Be careful of Emedica UKCAT Prep site..

[snakefisch]

Just thought I would put a thread up about this site.

I have just started using it in the last couple of days, but have found it to have a lot of errors indeed.

The general layout of the site is quite good and content seems similar to the real UKCAT however many of the answers are questionable!
I am certain I have found several errors.
Not sure it is worth the expensive signing up costs with this many errors.
Also the verbal reasoning questions do not have the same format as the new ones, where you have to choose one of four statements about the passage.

Just a warning to think carefully before signing up as I do not think it's worth the money and it has actually quite frustrated me, so I thought I would share.

Does anyone else have any good recommendations for accurate UKCAT practice (other than the official practice tests, which I have overused!?)

Masuda - if you read this, please check answers on VR test 2 to questions 15, 22, 40. I believe they are all incorrect.

[MattKneale]

Just thought I would put a thread up about this site.

I have just started using it in the last couple of days, but have found it to have a lot of errors indeed.

The general layout of the site is quite good and content seems similar to the real UKCAT however many of the answers are questionable!
I am certain I have found several errors.
Not sure it is worth the expensive signing up costs with this many errors.
Also the verbal reasoning questions do not have the same format as the new ones, where you have to choose one of four statements about the passage.

Just a warning to think carefully before signing up as I do not think it's worth the money and it has actually quite frustrated me, so I thought I would share.

Does anyone else have any good recommendations for accurate UKCAT practice (other than the official practice tests, which I have overused!?)

Masuda - if you read this, please check answers on VR test 2 to questions 15, 22, 40. I believe they are all incorrect.

Medify is very good, and they are very alert to responding to any errors or questions. I bought access when it was £10 for a lifetime, it's npot £25 a month which is steep, but in my eyes the quality of the content is very good indeed.

Thanks for the warning about emedica, I was going to get a subscription this month but I will now have a careful think!

Matt

[snakefisch]

Awesome, yes I did have a look at Medify too, but again £26 is quite a lot. Is it any good? Do they have timed tests?
Yeh well I just thought I'd put something on here about emedica. It's quite annoying actually as you don't know how well you're doing if the questions are wrong! Also it does seem a little easy as well. Especially the verbal reasoning and maths.
I might design my own site if I do alright this time. Seems there's a lot of money to be made for something like the real deal haha!

[Masuda]

Just thought I would put a thread up about this site.

I have just started using it in the last couple of days, but have found it to have a lot of errors indeed.

The general layout of the site is quite good and content seems similar to the real UKCAT however many of the answers are questionable!
I am certain I have found several errors.
Not sure it is worth the expensive signing up costs with this many errors.
Also the verbal reasoning questions do not have the same format as the new ones, where you have to choose one of four statements about the passage.

Just a warning to think carefully before signing up as I do not think it's worth the money and it has actually quite frustrated me, so I thought I would share.

Does anyone else have any good recommendations for accurate UKCAT practice (other than the official practice tests, which I have overused!?)

Masuda - if you read this, please check answers on VR test 2 to questions 15, 22, 40. I believe they are all incorrect.

Hi snakefisch

Thank you for posting your concerns - the new format verbal reasoning questions are available - we have 48 questions in the new format - we have kept them separate from the main format questions as this question format is still in the pilot phase - each candidate will see one set of questions on the new format and the technical reports suggest that they are very unlikely to be marked. (They are the very last set on the page - labelled New Format VR). So while candidates should take time to become familiar with the four statement questions the main format is still at present the True/False/Can't Tell.

I did review VR2 questions 15, 22 and 40 and they are all correct.
These questions can be very difficult to get used to as you need to reason in a way that is contrary to the logic we use in an everyday sense. Everything in the passage must be taken as the incontrovertible truth and you must use deductive reasoning only, any inferences you make must logically follow from the passage without taking into account any external knowledge.

On Q 15 - the answer is false as it is mathematically impossible for the combined percentage of the two countries to be equal to the individual percantages added together - it has to be less regardless of the size of the individual countries, the combined sample size having increased creates this effect.
On Q22 - The statement is true - the figure given is less than the total given in the passage for the second largest economy so the largest economy total must be more.
On Q40 - The passage stated that the storm caused 33 deaths in Madagascar alone so the statement that it caused at least 33 deaths in Madagascar and Mozambique has to be true.

We have over 1700 questions and although we have a rigorous proofing and testing protocol - of course there may be the odd ones that slip through the net - especially as with these question types there is quite a lot of room for debate.

