umat (1 Viewer)

[arielbelle]

how do you prepare for umat? i have no doubt it's difficult and challenging and all, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything to prepare for it right?

 

[Huy]

There's plenty on the web, if you do a bit of research, reading, perusing and general hunting.

You can go to coaching (prep) schools and weekends, preparation courses and so on, as some students (who got Medicine Interviews at UNSW) attended them.

(In no particular order)

AMEPP-Australian Medical Entry Preparation Program - UMAT Preparation Course
http://www.amepp.com.au

Spatial Intelligence Home Page
http://www.ul.ie/~mearsa/9519211

Ryan Shulman's 'Agoneyes - TotalPrep' computer program
http://puzzler.server101.com

Dallas Superskills - UMAT Preparation
http://www.medical-entrance.com.au

Ebook for UMAT candidates
http://www31.brinkster.com/umatbook

You can also view sample questions included in the Information Booklet:

Sample Questions (from ACER)
http://www.acer.edu.au/unitest/umat/documents/UMATinfobook2003.pdf

Additional sample questions are available here:

Additional Sample Questions (from ACER)
http://www.acer.edu.au/unitest/umat/documents/UMAT2003samplewebquestions.pdf

Discuss the UMAT at talk-umat@Yahoo
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/talk-umat

talk-indie-umat - Independent UMAT discussion forum to help students get into medicine, dentistry and physiotherapy. It is also a forum for students to freely discuss umat, medicine, interviews etc.
http://umat.tk

Other useful sites, (interesting reads):

Oliver Daly's "Becoming a Doctor" (in Australia) site
http://sufface.net/medicine/index.shtml

So you want to be a doctor... by Damon Shorter
http://abc.net.au/science/slab/doctor

ACER
http://www.acer.edu.au/unitest/umat

Good luck to you with UMAT 2004.

 

[arielbelle]

wow. thanks for that huy. i was just thinking cause if you go on the net and search stuff like 'logical reasoning' and 'spatial tests', the stuff are kind of different, some american etc. so it confuses you a bit as to what you should do in preparation. i think directly relevant preparation is best. then the courses must cost a whole heap.

 

[Huy]

Sure, no problem ariel. Well, you would be right in saying that the American MCAT differs from the Australian UMAT (both tests for Medicine entrance). The questions may be different but you'll be challenging your mind and extending yourself all the same, as you must remember that each year, UMAT questions will differ (I don't believe that they recycle any questions for the following year). If you can complete questions on logical reasoning, problem solving and spatial tests, you would be fine.

I don't believe that you can acquire the skills necessary for Medicine entrance just by doing a couple of tests, reading about things and completing mind-exercises, (and this may sound cheesy), but you've either got what it takes or you don't.

The courses which are designed to prepare and coach you for UMAT are not endorsed or supported by ACER (who develop the questions for UMAT, much like the BOS set the HSC), but for those who choose to gain entrance into Medicine with the help of such preparation schools and weekends, they would be advantaged. This all comes at a cost, as you've no doubt noted. If you're willing to pay a few hundred dollars for "tips" and to learn about a few shortcuts, if it'll help you in entering undergraduate Medicine then that's all that matters.

 

[j-belle]

Originally posted by Huy
The questions may be different but you'll be challenging your mind and extending yourself all the same, as you must remember that each year, UMAT questions will differ (I don't believe that they recycle any questions for the following year). If you can complete questions on logical reasoning, problem solving and spatial tests, you would be fine.

Well then your belief would be wrong. Some questions are repeated -I know this because someone I know did it twice (one year after the other) and got the same question.

Originally posted by Huy
I don't believe that you can acquire the skills necessary for Medicine entrance just by doing a couple of tests, reading about things and completing mind-exercises, (and this may sound cheesy), but you've either got what it takes or you don't.

Well the people paying for all that UMAT-coaching would disagree, they believe it can be learnt. The med selection process isn't the best at the moment anyway - particularly the principal's UAI prediction part determining first round interviews, I feel sorry for you local students

 

[Huy]

Originally posted by j-belle
Well then your belief would be wrong. Some questions are repeated -I know this because someone I know did it twice (one year after the other) and got the same question.

