UCAT Abstract Reasoning How to Prepare in 2024​

1. UCAT Abstract Reasoning: How to Prepare in 2024

2. What is UCAT® Abstract Reasoning? Abstract Reasoning is the fourth subtest of the UCAT® exam and is designed to assess your ability to identify patterns amongst several abstract shapes whilst also filtering out distractions. UCAT® Abstract Reasoning questions and answers generally involve a series of abstract patterns and shapes, asking you to identify which of them belong, follow or complete a specific pattern. Why is Abstract Reasoning Important for Medicine? • UCAT® Abstract Reasoning tests your ability to change perspectives, critically evaluate, and generate hypotheses, which are crucial skills for clinicians. These skills help doctors identify key patterns in vague, overlapping symptoms to make accurate diagnoses. UCAT® Abstract Reasoning Structure • Throughout the UCAT ® Abstract Reasoning subtest, you will come across four different question types. These will be explained in greater detail in the “UCAT Abstract Reasoning Question Types” section below. These questions also have different formats to their answer options.

3. UCAT® Abstract Reasoning How much time do you have on UCAT®  Abstract Reasoning? • UCAT® Abstract Reasoning includes 55 questions in 13 minutes, averaging 14 seconds per question. However, identifying a pattern often applies to multiple questions, allowing you to spend about 30 seconds finding the pattern and 5-10 seconds per answer. UCAT® Abstract Reasoning Timing • Subtest: UCAT® Abstract Reasoning    • Test Time: 13 minutes    • Number of Questions: 55 questions   • Average Time per Question: 14 seconds    

4. UCAT® Abstract Reasoning UCAT® Abstract Reasoning Question Tips • Learn the common patterns - Identifying UCAT® Abstract Reasoning patterns is definitely a difficult task and many students may find this quite unnatural. Having an idea of what you are looking for can certainly give you a head start towards finding the pattern. These patterns can be divided up into several different types: • Focus on the simplest box - Given that each set contains the same pattern or rule, it is likely that the least complex shape will have the least distractions. This will allow you to focus on the crucial elements that actually compose the rule. Using this to compare with other boxes will allow you to find the points of similarity and dissimilarity, thereby allowing you to identify the pattern. • Use the whiteboard when necessary - For these, it can be easy to forget the rules and mix them up, costing you easy marks if you have already identified the pattern. Take advantage of the whiteboard when you feel as though you need to.

5. UCAT® Abstract Reasoning UCAT® Abstract Reasoning Question Types • Set A, Set B or Neither - This is the most common question type in the UCAT® Abstract Reasoning subtest, composing around 38 of the 55 total questions. You will be presented with two sets of shapes labelled Set A and Set B and you are required to decide whether a given shape belongs to either Set A, Set B or neither sets. • Linear Pattern Completion - This is the second most common question type in UCAT® Abstract Reasoning. You will be presented with a series of four images that follow a progressive pattern. You will then be asked which of the four/five answer options will complete the series. • Analogous Pattern Completion - In this type of UCAT® Abstract Reasoning question, you will be presented with two pairs of images in the format: “Image A is to Image B as Image C is to Image D.” Image D will be left blank and it is up to you to recognise which of the answer options should correspond with Image D. • Set A or Set B - These are similar to the Set A, Set B or neither question type, however in this case you will be given four or five shapes as the answer options and you are required to identify which would fit into the pattern of Set A or Set B.

6. Approaching UCAT® Abstract Reasoning Questions on Exam Day UCAT® Abstract Reasoning Question Types • Guess, Flag and Move On - Don't be afraid to guess, flag questions and move on. It can be very easy to become obsessed with solving a difficult question and sacrifice your chance at solving easier questions. On exam day, you should guess questions which you find yourself struggling with before flagging and moving onto the next question. • Know your timing - As with any exam, keep your eye on the timer. This will ensure that you don’t leave any questions blank by the end of the exam. You don’t lose marks for incorrect answers, so filling in everything, whether or not you know the answer will give you the best chance at maximising your UCAT® scores. • Go with the pattern - If a UCAT® Abstract Reasoning question has multiple patterns but you can only identify one, use it to answer as many questions as possible. Flag the question and return to it later if time allows. • Use keyboard shortcuts - These are similar to the Set A, Set B or neither question type, however in this case you will be given four or five shapes as the answer options and you are required to identify which would fit into the pattern of Set A or Set B.

7. Further Materials • Australian Medical Schools: General Overview • Australian Graduate Medical Schools - Admission Requirements • Medical Pathways in Australia • Free GAMSAT Practice Questions and Materials • GAMSAT Results: The Definitive Guide • Don’t forget to tune in to our GAMSAT® To Med School Podcast! Listen as our experienced GAMSAT® tutors explore diverse topics about everything from the GAMSAT® exam to their journeys through medical school: https://gradready.com.au/gamsat-podcast