Why should I take a UMAT preparation course?

Why should I take a UMAT® Exam preparation course?

Would you go into anything unprepared?

 

Everyone has told me you ‘can’t study’ for UMAT® Exam?

The UMAT® Exam is an APTITUDE test, which means that you don’t require any prior knowledge, all the information you need is in the paper. However, to say you can’t study for UMAT® Exam because you don’t need any prior knowledge is like saying you don’t have to train for a marathon because you already know how to run. Having prior exposure to UCAT style questions will undoubtedly help you to succeed. Particularly in the third section, studies have shown that people who re-sit the UMAT® Exam perform better the second time around. Likewise, those who have seen the same type of question in the same environment will most likely perform better than those who have not.

Practice also helps you to learn the value of time. They say time flies when you’re having fun, but trust me, you have never seen time fly like you will when sitting the UMAT® Exam for your first time. Most people run out of time and don’t get to answer the last bunch of questions. However, you can train yourself to monitor and manage the time so that you can answer those last few questions without actually rushing through the others. UMAT® Exam courses such as UMATReady will help you improve your time management and other important test taking skills, which will certainly play to your advantage come game day.

 

But isn’t there a cheaper way to do it?

Yes there is. You can find various forums and online content that is freely available to all. What is important to remember however is that your UMAT® Exam score is ranked as a percentile against everyone else who sat the UMAT® Exam in that year. This means that more than likely, everyone else has the same exposure and same knowledge on the topics as you do, but of course, you want to do better! Generally speaking, if you have a UMAT® Exam score above 85, you’re in with a running chance of being offered an interview and if all goes well, a position at one of the few undergraduate medical schools across the country. So you have to be in the top 15% to even be considered- not accepted, considered! If you want to be better than everyone else, you’re going to have to spend a bit of money on a preparation course that can set you apart from the rest of the crowd. These courses have been designed by professionals (that’s why it's worth a bit of cash) and will provide you with the best preparation materials available to succeed in the UMAT® Exam. Ultimately remember to put things into perspective and think about the cost of this course as an investment into your future. The stakes are high and considering the earnings of a future doctor, the cost of a course is really quite negligible. Besides, if you succeed in getting into medicine at undergraduate level, you will save a significant amount in tuition fees and living costs, as opposed to students who take the GAMSAT® Exam graduate exam after 3 years of Uni.

 

This goes without saying but… You absolutely CANNOT cram the UMAT® Exam.

Some people (and if you have this gift, consider yourself lucky!) have a natural ability to cram all the knowledge required for any exam in the few days leading up to it. This skill will not play to their advantage in the UMAT® Exam. Since it is an aptitude test assessing your cognitive ability and it has no required knowledge, there is no information to cram, only skills… Which as we all know, cannot be CRAMMED. Learning these skills can be difficult and if you don’t have the right resources (practice papers and section content), even harder. However, preparation courses offer multiple exams practice material, so that you can begin to apply yourself and learn the various skills that will benefit you in the exam.

 

In Summary, to give yourself the best chance for success and the peace of mind that you have done the very best in way of preparation, you should ultimately consider a UMAT® Exam prep course. It may just be another hurdle on the stretch to becoming a medical student, but it is a hurdle that can be a lot harder to overcome if you don’t prepare yourself.