Getting organised for the UCAT

Most often, the hardest part of any task is starting it. Sometimes it's because we lack motivation, other times it’s because we are busy, but the majority of the time it's because we aren’t organized. Trying to start a task without first having organized what you’re doing and how you’re going to do it is nearly impossible. The same goes for UCAT.

 

Hopefully, the majority of you have made some progress on getting organized for UCAT 2026. For those of you who haven’t though, it is not too late! If you try and tick off each of the below listed ‘To Do’ tasks, you should be well on the way to success.

 

1. Start by getting the equipment

This is my favorite part because it generally means a trip to Officeworks, and who doesn’t love Officeworks! That's right, I mean stationery and technology. Although this sounds completely intuitive, if you make sure you have all the equipment before you start rather than working out what you need as you go, you will feel much more productive and you’ll never be held up because you don’t have the tools. For the UCAT, although a lot of the work you do leading up to the exam is online, it is still important to practise your working on paper so you can build clear, efficient habits. Set yourself up with the right tools to get going:

• Laptop/Desktop - This is the most important thing, if you share computers, you need to let the others using it know that you will need the computer, uninterrupted for 3 hour periods. You should aim to have a quiet space where you can complete full practice sessions without distractions.

• Pencils (Medium soft HB pencils are the go-to choice for ACER)

• Eraser

• Red pen (To mark your work)

• Notepad for working

 

2. Get yourself a diary or set up a calendar app on your phone

Some people prefer being able to visualize the week in a small diary that they can keep in their bag. Others prefer having it available wherever you go and keep track of their week electronically. Whatever works for you but make sure it always stays updated! Put everything on your calendar and group things together. Example:

• If you prefer using paper diaries, ideally get one with times down the side so that you can block out whole periods in your day. Colour co-ordinate or have an organization system that separates your social life, work, study and your time (Time for your hobbies etc.)

• If you use a calendar app such as google calendar - Make sure you put in all the details. Calendars on our phones are super smart and will remind you when you have something coming up. You also have the benefit of blocking out time periods and being able to visualize your days. Make sure you also make separate calendars for each part of your life. One for work, school, UCAT, social life and YOU. Make them all different colors so that when you look at your week, you can visualize just how balanced you are. Make sure you have reminders set to ON.

 

3. Set yourself a study timetable, pin it above your desk or pop it into your calendar app and commit yourself to stick with it!

Even if you do use a calendar app, it is a good idea to have a paper version of your study timetable above your desk. It sets the tone of the workspace and it gives you designated periods to work. For your UCAT preparation, pick one day of the weekend and block it out as your ‘UCAT day’. As the UCAT draws closer, start scheduling a few hours in the afternoon after school to work on UCAT. Don’t ever try to do UCAT study and school work on the same night. They require different forms of studying and it is much easier if you commit yourself to just one of the two on any night for weekdays, or full days on weekends.

 

4. Work out what your strengths and weaknesses are and seek help

Unless you are feeling 100% confident with each of the UCAT sections (and no-one is that cool calm and collected leading up to UCAT), then there is always someone who can help you and something you can do. Get in touch with a tutor who can help you in a particular section or enroll yourself in a UCAT preparation course to get yourself some content to work through. If reading speed is your weak point, a targeted guide to UCAT Verbal Reasoning can help you focus your practice. For data-heavy questions, reviewing UCAT Quantitative Reasoning strategies can make your study sessions more efficient. If you’re not sure where to start, free UCAT resources can help you sample question styles before committing to a broader plan.

 

5. Download a “to-do” app, make lists and add to them as things come up

I have an android phone and like to use an app called ‘wunderlist’ that you can download from the app store to keep track of my day-to-day lists. If you have an iPhone, utilize that reminders app and make sure you are checking things off and adding things on. If you start using it every day you will get a good habit of keeping track of due dates and things you need to do. You’ll also get a really satisfying feeling ticking things off your to-do list as you work through it. This habit is especially helpful during UCAT preparation, when small tasks can pile up quickly.