Just sharing a quick win with you all! Last Saturday 18th was the first ever cohort of my UCAT Crash Course. And it went amazingly. As someone who achieved a top-decile score and is tutoring UCAT for the second admissions cycle running, I was super excited and spent many hours working on the course so its as jam-packed with top resources. I made the resource I wish I had when starting UCAT preparation so students like yourselves don’t feel as lost when approaching the exam. And the feedback I received was great!

Use the link below to access the poll and answer a few quick questions about UCAT resources! This includes what resources you want from me, any questions you have and if you would like another date for the UCAT Crash Course, This really helps me to create resources that are affordable and actually useful for you.

Click here to answer!

Just to give you some quick info about the UCAT Crash Course, it is a live 3 hour session where I teach you

• What the UCAT is and strategic information on sitting the exam
• The essential techniques for each of the subsections
  • Verbal Reasoning - how to eliminate answers fast without re-reading the entire passage
  • Decision Making - the logic frameworks for every question type
  • Quantitative Reasoning - calculator shortcuts and mathematical skills
  • Situational Judgement - how to think like a doctor
• Debunking the biggest myths surrounding the UCAT and what you should be focusing on instead

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Bonuses included as part of the package include

• Free access to the UCAT Strategy Document I created as a top-decile scorer
• A 6 week and 8 week sample timetable so you know exactly how to approach UCAT revision
• Discussing the Medify vs Medentry debate
• List of accurate and reputable UCAT resources such as question banks, skills trainers and more
• Access to the recording and learning resources after the session

On that note, here is my UCAT advice for this week. If you feel stuck in low scores, have plateau or just aren’t seeing improvement, there are 3 possible explanations.

Reason 1 - You’re not reflecting properly

If you are in the late stages of your revision such as weeks 4-5 or have been doing timed practice for some time this is one explanation for low scores. After doing practice questions or a mock exam you just accept your score and move on. You’re not taking the time to look at what went wrong. You’re not reflecting. And this is one of the most essential things you need to be doing to see improvement in your scores, especially in the later stages. So here is my reflection framework to help you go through your mock exams and questions effectively.

1. After each UCAT mock, the most important thing is to go and take a break. Go outside, have something to eat and just step away from your screen for at least 10 minutes. Then you can begin the key stages of reflection to see improvement for your next mock scores.
2. You need to go through all of the questions you have guessed, flagged or gotten incorrect. For all of these, go back and read the explanation to make sure you understand your mistake. If the mistake was a ‘silly’ mistake and now makes sense, add this to your error log. This can be a document or flashcard set, and here you create a bank of all your mistakes. Make sure to review it regularly, like reading over it every morning.
3. However, if this is a question type you are repeatedly getting wrong or you just don’t know how to do it, then it’s time to do targeted practice on your weaker areas. First, refine and learn your technique by watching tutorials or reviewing notes (like my UCAT strategy document). Once you understand the technique again, do a combination of untimed and timed practice

Following this will help you see much bigger improvements in your scores.

Reason 2 - UCAT burnout

Sometimes working for more hours will cause your score to drop lower. I know it sounds weird but if you are trying to revise 24/7, cutting out all fun and doing as many mock exams possible in a day, then you are going to burnout. The UCAT is a mental game so looking after your wellbeing is essential if you want to do well in the exam. You do not need to be doing 2 mock exams a day, revising 8 hours or being extreme with revision. If you work smart by learning the right techniques and follow the timetables I have provided to you in previous newsletter editions, you will be fine. Remember to focus on the basics like getting enough sleep, eating well and some daily movement. Even a 20 minute walk has been shown to boost focus. So make sure you still have things you enjoy planned out and keep revision balanced. Obviously you need to put in the hours - but be balanced.

Reason 3 - UCAT preparation is exponential

An idea that many students don’t realise is that UCAT preparation is exponential. Not linear. You expect that your scores should go up with each mock test you do. But that doesn’t end up happening. The UCAT is a very different type of exam and for many of you this is the first time doing an exam like this. As a result, it takes time for your skills to come together. But when that happens you get this ‘lightbulb moment’ and your scores shoot up.

I completely understand that it can feel demotivating watching the same score on your screen everyday even though you’re putting in the hours. But if you are doing the questions with the right technique, practicing regularly and reflecting correctly then I assure you that you will be fine. Just keep going you’ve got this!

Which question bank is better? Are you more likely to get a top-decile score if you use one over the other? This has always been a big debate among UCAT applicants.

As someone who achieved a top-decile UCAT score and used both question banks, here’s my honest comparison.

I started my preparation with Medify and completed most of my practice questions there. Although it’s a strong platform, I found the questions noticeably harder than the official UCAT and UCAT mocks, which often left me scoring lower than expected.

Towards the end of my revision, I switched to Medentry. While I used it for a shorter period, I found the question style and difficulty much closer to my actual UCAT exam.

Ultimately, both are excellent question banks, and choosing one over the other won’t determine whether you achieve a top-decile score. My advice is to use the free trial for both, try the skills trainers and practice questions, and see which feels most representative of the official UCAT mocks.

From my experience, Medentry was the closer match to the real exam. If you decide to use it, you can use the discount code MEDWLOVE for 10% off.

I'm Loveleen, a medical student at King's College London and I remember being an applying student feeling confused by the entire process. I had no doctors in the family, yet went on to achieve a top decile UCAT score and 4/4 medicine offers. I'm passionate about helping other aspiring medics, so I work really hard to create the resources I wish I had in your situation.

Check out my website for my UCAT Crash Course and my Ultimate Medicine Interview Course, where 100% of my students who reached interview stage secured at least one medical school offer. Secure your spot to achieve your dream of getting into medicine!

And as a tutor for nearly 3 years, I help students in GCSE and A-level biology and chemistry, to secure their dream grade! As someone who got A*A*A I teach you all the content and exact revision methods to make studying feel easier, especially if your managing multiple aspects like interviews, UCAS applications and interests. Email me to book a place as there are limited slots.

📸Here are the links to each of my social media pages, so make sure you follow! In all, I detail the advice and tips you need to help make your application to medicine so much easier! If you ever need any help, feel free to reach out to me at loveleenj241@gmail.com