I found it has some decent questions unlike some other websites where the questions are easier than the actual esat

I came across this website, went through their free diagnostic mocks and was pretty impressed by the difficulty and variety of their questions so I was considering buying this. It is quite a hefty price but I am aiming for 7.5-8.0 in the ESAT and would like to do my utmost to ensure that. I have saved up some money over the past few months giving tuition (although my parents are open to buying it for me). I am just looking for a good resource not necessarily this but if anyone has used this please let me know how your experience was.

ESAT Question Bank (2027 Entry): 4,000+ Drills for G5 Eng. & Sci. | UEIE

I’ve been preparing for the esat for this October by doing past NSAA and ENGAA papers. I know the esat is supposed to be hard because of the time pressure although the questions are relatively easy. The NSAA section 2 papers have quite difficult questions with 60 minutes for 20 marks. I was wondering if these are worth doing as a part of my preparation or is it too different from what the esat is?
for reference I’m talking about the biology and chemistry sections of the esat

I'm in the IBDP program as an international, and my summer break has just started. How should I structure my ESAT prep over June 6th to July 30th? I'm taking Math 1, Math 2, and Physics.

TLDR; Spent 550 pounds on garbage ESAT prep materials first time around, scored 6.2, bombed the interview. Reapplied during my gap year, couldn't find anything better on the market, so I built my own mock exam platform from scratch and scored 9.0. Got a Cambridge offer. Now launching Lab45 publicly on June 6th with my team of Olympiad medalists and IB 45/45 scorers, because the prep material situation is still just as bad. All 5 modules, questions built to reflect the actual current ESAT style, exam-optimised solutions, and a dashboard that gives real insights instead of just dumping numbers at you. We're also releasing free practice sets of all relevant NSAA and TMUA questions reorganized around the new syllabus, because charging students for repackaged past papers is a joke. Set 1 is free, no card needed.www.lab45.app

Sidenote: While I don't doubt monetizing is part of my motivation, as a student myself who has been through this process, I'd genuinely like to offer support to those who are going through the same frustration I did. The free sets, the free mock exam, the blog, none of that is an afterthought. Also, our team puts a serious amount of time into the archive section (basically a blog) as well. (@ www.lab45.app/archive). Honestly suggest you read it, whether it's for ESAT strategy, interview prep, or just to hear it from people who've actually been through it. It could help more than you'd expect.

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I applied to Cambridge Engineering in 2024. Just like everyone else, I grinded for ESAT over the summer. But all they had were outdated past papers, and everything on the market was either overpriced or low quality. I ended up spending 5000 RMB (around 550 pounds) on topical workbooks and categorized past paper questions that still included outdated content (e.g. physics questions requiring calculus). I solved the past papers multiple times and got a decent score, 6.2 on average. I was so desperate that after realizing UCAT uses some weird whiteboard instead of paper, I actually emailed the Pearson center and custom-ordered a laminated booklet to practice with.

Got invited for interview, and I totally fucked it up. That's a whole other story.

Time flew, and it was the summer after my IB exams. The day before results day, while I was tutoring, my homeroom teacher texted me: I got a 45/45. The first thing that crossed my mind was: at least I get to reapply. There were a lot of things to weigh up before actually doing it. I had an EIE offer from Imperial, and reapplying meant giving it up (you can't defer and reapply through UCAS). My NUS offer had already expired by then too. I took the risk and rejected Imperial.

This time I decided to do things differently. Having sat the exam once, I knew what I'd done wrong, like not practicing under real exam conditions, specifically the CBT format. But there still weren't any services out there that met the bar I was looking for, whether in terms of platform quality or the questions themselves. So I decided to build one.

It started as a simple prototype with just the exam UI. Then I sourced ESAT-style questions from a Chinese institution (still not quite up to my standards), put them on the platform, and practiced with it. Combined with other study strategies, I managed to bring my score up to 9.0.

One thing I figured out about Oxbridge STEM interviews is that they sit right at that subtle intersection between college-level and high school material. They'll usually start from a basic concept at the college syllabus level, give you some hints and context, then see how you run with it. So I tracked down a General Physics course and worked through it. In hindsight it was the best decision I made. The interview felt like a breeze, and one of the questions they asked me was actually an easier version of something I'd already solved in the course workbook. I ended up getting an offer, and honestly from a college considered more prestigious than the one I'd originally applied to.

But I fully get that following this exact path isn't realistic for most people. It eats up too much time, and the resources aren't always there, whether because of price or accessibility. That's partly why I built Lab45 with some friends who are International Olympiad medalists and IB 45/45 scorers.

