LUMS Common Admission Test (LCAT) is the LUMS General test for admission in any undergraduate degree.
LCAT is not compulsory but is optional and an alternative to SAT-1 for admission in any of its schools; Suleman Dawood School of Business, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Social Sciences and Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law.
Like IBA and NUST etc, LUMS also has its own test. This test was discontinued in 2013 but was launched again in 2021 following the COVID Pandemic and Cancellation of many SAT tests that year.
The LCAT facilitates the students as it gives them more chances to improve their scores. But it is important to keep in mind you must choose between SAT-1 or LCAT while submitting your application. They students cannot present both options.
- The LCAT is a standardized test and is an alternative for SAT-1. Its syllabus is the same as that of SAT.
- The LCAT tests your general aptitude. The questions will be based on O-levels or matric level Math and English. There is no defined syllabus for LCAT just like SAT.
- For Math, the students need only a strong grasp of Matric level concepts and just a few advanced topics.
- English portion will test you’re a) Grammar and b) Comprehension.
- Mathematics
Algebra
- Linear Equations and linear inequalities
- Linear relationships
- Graphing linear equations
- Systems of Linear inequalities
- Systems of linear equations
Advanced topics
- Solving quadratic equations
- Interpreting nonlinear expressions
- Quadratic and exponential word problems
- Manipulating quadratic and exponential expressions
- Radicals and rational exponents
- Rational equations
- Polynomials
- Polynomial factors and graphs
- Graphing quadratic functions
- Graphing exponential functions
- Linear and quadratic systems
- Structure in expression
- Isolating quantities
- Function Notation
Problem Solving and data analysis
- Ratios, rates and proportions
- Percentages, tables, scatterplots
- Graphs
- Linear and exponential growth
- Date interference
- Canter, spread, and shape of distributions
- Data collection
Geometry
- Angles, arc lengths and volume
- Trigonometric functions
- Congruence and Similarity
- Circle theorems and equations
- Complex numbers
English
Reading:
- Explicit and Implicit ideas in a passage
- Relationships between text
- Determining the main idea, and purpose of text
- Graphs and Data
- Analogical reasoning
Writing
- Expression of ideas
- Interpreting graph and data
- Formal vs casual language
- Verb tense and mood
- Sentence fragments
- Modifier placement
- Pronoun Clarity
- Pronoun antecedent agreement
- Possessive nouns
- Subject-verb agreement
- Noun Agreement
- Conventional Expressions
- Parallel Structure
- Logical comparison
- Commas, semicolons, colons
- Use of all punctuation
- Nonessential elements
- Linking clauses
Students may apply for the LCAT through their application accounts on LCAT Online Registration.
The LCAT dates for admission 2023 will be announced when the admission applications open.
In 2022 the LCAT was held on 21st March.
- Firstly, keep in mind that the LCAT is a carbon copy of SAT-1. Although LUMS does not specify a book or specific syllabus. The literature for SAT-1 is very developed. You can use that material to prepare for your LCAT too.
- Remember since the test is standard and timed the real catch is the time.
- Began your preparation months in advance. After a good grasp of all your concepts, start working on your time management. Time yourself while solving your questions.
- While learning your concepts, remember to take notes. Note down anything which comes to your mind, things you forget and would like to remember, personal comments about confusions and their explanations, any shortcuts, or tricks in math etc.
- Make a study plan and organize your work. Divide your course material into components and figure out what works for you. Taking the components one by one or side by side. But remember to remain steadfast. LCAT/ SAT preparation is not hefty if you start well in advance. An hour of practice everyday for a few months can take you miles.
Remember it’s a Marathon not a race!! Go slow and steady.
- Set short goals and deadlines for yourself to keep you motivated. And always stick to your schedule.
- Make sure your have covered every topic.
- During the test, make sure to underline the problem or the question asked. Understanding the question is crucial for getting it right.
- For English annotate the paragraph as you go along, this saves time and makes it easier to find your answer. An !, ?, *, underlines or side notes might be useful. But keep in mind to not over annotate.
- For the reading passages, quickly skim through the questions before reading the passage, they might give you an idea of what to look for in the paragraph.
- While reading, keep asking yourself what the meaning or purpose of each line is, of what the examiner intended.
- There is no negative marking so do not leave any question unanswered.
- Be careful while filling the answer grid, mark a question if you are skipping it so that the grid sequence for the subsequent questions isn’t disturbed.
- Use the process of elimination, cross out the choices as you go, it helps you focus on finding the right answer.
- Go for the low hanging fruit during the paper. If a question is difficult, skip it to immediately go to the next one. The paper always has easy and difficult questions and all of them weigh the same. So instead of wasting time on the difficult one move to the easier ones to secure those marks.
- In English, try not to jump from passage to passage as it will only slow you down.
- Aim to spend only one minute per question.
- Most importantly remember to stay calm and trust yourselves. Nerves are half the game!
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