Tips to Ace the BMAT

The BMAT consists of three sections, each of which is scored separately.

In the multiple-choice sections (Sections 1 and 2), the score is based on the number of questions that you answer correctly and is reported on the scale of 1.0 to 9.0. According to the test providers, the conversion scale is designed in such a way that typical applicants who intend to pursue undergraduate medicine courses will score about 5.0. A score of 6.0 is considered relatively competitive, and only a small proportion of highly exceptional students will achieve a score above 7.0.

As for Section 3, your essay will be assessed by two examiners, and your final score will be the average of the scores given by each examiner. The score for this section comprises two separate components: quality of content (on a scale of 0 to 5) and quality of written language (on a scale of A to E).

Below are some tips to help you boost your score in each section of the test.

Section 1: Thinking Skills

First, try to focus on the relevant information and ignore irrelevant details. Both Critical Reasoning and Problem Solving questions often include more information than what is necessary to determine the answer. It is important to be able to identify the important bits and not get bogged down by the remaining details, which are just there to distract you and waste your time.

Second, understand the requirements of each question type. Critical Reasoning questions come in a handful of clear-cut types: some may ask you to strengthen or weaken an argument, while others may require you to identify assumptions or reasoning flaws. Having a firm understanding of how arguments work and what is considered a flaw or an assumption will be crucial in tackling these types of questions.

And third, look out for shortcuts. This primarily applies to Problem Solving questions, which can usually be solved in many different ways. In some cases, there may be a pattern or a logical trick that can help you arrive at the answer in significantly less time. In other cases, it may be more efficient to plug the answer choices into the question and find the right answer by trial and error.