UCAT Preparation: Getting into the Right Frame of Mind

At the end of a season and leading up to the championship, athletes go through a “tapering phase” to make sure they perform at their peak when it counts. In a sense you’ve been a mental athlete, and you want to make sure that you perform at your peak when it counts: on the actual UCAT.

For you, tapering consists of scaling back gradually the amount of preparation you’ve been doing so you can give your mind a chance to rest and rev up your motivation. During this week you should do much less work, but of a much higher quality. Instead of doing an entire UCAT test, for example, spend the same amount of time focusing on three or four truly difficult questions. You’ll gain far more by wrestling with a tough question for ten minutes—or more—than you will by doing ten simple questions quickly.

In fact, don’t do anything timed this week: except one UCAT ANZ test the day before. Rehearse the techniques meticulously, getting everything just right. Trust us on this point: the best way to improve your test-taking speed and your test-taking accuracy is to practice mindfully, being hyperconscious of every little step you do.

This week is also an excellent time to see how far your skills have advanced since you started preparing for the test weeks or months ago. Look over your MedEntry UCAT prep simulated exam. You’ll be so surprised at how you used to solve questions that you won’t even recognise your work.