I've only sat for UMAT once. I didn't think that for a "high stakes" test, that ACER would repeat questions.

Originally posted by j-belle
Well the people paying for all that UMAT-coaching would disagree, they believe it can be learnt. The med selection process isn't the best at the moment anyway - particularly the principal's UAI prediction part determining first round interviews, I feel sorry for you local students

Of course, but I wouldn't fork out a few hundred dollars just for the preparation courses - it could be money better spent (eg PowerBook, hehe). My principal was really easy with me, he simply asked "so what do you think you are?" (UAI) - I didn't really want to blow my own horn, but he ended up predicting 99 UAI and top 2% of the state (which is, by the way, not true of me! ).

 

[Lexicographer]

Damn you and your nice, non-malicious principal! I want the principal with a hook, he gave out 99s too.

J-Belle, I agree with you. We local types should be pitied.

 

[arielbelle]

haven't sat the umat once. but i can kind of project that some questions would be repeated. not exactly the very same question, but the same format, different situation and stuff. i like to believe that things can be learnt to a certain degree. i wouldn't go preparing myself excessively just for umat, i'd just familiarise myself with test so the test taking process will at least be easier. since unsw only interviews 450 ppl, then they'd pick the highest predicted uai with the best umat results. so i think they'd interview ppl with predicted uai will above the 95 required to apply.

 

[Huy]

UNSW Interviews, from what I have heard, have only been conducted based on your predicted UAI (as given by your principal) and naturally, your superior performance in UMAT. Your actual UAI will also be a crucial factor (95+), however most undergraduate Medicine students will have a UAI of 97+ instead.

I'm not 100% sure on the Medicine Interviews at UNSW, but I think UNSW only interviewed those with high UMAT results (of course), and those with a predicted UAI of 96 to 98+ - I highly doubt the 95+ criteria, but it's just another reason for you to work harder in attaining a higher UAI.

Again, I'm not completely certain, but you're in with a better chance if you fall in the 98-99+ range. (which is basically what I'm trying to say. This isn't to say that one person with 95 UAI cannot gain entrance into Medicine, if his/her UMAT results are much higher than somebody elses, with a UAI of 97).

 

[Saul]

im fairly sure they cut most people out if they have a predicted less than 98... but schools do tend to be generous with estimates

 

[Huy]

Originally posted by Saul
im fairly sure they cut most people out if they have a predicted less than 98... but schools do tend to be generous with estimates

I think so too, and I also agree with your Principals comment.

The lowest prediction that was given, from my school had been 92, however the guy had asked for another prediction and was given 97 (I think). Everyone else was given 99.

 

[Lexicographer]

Pricks

 

[Saul]

i think i got a 99 estimate, but i dont think i'll break 98

 

[korry]

so has anyone actually been to any of the prep courses? are they any good???

 

[Saul]

just check out this one

http://www.boredofstudies.org/community/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13093

 

[Lexicographer]

Originally posted by Saul
i think i got a 99 estimate, but i dont think i'll break 98

But you see as long as you were offered an interview and did well, you can be comfortable with even 96. We without the faith of the principal, however, do not have such luxury.

 

[fashionista]

does any one have any tips for section 3 of the umat?? especially the type II questions? they take soooo long to figure out and i was hoping that sum1 mite have some magic trick to work them out.

 

[Lexicographer]

Turn your head. You have no idea how much this helps.

I only found out AFTERWARDS

 

[fashionista]

gotchya..turn ur head..will do!!
oooohhh i have a tip for anyone applying for the umat
GET A HEALTH CARE CARD!!! it's not based upon ur parent's income it's based on URS... so if u personally earn like less than $6000 a yr (or sumthing).. (regardless of ur parents income) u can apply for one from centrelink..this gets u pretty much pensioners rates on medicines and lotsa other services... aaaaaaaannnnnd da-da-da-daaaaaaaaaa a ginormo bigo discount off UMAT fees!!!! noramlly it costs $120 to take the umat test, but if u got a health card card u only pay $30!!!!!
jus thort id let u guys in on that secret (unless u already knowww)
luv mee!!!!

 

[Saul]

for section II, what i did (and i got all of them) was to ignore them, come back to them at the end, and turn the paper around. this is much easier than turning your head