The Art of UCAT Abstract Reasoning: How to Prepare
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Written By Team MedView
Reviewed By Thomas Nicolson (Currently studying Doctor of Medicine - MD at the University of Queensland)
Abstract Reasoning, which makes up 1 of the 5 parts of the UCAT, is designed to gauge your use of convergent and divergent thinking to infer relationships from information. It sounds complicated but with study and preparation, you'll become familiar with this.
Navigating the maze of the UCAT Abstract Reasoning (AR) subtest may seem daunting but we have good news: AR is the one subtest that can be improved most easily with practice.
In this article, we'll shed light on the essential components and structure of the AR subtest as well as explore strategies to prepare for it and provide examples of questions you might find in this part of the exam.
What is UCAT Abstract Reasoning?
The UCAT Abstract Reasoning Section is a subtest designed to evaluate your aptitude for pattern recognition, critical thinking and hypothesis development — all of which are important for those in the medical field.
When diagnosing patients as a medical practitioner, you're given a series of symptoms or results and from here, you need to make judgements about this information and come to a conclusion based on it. This is what the AR subtest gauges.
Abstract Reasoning, which makes up 1 of the 5 parts of the UCAT, is designed to gauge your use of convergent and divergent thinking to infer relationships from information. It sounds complicated but with study and preparation, you'll become familiar with this.
Navigating the maze of the UCAT Abstract Reasoning (AR) subtest may seem daunting but we have good news: AR is the one subtest that can be improved most easily with practice.
In this article, we'll shed light on the essential components and structure of the AR subtest as well as explore strategies to prepare for it and provide examples of questions you might find in this part of the exam.
What is UCAT Abstract Reasoning?
The UCAT Abstract Reasoning Section is a subtest designed to evaluate your aptitude for pattern recognition, critical thinking and hypothesis development — all of which are important for those in the medical field.
When diagnosing patients as a medical practitioner, you're given a series of symptoms or results and from here, you need to make judgements about this information and come to a conclusion based on it. This is what the AR subtest gauges.
Why is Abstract Reasoning important in medicine?
Abstract reasoning is a highly valued skill in the medical field, as it helps practitioners identify patterns from collections of symptoms, which could potentially have multiple diagnoses.
Analysing images and looking for patterns systematically is a key skill, particularly as part of radiology where you interpret X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds and MRIs to look for abnormalities.
Through its use, clinicians can anticipate possible biases and reduce diagnostic errors for improved patient care. These skills are considered invaluable among those working within healthcare. Researchers also benefit greatly when utilising abstract thinking strategies during their data analysis processes.
What is the UCAT Abstract Reasoning structure?
Abstract Reasoning is the fourth subtest in the UCAT, with the order as follows:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Decision Making
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Abstract Reasoning
- Situational Judgement
The AR subtest includes 50 questions, a 1-minute instruction section and a 12-minute test time. A correct answer is worth 1 mark each.
What are the questions you can expect in Abstract Reasoning?
The UCAT Abstract Reasoning subtest has been designed to assess your spatial reasoning, non-verbal and visuo-spatial competencies.
It focuses on recognising patterns in sets of shapes as well as applying rules that could help you answer questions successfully while categorising shapes too. Completing sequences and analogies are the 2 important elements along with best fit questions for this specific subtask.
There are 4 types of questions you can expect to see in the AR subtest. These are:
Choose the set
This is the most common type of question in the AR subtest, where you'll be presented with 2 sets of shapes — 1 is labelled Set A and the other Set B.
From here, you'll be asked if the image or test shape belongs to set A, Set B, or neither set. This isn't about matching the shapes, but rather discover the pattern that connects these shapes.
Choose which belongs
Similar to the first type of questions, these ask you to determine which of these shapes belongs to a particular set.
To answer these different types of questions accurately, it is essential that you recognise any patterns before attempting the subsequent queries. Practicing with many kinds of questions helps build understanding about how they work, which in turn increases your chances at selecting the right response when taking this part of the UCAT exam.
It’s crucial to familiarise yourself with all sorts of abstract reasoning problems — key aspects here are being able to quickly identify patterns then choosing an appropriate answer accordingly without hesitation or confusion.
This is to that
These questions are based on the transformation of images — you'll be shown an image that has been changed to form another image. From here, you'll need to answer what the new image would look like if it underwent the same transformation.
Complete the sequence
In these style of questions, you'll be shown a series of images and will be asked to answer which shape comes next in the sequence.
What is the Abstract Reasoning scoring system?
The UCAT Abstract Reasoning score is transformed into a scale from 300 to 900. All of the 5 subtests in the UCAT are scored on the same scale.
