BMAT Section 3 Word Limit

Previous BMAT papers provided a single A4 space to students to complete section 3 of the test. Since the examination was moved online a word limit of 550 words has been introduced.

There is a penalty for going over the word limit so answers should avoid extraneous detail. Even with the paper based examination the applicant should be aware that a single side of A4 fills very quickly.

In section 3 the applicant is presented with 3 short statements. These need not be from a scientific or technical point of view. Philosophy and history are often drawn upon as essay topics. The applicant must then choose one of the three to write their essay.

When a student is presented with an open statement outside of the immediate scope of topics, it is all too easy to fall into tangents of reflection. This is why attention must be paid to write concise paragraphs that present content of substance and a logical flow of ideas and arguments.

Typing an answer  screen allows for greater opportunity to review and edit their paragraphs. However, the applicant should remember that this section is allotted 30 minutes only. Spending too much time refining an introduction or a conclusion will leave little time for actual content. Around 70% of applicants are able to achieve a Quality of English score of A. Fewer achieve a Quality of Content score of 4 or 5. A score of 3 is considered a good achievement in this section.