you wont be able to think laterally and outside the square, no matter how much tutoring u get you will do shit in umat.


not everyone is cut out to be a doctor

I don't think that requiring UMAT tuition means that one is not cut out to be a doctor. Sometimes to go well in tests you just need to be familiar with the style of questions and to see how the examiners test for certain skills.

 

[dp624]

I really don' think like 3 acer booklets will cut it.
THey dont even have explained answers etc.

 

[ubermale]

I really don' think like 3 acer booklets will cut it.
THey dont even have explained answers etc.

I agree. I've done all three now and marked them and I saw no improvement

Except for section 2. Easiest section ever! I wish I could say the same for the other two though.

 

[dp624]

I agree. I've done all three now and marked them and I saw no improvement

Except for section 2. Easiest section ever! I wish I could say the same for the other two though.

no way dude, section two
gayest section ever.

it gets a LOT harder in the actual thing. for comparison i got 70 for s1, and 95 for s3.

and for s3... 50. LOL