Month: April 2022

Categories
University Admissions

Top Tips for the UCAT Exam

The University Clinical Aptitude Test, or UCAT is a two hour online exam which acts as an entrance exam for many UK medical schools. Depending on which universities you hope to go to, achieving a high centile score can be the difference between being offered a place and not.

 

Preparing for the UCAT can take many hours and unfortunately revising is only half the battle, you still have to go out and sit the exam. Many students put hours and hours of work into past questions without giving any thought to the exam itself so here are five top tips in how to perfect your UCAT exam technique.

Timing is Key

The time allowance for each UCAT question is incredibly small. It is of the main reasons the UCAT is such a challenging exam. Given five minutes, most of us would be able identify the pattern and difference between two groups of shapes but doing in in under 15 seconds is a different matter. The timing per questions varies hugely between sections and it is critically important to know how much time you have per question in the real thing. The rough time per question in each section is as follows:

 

  • Verbal Reasoning: 44 questions in 21 minutes (28 Seconds per Q)
  • Decision making: 29 questions in 31 minutes (~1min per Q)
  • Quantitative Reasoning: 36 questions in 24 minutes (40 seconds per Q)
  • Abstract reasoning: 55 questions in 13 minutes (14 seconds per Q)
  • Situational judgement: 69 questions in 26 minutes (22 seconds per Q)

Get Comfortable with the Calculator 

The quantitative reasoning section of the UCAT relies on being able to do quick sums in your head. The more mental maths you can do, the less you’ll need the calculator and the more time you will have for the harder questions. Unfortunately, there will always be calculations you need to check or that you cannot do in your head. For these, the UCAT exam has a built in calculator much like the one on your computer. However, using this calculator is very different to using a hand held calculator or phone and is more time consuming. When you are practicing your quantitative reasoning questions, try using your computer’s calculator so that you can get comfortable using it quickly.

Practice Under Exam Conditions

The people that score the highest in the UCAT are not necessarily those that have worked the hardest, it’s those that have worked the smartest. The top decile students know what to expect on day of the exam and are not caught by surprise. The reason the there are no surprises for these students is that they have done their practice questions under exam technique. This means restricting yourself to the exact amount of time per question that you will have in the real exam.

Reset Between Sections

Some sections of the exam will be harder than others and you will never be equally strong at all sections. Remember, you final score is an average of all four sections. Try not to let one bad section throw you off your game. If you find that one section did not go as smoothly as you hoped, take a 10 second breather and reset, leave that section behind and focus on what’s ahead.

Use The Earplugs

Many exam centres in the UK will offer ear plugs to use when you take your exam. I would strongly recommend using these if you are offered. With the earplugs you can block out all the distracting noise to leave your brain 100% focused on each question. Like with every bit of UCAT preparation, don’t leave it to the day of the exam to try them out. Get some at home and try some practice questions with them in.

Contact Think Tutors

If you would like to learn more about how a private tutor can help you with your UCAT exam or medical school application, please do get in touch. We also offer tuition and expert advice on every major entrance exam, from Cambridge Law Test to the LNAT, MAT, STEP, BMAT, GAMSAT, UCAT, CAT, ELAT, GAA, HAT, PAT, MLAT, MML, OLAT, TSA and the Oxford Philosophy Test.

Categories
GCSE

How To Help Your Child Excel in Their GCSEs or iGCSEs

The end of a child’s formative years of schooling, GCSEs and iGCSEs are taken when a student is in Year 11, and are often their first experience of major national exams.

 

At the core of a GCSE and iGCSE education is Maths, English and Science (Chemistry, Physics and Biology). The periphery is comprised of Geography, History, ICT, Religious Studies, Art, Music, Economics, Classics, Latin, Modern Languages and more. Students are expected to take between eight and ten, with the top students learning up to 12.

