UMAT - Which section to do first?

[Pulsey]

I've just been doing UMAT chronologically so far (from Q1 - Q134). However, today I was advised to do it section by section.

I spend the most time on Section 3 (patterns), least time on Section 2 (understanding people), but I am best at Section 1.

I also realized I can sort of 'wing' Section 2 last if I am under huge time pressure as its mainly gut feeling.

What are your thoughts and which order should I do them in?

[Sine]

generally people do S2 first since during reading time you can get a general idea of the passages and it will be fresher in your memory. Then probably the stronger of the other two sections then the last one.

I am gonna go S2, S1, S3 if nothing else changes on the day.

[pi]

Wouldn't change your tact a few days out. If what you've been doing has meant you've been finishing on time, wouldn't change a thing.

[The Usual Student]

I need time for s1
So I am doing this
S2 - a solid hour all up
S1/s3 all the easy one up to 134 - 30ish minutes it takes
S1 hard questions - a solid 45 minutes
S3 hard questions - 30 minutes
Then finish of by checking my s2 questions - 15 minutes

[A1P]

I spend the most time on Section 3 (patterns), least time on Section 2 (understanding people), but I am best at Section 1.

I would do S1 first, even give it a little overtime, to get the most score out of your best section. Then apportion the remaining time to S2 & S3. An extra 10mins to get a few more questions right in S1 is better spent than 10mins struggling in your weaker sections.

Apart from the need to score minimum 50/50/50 for some unis, a mark in S1 is equal to or more valuable than in S2/S3. JMP offers interview based on S1 alone, UQ uses S1 as tie-breaker if Overall score is equal, WSU counts more on S1+S2 than S3 etc.

That is unless you aim for UTas, S2 score is the most important there.

[Pulsey]

Wouldn't change your tact a few days out. If what you've been doing has meant you've been finishing on time, wouldn't change a thing.

Thats the problem, I haven't been finishing on time!

I went to a MedEntry mock this morning, went S2 - > S1 -> S3, got very good scores, except I couldn't finish S3 in time!

[pi]

I went to a MedEntry mock this morning, went S2 - > S1 -> S3, got very good scores, except I couldn't finish S3 in time!

Ah, S3 is really one you want to finish because you can really know if you get answers right here.

I would do S1 first, even give it a little overtime, to get the most score out of your best section. Then apportion the remaining time to S2 & S3. An extra 10mins to get a few more questions right in S1 is better spent than 10mins struggling in your weaker sections.

I pretty much did this. I think it's a good strategy and also might result in you not having the time to over-think S2 questions which is also good.

[Maz]

out of curiosity, do you think it's better to work through the questions 'properly', and almost be sure you got the right answer (this may involve taking more time), which may result in not finishing the paper and just guessing the remaining ones...or actually work through it quickly so that you finish?
I know that there is an element of luck involved, especially with the guessing...but strategy wise, which do you think is better?

[blacksanta62]

out of curiosity, do you think it's better to work through the questions 'properly', and almost be sure you got the right answer (this may involve taking more time), which may result in not finishing the paper and just guessing the remaining ones...or actually work through it quickly so that you finish?
I know that there is an element of luck involved, especially with the guessing...but strategy wise, which do you think is better?

For what it's worth, I'll be working in an unstructured manner, hoping to spend no more than 3-4 mins on a single question (for section 3 and short section 1 questions... medentry is not a good source for section 1 questions, the passages are so long  ). If I can't work it out, move on so that you can get others right. So, it's a mix of both since you have the time to be careful but you don't want to get one right (defs. right) and guess 4 or 5 because of the rush.

Also, are the questions jumbled up or still split in different sections but there's no longer a restriction about flipping to other sections like it was a few years back? This might affect my plan of just going through the first time and getting all section 2 questions done, then section 3 and finally section 1 questions if it's not jumbled up

[Maz]

For what it's worth, I'll be working in an unstructured manner, hoping to spend no more than 3-4 mins on a single question (for section 3 and short section 1 questions... medentry is not a good source for section 1 questions, the passages are so long  ). If I can't work it out, move on so that you can get others right. So, it's a mix of both since you have the time to be careful but you don't want to get one right (defs. right) and guess 4 or 5 because of the rush.

Also, are the questions jumbled up or still split in different sections but there's no longer a restriction about flipping to other sections like it was a few years back? This might affect my plan of just going through the first time and getting all section 2 questions done, then section 3 and finally section 1 questions if it's not jumbled up

Firstly, thank you
Secondly, yes they are all jumbled up. the first question might be section 1, the next 4 might be section 2 and a section three question may not appear until like the 10th question...however, it is pretty easy to tell which question is from which section. So if you were planning on doing section by section...that is still very do-able!

[blacksanta62]

Thank you
I was wondering why some of you guys were posting during school times, then I realised you were staying home 

[Maz]

Thank you
I was wondering why some of you guys were posting during school times, then I realised you were staying home 

haha yeah, I was home...though I go AN while I'm at school as well