BMAT Breakdown

[nemminomes]

Just a poll to see how everyone has done this year. x

[nikusm]

I will sit it next yr but I think this yr's results are lower than 2008's. On both NMM and TSR scores are lower, i've barely seen 3-4 with 6/7,7/6,x

[Rippy]

I will sit it next yr but I think this yr's results are lower than 2008's. On both NMM and TSR scores are lower, i've barely seen 3-4 with 6/7,7/6,x

Well you could compare the distributions on the official website. I'm sure this year is similar to last year. Maybe just less high-scoring people on forums/posting their results.

[nikusm]

Yes of course, forums are not exactly thE most accurate proof. Anyway the science questions seemed easier than the ones form past papers(not the specimen) from the BMAT site.

[Rippy]

Yes of course, forums are not exactly thE most accurate proof. Anyway the science questions seemed easier than the ones form past papers(not the specimen) from the BMAT site.

Yes but the scores will be standardised. So if more people get lots of correct answers out of 27, then it will require more correct answers to get a high score out of 9. The proportion of people getting each mark each year is meant to stay roughly constant.

[nikusm]

Yeah, maybe this year's posters are a little more honest

[shuey]

What does everyone else think about the fact that a score of 19+ isnt necessasrily sufficient? For example, I got >19 but didnt meet the 5, 5, 9 criteria in each section to guarantee an interview at UCL.

[nikusm]

Man, I don't know what to say but I think the essay shouldn't be in the BMAT. I mean, why do we have to prove our writing skills? That should be tested on applicants who apply for literature courses or foreign languages.
I know the purpose of this essay is to express and argue your opinion but you also do it while interviewed. And the questions asked by a specific university interviewer are thus more relevant in the admission process.
Maybe that's why they prefer a score of 5,5,9 over a 4,3,12

[nemminomes]

Nikusm, the point of the essay part of the BMAT is to test the candidate's ability to express themself coherently. The idea of the test being purely tickbox is absurd, it gives an unrounded view of the candidate. And the test is used as part of the selection criteria for interview, so the candidate must show some eptitude BEFORE they get to interview, in order to reach the stage that they are being questionned by a specific university interviewer. I think that the scores of 5, 5, 9, are entirely reasonable.

[nikusm]

There's no point in testing the candidate's ability to express coherently in the BMAT. I don't mean it doesn't matter [it does a lot] nor that the admission criteria is thorough w/o this, I say it's unnecessary because it is also done by the interviewer. When you're a doctor you talk to people, not write them. When you'll try persuade a patient have heart surgery you won't write him an essay about ethical views bla bla with paragraphs that some may even memorize.
Consider this: S1+S2- tickbox (T) and S3 - essay(E)
There are 4 categories:
Good T, Good E
Good T, Bad E
Bad T, Good E
Bad T, Bad T
The idea is to accept Good Ts and Good Es
If the bmat would be only science related then only the first two categories would be interviewed. Those who would have bad Es will be rejected after the interviews and med scs will end up with mostly the ones in the first category which is pretty much the same as w/ the normal bmat.
The whole process would take less, and a little less stress is always welcome especially when you apply for A100. Results would arrive earlier, for ex, in fact you can have them when you get out of the test centre just like w/ the ukcat.
Of course, the interviews would matter more but this would be normal because I haven't seen anyone w/ 5,5,6 being accepted by oxbridge although some of these students may be brilliant in tete-a-tetes or better than say 7,7,12rs.
And this thing with BMAT in nov and app on the 15th of october is ****