On the day of the UMAT

On The Day of the UMAT® Exam

So you've finally made it to the big day... the day of the UMAT® Exam exam! But what now? Here are some tips to stop you from joining the ranks of panicked students when the UMAT® Exam finally arrives.
 

The Night Before

The night before, don't study; instead, you should relax. You've prepared hard, and at this stage there's not much more you can do. So sit back, relax with a drink, and release some of your built-up stress; you don't need that weighing you down in the morning.

Make sure you get to bed on time. A late night is disastrous, but don't force yourself to go to bed too early; many people do this only to find that they toss and turn for hours. Stick to the schedule that you like to follow, after all, you are the one who knows how much sleep you need.
 

The Morning Of

First off: eat breakfast. Most people can't stomach a huge breakfast platter; I know I certainly couldn't. But that being said, don't eat poorly either, as the last thing you need is to get into the exam room hungry. Eat a normal-sized breakfast, as you would every other day, and take some snacks along for the ride to the exam centre.  

Get to the exam early. Most of the test centers are located in academic or community hubs, such as universities, and the traffic will be horrendous as you make your way there. Make sure you're as early as you can be.

Allow yourself to be nervous. Being nervous is a completely normal reaction to the pressure of a high stakes exam, so don't suppress these feelings. Allowing yourself to be nervous will ultimately help you focus better on the task at hand. Come to terms with your own feelings, and make sure to practice being mindful.

Don't allow nerves to dominate you. Having said that, don't allow your nerves to dominate your feelings. Everyone will be feeling jittery, but the successful students don't allow this to overcome their focus. Let the feelings come to you as they do, but know when to release built-up tension as well. For example, don't be afraid to go to the toilet as everyone is getting seated for the exam; often, getting out of the controlled atmosphere of the exam room can do wonders.

Don't be superstitious. Many people have little quirks and superstitions, but one shouldn't allow that to affect them on the day. When you are faced with high pressure situations such as the UMAT® Exam exam, you are more likely to notice little things which you take as 'bad omens'. Notice these, and accept them, but don't let them put you off. For example, in some Asian countries, the number four is considered unlucky, and my mother is quite superstitious about this. When I entered the exam hall, and I was directed to my table, the first thing I noticed was my table number: 444! However, you must put these little things out of your mind immediately. In the end, these things will not affect your overall result; instead, trust in the work you have done to prepare.
 

During The Exam

Stick to your strategies. When the exam starts, don't allow a single difficult question to overwhelm you. You've prepared long and hard for this day, and you should know which strategies work best for you. Stick to your plans and approach the questions one by one.

Don't be afraid to guess. Of course there will be questions on the UMAT® Exam which you can't answer; don't be afraid to guess. Time plays a large factor in this exam, so you can't muck around tossing up between answers. Don't be afraid to be decisive, and don't hesitate at 50:50 guesses. That said, never guess before you have already applied all the strategies you have learnt already, and eliminated as many answers as you can first.
 

After the Exam

Relax! It's over at last, and you can give yourself a pat on the back; and breathe a sigh of relief as well! Treat yourself to a day out, or hang with your friends... it's time to unwind!

Don't fret over your result. What's done is done and you've tried your best; there's no point in beating yourself up over that question you didn't get, or got right and then changed the answer to at the very last second. You'll never ever be able to change that answer back, so just let go; after all, every single person coming out of the exam room will probably have a similar question which they are unhappy about as well. You've probably done better than you think!
 

Overall: Be Confident!

Why shouldn't you be confident? You've prepared hard for this exam and done your best, thus setting yourself up better than the majority of students, who never undertake any formal UMAT® Exam preparation. Be confident in how you have done, and don't let the results weigh down your mind... There's still studying to be done, whether for school or for university.