We are always happy to engage with students who would like us to review an answer or provide a more detailed explanation, we can be contacted by email at info@ukcatprep.com or via the online feedback and help forms.

I hope that this helps to clarify your concerns - if you have any other questions you would like to discuss please get in touch by email.

We wish you all the best with your exam

Masuda

[snakefisch]

Masuda,

The new format verbal reasoning questions are not just in trial phase any more - that was last year. This year they will be marked as it suggests on the official UKCAT website. The information you state is correct for last year, but this year there may be more than just one set of new style questions.
The technical report you refer to was based on last year's test. I think it's very important that applicants on here know the correct information.

: UKCAT
"Other items assess critical reasoning skills, requiring candidates to make inferences and draw conclusions from information. Again, you will need to read the passage of text carefully. You will then be presented with items which comprise a stem, which might be an incomplete statement or a question, with four response options. The candidate is required to pick the best or most suitable response. Candidates will only be able to select one response."

Q22 - the passage states the London metropolitan economy is the second largest economy, but the question states LARGEST, so the statement cannot be true. It would be true if the statement said 'The London metropolitan economy' or 'The second largest metropolitan economy in Europe'... I believe there is a slight mistake in the wording of the statement.

[Masuda]

Masuda,

The new format verbal reasoning questions are not just in trial phase any more - that was last year. This year they will be marked as it suggests on the official UKCAT website. The information you state is correct for last year, but this year there may be more than just one set of new style questions.
The technical report you refer to was based on last year's test. I think it's very important that applicants on here know the correct information.

: UKCAT
"Other items assess critical reasoning skills, requiring candidates to make inferences and draw conclusions from information. Again, you will need to read the passage of text carefully. You will then be presented with items which comprise a stem, which might be an incomplete statement or a question, with four response options. The candidate is required to pick the best or most suitable response. Candidates will only be able to select one response."

Q22 - the passage states the London metropolitan economy is the second largest economy, but the question states LARGEST, so the statement cannot be true. It would be true if the statement said 'The London metropolitan economy' or 'The second largest metropolitan economy in Europe'... I believe there is a slight mistake in the wording of the statement.

Hi snakefish

It is very important that applicants have the correct information and of course not everyone has time to read all the annual and technical reports that the consortium publish. The technical report does refer to last year's questions but also reports on the plan for this year. The new VR format was indeed trialled originally in 2011 when not every candidate saw these questions - this year the trial has been expanded so that everyone will be seeing one testlet of 4 questions in this format. The UKCAT consortium do not generally release the information that each year the test includes questions that do not carry any marks but it is there if you read the technical and annual reports. The technical report still refers to the new format VR questions as pretest(unscored) rather than operational (scored) items implying that none of the new format questions will carry marks for this round. For clarity the specific sections that I am referring to are "Verbal Reasoning subset" on page 5 and "Item Analysis" on page 7 and the link to the technical report is here:
http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/App_Media/upl...20abridged.pdf

We do read all the published material and try to keep our mailing list subscribers up to date with the correct information, if anyone would like to recieve our free updates the mailing list can be joined here UKCAT Preparation from Emedica - helping you pass the UK Clinical Aptitude Test.

Q22 - the passage and the statement specifically refer to London as the second largest economy in Europe and the answer given is correct. It is very important on verbal reasoning questions to read the passage and statement carefully.
The passage states at the end of the first paragraph "The London metropolitan economy - the second largest in Europe - generated an estimated £669 billion in 2005 (approximately 30% of the UK's GDP)." The statement is "The largest metropolitan economy in Europe generated over £660 billion in 2005." which is true for this question. As the second largest generated £669 billion then the largest MUST have generated "over £660 billion" otherwise it wouldn't be larger than London. It is very easy to get this type of question wrong unless you read the passage and statement very carefully which is difficult to do under pressure of time - practice definitely improves speed and accuracy.

I hope that clarifies these issues and again we wish you all the best with your exam and in securing your place at medical school this time round.

Masuda

[snakefisch]

Thanks Masuda

I have just spoken to UKCAT and they have informed me that this year the new style VR questions WILL be marked, so everyone please be aware - make as much effort with these as with the standard types!

Good luck

[jhallam9]

Snakefish..

What is the new style VR questions and how does it differ from previously?

Thanks,

James

[snakefisch]

Something like "which of the following is likely to be true..?"
And then 4 statements are given and you choose the one that is correct based on what is said in the passage.

Examples are here..
: UKCAT

[jhallam9]

Thanks,

Is emedica and modify changing their question style then? or have the already done this?
I don't want to spend £25 if the questions differ.

James