The total cognitive section score serves as a significant gauge of your overall UCAT performance. This score is derived from the sum of your individual scaled scores from the first 4 cognitive subtests (minus the Situational Judgement Test), ranging from 1200 to 3600.
Interestingly, it's not common for universities to consider the Situational Judgement Test within the admissions process. Anecdotally, many of the universities prefer to test this skill in the interview versus the multiple choice format of the UCAT.
Strategies for tackling UCAT Abstract Reasoning questions
Creating strategies for your AR approach is important so you can accurately and quickly answer questions. A large part of this involves sharpening your skills in recognising patterns while working within a strict time constraint.
Identifying patterns and rules
We recommend employing a system to look for common patterns. For example, SCANSS is a common one you might like to try.
- Shape: Is one type of shape consistent or more common?
- Colour: Is there always a shape of a certain colour?
- Arrangement: Are the shapes or certain shapes always in the same place?
- Number: Is the number of shapes or certain shapes constant? what about the number of sides?
- Symmetry: Is the pattern symmetrical?
- Size: Is the size different?
If you can’t see a clear pattern within 10 to 15 seconds, guess it, flag it and come back — there are some harder questions within the exam so best to skip these and come back to them at the end.
Tips for preparing for UCAT Abstract Reasoning
It can be difficult to know when and how to start your UCAT preparation. So, here's what we recommend doing when it comes to AR revision.
Practice, practice, practice
We said it once and we'll say it again: practice is the most important part of your UCAT preparation.
Through regular practice, you'll become more knowledgable and familiar with different question types, while also enhancing your pattern recognition capabilities and gaining better time management skills.
MedView Spark is a great resource for this — our learning platform has over 4,500 practice questions as well as practice exams you can work through to become exam-ready.
Plus, our interface is designed to mimic the UCAT experience, right down to the keyboard shortcuts and calculator, so there are no surprises and it'll help you feel comfortable for the real deal.
Use these UCAT resources to help you both prepare for the content of the exam and become familiar with using the simple on-screen calculator that is used during the UCAT.
Practice your time management skills
This subtest has the least amount of time dedicated to it at just 12 minutes. In order to get through every Abstract Reasoning Question, your time management skills have to be sharp. In fact, you're looking at about 14 seconds worth of time per question (to get through all 50 questions).
The best way to get speedier and work on your time management is through repeated practice of these abstract reasoning skills. This means diving into practice questions and becoming incredibly familiar with the types of questions included in the AR.
Remember that there is no negative marking in the UCAT, which means you're not marked down for incorrect answers. So, even if you're not sure, try not to leave any questions unanswered.
Keep a journal
We recommend keeping a journal of all the patterns you come across and use the journal to develop a logical way of looking for patterns.
From here, you can rank them based on how common they are so you are in the habit of always looking for the most likely patterns. It's a simple technique but helps your brain start thinking about patterns.
Know your shapes
An easy way to save yourself time in the exam is to know your shapes and memorise exactly how many sides they have. For example, an arrow has 7 sides, while a lightning bolt has 11.
Knowing this information off by heart will allow you to save time on counting these during the test.
What is considered a competitive UCAT Abstract Reasoning score?
A 'good' UCAT Abstract Reasoning score is considered to be 750 or higher. This demonstrates an individual’s capability of interpreting and recognising patterns from abstract ideas, which carries considerable weight when striving for a medical program admission.
For comparison, when it comes to your overall UCAT score, students who score in the 90th percentile for their overall UCAT score are considered competitive. For the 2023 admissions cycle, a score that surpasses 3100+ is often required to be offered a medical school interview at many of the major Australian universities.
If you're after more personalised support on your UCAT journey, here at MedView Education, we take med school admission to a new level through application review, entrance exam and interview tutoring, and extracurricular mentoring for students in Australasia.
If you'd like guidance from industry professionals with years of experience, we can help — simply book a free consultation with our MedView advisors.
Frequently asked questions
What is an abstract question?
Abstract reasoning questions, which use a pattern of symbols to pinpoint the next symbol in line or establish what is missing, are among commonly employed pre-employment aptitude and psychometric tests. Identifying these nonverbal assessments takes longer than other types of reasoning exams.
What is the primary goal of the UCAT Abstract Reasoning subtest?
The UCAT Abstract Reasoning subtest seeks to evaluate one’s ability to recognise patterns, think critically and generate hypotheses — all skills that are necessary for those in the medical field.
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The UCAT
The UCAT, or the University Clinical Aptitude Test is the medical school admission test required for many universities in Australia and New Zealand. The UCAT is designed to assess applicants for the aptitude, attitudes and beliefs required of a doctor. In order to defeat the UCAT - we should understand what it is. First off, it’s a two hour computer based exam. There are 5 separately timed subtests - Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Situational Judgement. In this blog we break down each of the sections and offer guidance on how to prepare for this important exam.
Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning is meant to assess your ability to read something and draw appropriate conclusions. You can see why this would be important to a doctor - you’re part of a multidisciplinary team and will have to communicate effectively. In addition, doctors have to keep current with new research and draw reasonable conclusions from published findings. Decision making involves 11 text excerpts with 4 questions each, meaning this section has 44 questions in 21 minutes - that means an average of 29 seconds per question. That doesn’t even take reading the stem into account!
Decision Making
Decision Making is essentially data interpretation from graphs, tables, text and charts. You don’t need to have background knowledge on any subject, because part of what they’re testing is your ability to understand new information. Can you think of a time a doctor might have to do the same? This section has 29 questions in 31 minutes - an average of 64 seconds per question. Compare the timing of section to verbal reasoning, it’s more than double. Consider the length of time per question as an indication of how much the test writers want you to analyse.
Quantitative Reasoning
Quantitative Reasoning is a straightforward mathematics section - there are nine scenarios each with four questions. You’ll have access to an on screen calculator - which is functional but pretty clunky! You’ll have to strike a balance between using mental maths to be quick, and keeping your wits about you, and staying accurate. This section has 36 questions in 24 minutes - an average of 40 seconds per question. It’s not a lot of time to question your maths abilities!
Abstract Reasoning
Abstract Reasoning is used to evaluate your ability to locate patterns and understand logic, separate from your language abilities. If you’ve seen the guides online with pictures asking you to find a pattern - that’s abstract reasoning. This section is sometimes hard for students to grasp, because it’s such a different set of skills. It’s also probably the biggest struggle with time management. This section has 55 questions in 13 minutes - that’s only 14 seconds per question. Don’t even think about going into this section unprepared!
Situational Judgement
Situational Judgement assesses your judgement and character in different situations - the situations are usually clinical or education based. Either situations you’ve likely been in, or a situation you could be involved in future. Then you’ll have to evaluate the appropriateness, importance or consequences of the situation. It’s one way for universities to evaluate the characteristics that are important for future doctors! Situational Judgement has 69 questions in 26 minutes - an average of 25 seconds per question.
With so much to do - how can I set myself up for success?
Prepare
This sounds like a no brainer, but preparation is the most important thing you can do if you want to succeed on the UCAT. Going over questions is one thing but the most effective thing you can do is to practice under exam conditions. That means doing computer based exams - so when you get to test day, you know what to expect. Luckily MedView has a bank of questions.
Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Time is a precious resource when you’re preparing for medical school admissions - you have to continue doing well in your studies, prepare yourself for an interview, and master a new exam. There’s not infinite time - so you have to learn how to study smarter, not just harder. So many students waste their time by continuing to drill skills that they’ve already mastered. It’s important to identify the weak points that need more TLC.
Learn Skills
Each type of question requires a specific psychometric approach to understand and answer so quickly. Skills and strategies to identify the problem and solve the challenging question are essential for success. MedView has a range of 1:1 tutoring, group workshops, practice exams and questions alongside our spiral learning curriculum to help students develop the skills necessary to succeed in time conditions. Our UCAT students are 5x more likely to receive an interview offer.
Sitting full-length practice exams under simulated conditions is the most effective preparation for developing UCAT skills. As this will familiarise yourself with the extreme time pressures, as well as allowing you to practise concentrating on psychometric skills for two hours. It is also important to practice using the computer-based platform that will be used when you sit UCAT as well.
Seek Help
Find friends that have taken the test before and ask for their experience. Better yet, schedule a free Academic Assessment with MedView today! When you start your journey as a MedView student, you are allocated an Education Coordinator who has experience helping hundreds of students get into med school. They’ll help you stay on track with your goals, offer you support, and help you succeed on your path to medical school.
Next Steps
The UCAT is an important exam that is key to medical school admission for undergraduates. We recommend starting your UCAT preparation early and integrating it into your study load to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed. If you’d like to learn more about the UCAT or how to get into Medical School, check out our free eBooks and blogs!
- What is the UCAT?
- How Universities use your UCAT Results
- A Quick Guide to Australia Medicine eBook
- A Quick Guide to New Zealand Medicine eBook
- How to Prepare for the UCAT
- What UCAT scores will get me into med?
MedView offers a range of UCAT preparation courses as well as personalised 1:1 tutoring with our expert team. If you would like to know more about the UCAT and how MedView can help, get in touch today.
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What can you do before the year starts?
Before the year starts, it is vital that you understand that the journey to becoming a doctor is a long and arduous process. Medicine is a life-long commitment whose pathway extends beyond the 6 years of study. It includes a progression from a house officer to a registrar, and application onto training schemes if you opt for the surgical pathway.