 

GCSEs and iGCSEs are a particular challenge because the breadth of material to be covered, and mastered, is always high. The purpose of this insight therefore is to simplify the route to success by shedding light on our top tips for helping children excel in their GCSEs.

 

With 100% success rate of grade improvement across the board at GCSE level, Think Tutors are expertly placed to deliver bespoke tuition to students of all abilities. Please contact us to find out how we could help your child.

Understand how they learn

Each child learns differently, so the first step to GCSE or iGCSE success is for them to work out how best they learn. While a visual learner might respond best to making mind maps, graphics and highlighting their notes in different colours, kinaesthetic learners may need case studies to demonstrate theories, and tangible examples to improve retention.

 

Understanding a learning style is based on not only a child’s cognitive approach, but also the environment they typically learn in. We are commonly asked questions such as: Can they work outside? Are typed notes better than written? How long should they spend revising? Our answer is always the same – it depends on the child’s learning style.

 

We recommend spending some time trying out different methods of learning, and enlisting the help of a mentor or tutor who has experience with a variety of learners. Think Tutors’ tutors and mentors all have at least 5000 hours experience, having tutored for over five years full-time.

Set Goals and Plan

Establishing sensible goals, planning how to achieve them and sticking to the plan is the next step to GCSE success. Whilst all top students know what they want to achieve, working out how to do it is often a challenge.

 

When it comes to goal setting, every student is different. What is important to remember is that an appropriate goal should be realistic, time-bound, achievable and measurable. Success is there to be celebrated and failure to be learnt from, so it’s vital to have an idea of where a student is.

 

With so many subjects to balance, planning is important both in the days, weeks and years leading up to coursework deadlines and final exams. When considering the entire year, our education consultants recommend using online calendars to your advantage, so you are aware of your child’s deadlines. In the months leading up to the exam or deadlines, create timetables which include regular testing, scheduled rest days and time to go back over learned material;  the more detailed the better.

 

It should go without saying that mental and physical health are to be prioritised – this can be achieved also with planning. We recommend that daily routines should encompass a healthy balance of physical, mental and academic stimulation. These are not only skills important for conquering GCSEs and iGCSEs, but also for any challenges which a student might face in the future.

Contact Think Tutors

Wherever a student’s starting place is, Think Tutors are willing and able to help. We are motived by the fact that every student can improve with the right support, and routinely demonstrate how elite professional tutors and expert mentors can offer bespoke solutions to suit each learner. Please get in touch if you would like you find out more.

 

Categories
School Admissions

5 Top Tips for Online Independent School Interview Preparation

Pursuing independent school entrance requires a considerable level of organisation. With most families applying to three or more schools, the ISEB Pre-Test to consider, and entry points from 7 or 8 plus, to 11 plus, to 13 plus, parents are often challenged by the competing deadlines and overall intensity of the assessment process.

 

If your child is fortunate enough to reach the interview stage, a coveted place is within their grasp, but far from guaranteed. This insight will therefore consider Think Tutors’ 5 Top Tips for Independent School Interview Preparation.

What do the interviews consist of?

It is important to begin with a caveat: no two interviews are the same, even at the one school. Whilst the objectives are the same, to work out whether a student is the right ‘fit’ for a certain school, the methods are entirely different.

 

Some schools have the student prepare answers to set topics or questions, whereas others have a list of themes which they loosely stick to. Some focus on hobbies, and less on academia, whereas others are intensely focused on academic pursuits. For advice on specific schools, please contact us.

 

At the time of writing, however, interviews are mostly online, and conducted by either a housemaster, admissions staff, or teachers. With this in mind, there are a number of ways to prepare for the big day.

1. Enlist the help of a tutor

Think Tutors’ professional tutors are both experts at building confidence, and au fait with the requirements of independent schools across the UK. From Eton and Harrow to Latymer Upper, our tutors have not only been through the system themselves, but have remarkable success rates when given enough time with a student.

