UCAT Score Predictor

Advice & Insight From UCAT Specialists

You will be awarded raw scores for each of the four subtests (Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning & Abstract Reasoning) as well as the Situational Judgement section. You won’t know in advance exactly how your raw score will be converted into a scaled score, because factors such as the performance of other candidates as well as the difficulty of the test will be taken into account. Therefore, the exact score conversions will vary slightly from year to year. However, it is possible to predict approximately how many marks you will need in order to achieve a set scaled score, based on historical estimations and UCAT experience.

For example, if you are aiming for an average of 700 in each of the subtests, which we believe all BlackStone Tutors UCAT Course Students can achieve, based on the conversion table in the link above, the raw scores needed in each subtest would be as follows:

Verbal Reasoning	29 out of 44	700
Decision Making	19 out of 29	700
Quantitative Reasoning	25 out of 36	700
Abstract Reasoning	36/37 out of 55	700

Similarly, if you hoping to achieve Band 1 for Situational Judgement, you would aim for at least 57 out of 69, based on historical estimations.

It is important to state that you can achieve the top scaled score of 900 without needing to answer 100% of the questions correctly.

What factors can influence your UCAT score?

There are a number of factors that can influence your UCAT score.

Time Awareness

Students who are fully aware of the time allocation for each section of the UCAT will be able to more easily manage their time during the test. Since all questions are weighted equally, it is important not to spend too much time on perceived tougher questions especially if it prevents you from answering questions that take less time. Or, you may even run out of time altogether and miss out on important marks, if you have don’t manage your time effectively. It is possible to break down the time you have available for each question in each section, if you learn the following time allocations:

Subtest	Time allowed	Number of questions	Time for each question
Decision Making	31 minutes	29	64 seconds
Quantitative Reasoning	24 minutes	36	40 seconds
Abstract Reasoning	13 minutes	55	12 seconds
Situational Judgement	26 minutes	69	22 seconds

Verbal Reasoning is less straightforward because you need to divide up your time between reading the passages and answering the questions:

Time allowed	Number of questions	Time for each passage and set of 4 questions	Passage reading time	Time for each question
21 minutes	44	2 minutes	45 – 60 seconds	15 seconds

Knowing these timescales will therefore allow you to develop a pace of working that suits you and gives you confidence to maximise the number of questions you can answer, which in turn will help to increase your UCAT score.

Preparation time

Giving yourself enough preparation for the UCAT will give you a better chance of achieving a high score. Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between the amount of UCAT preparation and the score you achieve. Since the UCAT is very different to any examination you will have done previously, you will need to become familiar with the different sections of the exam, the types of questions that are asked and time allocations for each section of the test. For this average candidate, ideally six weeks of preparation will be useful, where at least 30 minutes of practice questions are completed each day, with more at the weekend and when you near the day of the test itself.

Reflect the exam environment

Another factor that can influence your UCAT score is how well you are able to manage the exam conditions on the day. You should aim to simulate the exam conditions whenever you are preparing in the month leading up to the exam. This includes ensuring that you are familiar with the resources you are allowed to use and that you have mastered the timings for each section. You should also become used to working in a quiet environment with minimal distractions.

Learn and practise the tried and tested techniques

You can maximise your chances of performing well in the UCAT if you have carefully prepared and learnt from people who have already experienced the UCAT for themselves. This could include following one of our BlackStone Tutors Preparation Courses where you have the opportunity to learn from expert UCAT tutors with unparalleled UCAT preparation experience.

Remember, the more you know about what the UCAT entails, how to manage your time and approximately how many questions you need to answer correctly to achieve your desired scaled score, the more likely you will be to succeed.