The vast majority of people who apply for medicine, do not have a clear picture of what they want to do in the future. This uncertainty is not something to worry about now – you have plenty of time to figure out exactly what you want to do. There is something in medicine for everyone. If you are still uncertain about the medical pathway beyond the 6 years of study, I would recommend doing further research.
Another thing you can do over the summer break is to identify your motivation to become a doctor. If it’s for the money, you may not be in the correct profession - it will be at least 10-12 years until you start earning the big bucks that all doctors are known for! If you have an inherent nature to help people and seek to make our society healthier, then you are on the right track.
Once your head is in the right place, enjoy your summer! The year will belong, and you will have to make social sacrifices to make your studies a priority. Make the most of the time you have by seeing friends and family, as you will inevitably see less of them throughout the year. You are likely to experience burnout sometime during the year, so optimising your rest now is important.
The single most effective way to distance yourself from your competitors is to start early and hard. After you have rested throughout December and into the new year, it is time to get started and get ahead. The Flying Start Course offered by MedView was my ticket to success. It is a highly intensive programme starting in late January that covers the first 6 weeks of content for the three core papers in the first semester. The advantages of this course are numerous:
- The most valuable aspect of Flying Start is the content covered. As the first semester contains 3 out of the 4 core papers, it is so important to get a good start. An early lapse within the first few weeks can completely derail your entire year. Being exposed to similar content ahead of time builds your confidence and gives you the opportunity to begin learning before others.
- There is a radically different teaching style from high school to university. Flying Start emulates the style you are accustomed to, while simultaneously teaching university material. This eases your transition and places students into a more comfortable and familiar environment.
- You can meet other motivated people. You may have heard the horror stories of people sabotaging each other, taking their notes and hiding their bags. While these are mostly exaggerated, there will still be those who resort to other measures to gain an advantage. The people doing Flying Start will be motivated just like you, and eager to get ahead. Working together and building these strong relationships before the year starts means that you have a better support group in place. I have met several bright individuals who were passionate and together, we were able to navigate the difficult year and succeed as a group!
MedView believes in a holistic approach to medical school admissions, meaning we surround the student with a team of experts to help develop their candidacy and skills in all three major pillars in their journey to medical school, and now it’s even more accessible with the MedView Hub App!
Over the last decade there’s been a mass adoption of smartphones and a shift in the way people behave online and communicate. Australians are spending more time online, often using multiple screens, and consuming vast amounts of content each day. And it’s only going up!
Recent figures show that almost eight out of ten Australians use social media, and 87% of them use their mobile phones to access it. Fifty-nine percent of Australians access social media everyday or most days, and over a third of people check social media more than five times per day.
We often go online to chat with friends and family, share photos, or be entertained by cat videos. But the very same platforms we use to socialise can also be used to gather knowledge that we can apply in our offline lives. One of the areas where users can reap the benefits is online communities. MedView prides themselves on finding the best tutor, strategist or consultant for each student whether they be in Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom and having an online community platform allows even more core benefits for our students in a shorter amount of time. Now students can access over 320 tutors, strategists and consultants and get answers to their Synapse questions, interact in exclusive workshops, and most importantly make friends. The meaningful relationships with other members of the community increases knowledge and collective wisdom.
The MedView Hub App is our own online community platform for students, parents, tutors, and alumni to create a network of opportunities to participate in smart, focused conversation on specific medical school admissions topics (unlike the Instagram and Facebook chatter).
Over the last decade there’s been a mass adoption of smartphones and a shift in the way people behave online and communicate. Australians are spending more time online, often using multiple screens, and consuming vast amounts of content each day. And it’s only going up!
Recent figures show that almost eight out of ten Australians use social media, and 87% of them use their mobile phones to access it. Fifty-nine percent of Australians access social media everyday or most days, and over a third of people check social media more than five times per day.
We often go online to chat with friends and family, share photos, or be entertained by cat videos. But the very same platforms we use to socialise can also be used to gather knowledge that we can apply in our offline lives. One of the areas where users can reap the benefits is online communities. MedView prides themselves on finding the best tutor, strategist or consultant for each student whether they be in Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom and having an online community platform allows even more core benefits for our students in a shorter amount of time. Now students can access over 320 tutors, strategists and consultants and get answers to their Synapse questions, interact in exclusive workshops, and most importantly make friends. The meaningful relationships with other members of the community increases knowledge and collective wisdom.
The MedView Hub App is our own online community platform for students, parents, tutors, and alumni to create a network of opportunities to participate in smart, focused conversation on specific medical school admissions topics (unlike the Instagram and Facebook chatter).
Find out more and begin your journey to medical school by speaking with a MedView Academic Advisor for free today!
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