Starting my UCAT prep 12 weeks before my test date and trying to set realistic targets. Diagnostic scores: VR 590, DM 620, QR 530, AR 640, SJT Band 2. QR is clearly the weak point and I'm studying about 2.5 hours daily on weekdays and 4-5 hours on weekends.
I've been using official past papers plus a third-party question bank. Most advice says aim for 650+ across the cognitive subtests for competitive UK medical schools, but I've heard Australian schools weight sections differently. I'm applying to both so I'm unsure where to concentrate.
Timing is what's getting me - in QR I'm averaging about 58 seconds per question when I need to be at 40 seconds. I've started 15-minute mental arithmetic drills every morning. Has anyone gone from 530 to 650+ in QR over 10-12 weeks? It feels ambitious but I want to know if it's realistic.
Twelve weeks is a good runway. I only had 6 weeks and still improved from 2,300 to 2,610 total. The biggest gains usually come in weeks 6-10 when the strategies start clicking. Don't burn out early.
I went from 540 to 660 in QR over about 9 weeks - it's doable but you have to be religious about timed practice. The arithmetic drills you mentioned are exactly right. I used a free app every morning for 10 minutes and noticed a real difference by week 5.
For Australian schools check each university's specific cutoffs - Monash and Melbourne weight things differently than Sydney. Your AR of 640 is already solid, so QR is the right place to concentrate your energy right now.
SJT Band 2 is competitive enough for most schools. Spend 80% of your time on QR and VR and don't stress too much about SJT - the cognitive subtests carry more weight in most ranking formulas.