 

We also provide advisory services for school entrance as a whole, in a relocation context if you are based outside the UK, or if you know which schools you would like to apply for, we can create a tuition schedule to suit your family. Please enquire if you would like to find out more.

2. Consider their surroundings

It is vital for a child to be in an environment where they will be content to sit still for between half hour and an hour. Fast internet, a clear desk with comfortable chair in a well-lit room are just a few ways to help the interview go as smoothly as possible.

3. Practice conversation

Converse, rather than rehearse. Good interviewers will pick up on rehearsed answers, and try to put the interviewee off their rhythm. Students who have practiced conversing, and can easily address a topic in multiple ways, come across far better than students with precisely prepared answers.

4. Learn about the school

Interviewers will be looking for genuine enthusiasm for going to their particular school, and one of the best ways to achieve this is to learn about the school. From Wellington College’s five ‘I’s: Inspired, Intellectual, Independent, Individual and Inclusive, to Harrow’s core values: courage, honour, humility and fellowship – it is vital to be able to demonstrate a knowledge of where they are applying to.

5. Encourage students to be themselves

Finally, personality is important. Interviewees should not be afraid to talk about themselves, their hobbies, favourite subjects, and hopes and dreams when leaving school. Whilst ambition can play well, honestly in this case is always the best policy, as interviewers will want to know how your child fits into the school community.

Contact Think Tutors

If you would like to find out more about how Think Tutors can help your child gain admission to your target schools, please contact us. We also offer tuition for ISEB Pre-Test, 7 or 8 plus,  11 plus, and 13 plus.

 

Categories
GCSE

GCSEs vs iGCSEs

GCSEs and iGCSEs are studied by all students in Year 10 and 11, and are comprised of a combination of ‘core’ subjects, such as English, Maths and Science, and ‘periphery’ subjects, like Geography, History and Art. Internationally respected, they are likely the first major exams taken by students, and as a result, a cause for stress in parents and students alike.

 

As a parent, you might be confused about the difference, and ultimately, be wondering which is better for your child. The purpose of this insight therefore is to explain some of the key differences between iGCSEs and GCSEs, including location, coursework vs exams, and grading. If you would like to learn more about how to help your child succeed in their GCSEs, please contact us.

Where are they available?

Most independent schools in the UK only offer GCSEs, studied over the course of two years in Year 10 and Year 11. Whilst some UK schools also offer iGCSEs, this is primarily to international students.

 

Contrarily, private international schools outside the UK can only offer iGCSEs, sat at the same time as the GCSE exams.

 

If you have any questions about relocating to the UK, Think Tutors provide international tuition, legal guardianship, and are practiced at assisting families with their move to the UK, minimising interruptions to education.

Coursework vs Exams

Although subject choices are the same for both GCSE and iGCSE, the method of assessment is largely different. GCSEs contain large coursework components, with students being challenged to write

 

On the other hand, iGCSE subjects on the whole do not rely on coursework as a method for testing. Pupils are examined either on their performance in end-of-year exams, which are comparatively more important.

 

Depending on your child’s learning style, this could be an important distinction. If you would like to learn more about how your child can learn more effectively, please do get in touch for an assessment.

Grading

Finally, for students undertaking GCSEs since 2017, the traditional A*-G grading system was replaced by a numerical 1-9 scale, with the highest grade, 9, as the equivalent of an A**. Although there was confusion when this change was announced, it has since been accepted by students and teachers alike.

 

CIE iGCSEs, on the other hand, are graded by the traditional A*-G system, in which the best students achieve A*s. Whereas, Edexcel and Oxford AQA offer 1-9 grading in line with the UK system.

Contact Think Tutors

Think Tutors’ network of professional tutors and mentors are practiced with the requirements of both GCSE and iGCSE, and are specialists at helping your child achieve their full potential. If you are relocating, or simply curious about how tuition can help get the best out of your child, please contact us. We also offer A-Level, ISEB Pre-Test, Mentoring, and  University level tuition.