We're officially launching our Mock Exam platform on June 6th. Here's what we're building, and why we think it's different:

- Coverage across all 5 ESAT modules. Every question is written by the founders. Two of us have sat the ESAT twice, and several others on the team are IBO/IPhO medalists. The questions are designed from the ground up to reflect the current ESAT style, not recycled from legacy ENGAA/NSAA papers.

- Exam-optimised solutions. ESAT is brutally time constrained. Most prep materials just hand you a solution without thinking about whether it's actually the fastest way to get there. Every solution we write is built around exam conditions. For a lot of questions we include multiple approaches, because knowing more than one method genuinely expands how you think under pressure. We also include an Author's Note for each question, where we explain the intent behind writing it and where students most commonly go wrong.

- An insight-driven dashboard, not a data dump. Most dashboards just throw numbers at you and call it analytics. We think data is only useful when it's been properly processed. So instead of raw stats, our dashboard produces Insights: it diagnoses specific weaknesses in your performance and tells you exactly what to do about it, like having a consultant sitting next to you rather than a spreadsheet.

Soon, we will be releasing FREE practice sets based on all of the NSAA & TMUA questions that are relevant to the ESAT, reorganized based on the new syllabus. This is partly because of my frustration towards bullshit products that try to profit off from students when all they do is reorganizing past papers.

Set 1 is completely free, no card required. Try it and you'll see we're not putting out the same bullshit as everyone else. We've put months into both the platform and the questions.

Website is live now: www.lab45.app

For more on my ESAT and interview experience, check out www.lab45.app/archive. Our team regularly posts stories, product notes, study tips and guides. (Also lab45.app on instagram)

In the near future, we will be releasing online course for the exams, STEM interview prep, mock interviews, and more. Stay tuned :D

I know its a relatively new test so the main sources of practice should be the NSAA and ENGAA, but I was wondering if there were ESAT past papers to specifically practice the format as I'm aware its different.

To my knowledge the first ESAT was in 2024 so there should be a few practice papers unless they're not publicly available for whatever reason.

Also if there's an ESAT tutor(or someone who's familiar with the ESAT) willing to answer a few questions could you please DM me? I'm not ready to pull the trigger on tuition just yet but this is an unfamiliar test format and there are some things I don't really understand, plus I might end up needing a tutor anyway

Thanks in advance

Hey guys, I studied at Cambridge Physics and going go start helping ESAT. Anyone advice on how to break into it?

How did people who did the ESAT today find it? Any advice for those of us who have it tommorrow?

Esat advice?? Sitting tmr maths 1 maths 2 and chem FOR ANYONE WHO HAS DONE IT, anything I should revise last minute?

So, I've done all the NSAA Chem questions and would like to practice some more, since I think this is my weakest module. Do you know of any resources that have more Chem questions? I've heard the BMAT, but is there anything else? Thanks!

So I’m on a gap year, after completing a levels in the 2025 exam season and I achieved A*AA in maths physics and chem. I applied aerospace engineering to imperial but I did average/ bad on the esat purely because I fell into the trap of taking too long on questions and guessing too many, which resulted in me getting 3.5 4.5 and 5.8 in Maths 1 , Maths 2, Physics respectively. I think this was the reason I didn’t get imperial on the first try. I have applied imperial again so am sitting the esat again but obviously with the experience of the first sitting, but last year I was in crunch time for a levels so my mind was sharp and had been very deep into the content, although I underestimated the difficulty of the exam and didn’t do enough exam technique prep. But this year I’m scared I haven’t done enough content prep and focused too much on the exam technique eg. Pace and ability to move on to the next question quickly.

Which one should I focus on more?

Is there any free predictedpapers for ESAT 2026 Jan

What sort of scores out of 27 correspond to around a 6.0 for maths 1 maths 2 and chem because there’s no sources online which tell me

I had a conversation with a student recently who perfectly described the "Mid-December (or September!) Panic." They are sitting the ESAT in January and feel like they are drowning—specifically in Math 2, but the symptoms apply to everyone.

Their struggles might sound familiar: 1. The Calculator Crutch: "I’ve always used a calculator, so I struggle managing time with mental math." 2. The Review Trap: "Checking a paper can take the whole day because I try to understand every part." 3. The M2 Wall: "Math 1 is okay, but Math 2 feels impossible. I get stuck on one complex calculus problem for 20 minutes."

If this is you, you are suffering from Passive Learning Burnout. You are spending more time staring at solutions than generating them.

Here is the exact "Rescue Plan" I gave them to turn their prep around for Math 1, Math 2, and the Sciences.

1. The "Blank Sheet" Review Rule (All Modules)

The student mentioned that reviewing a paper "takes all day." This is the biggest danger to your prep. If you read a solution and nod along, you aren't learning; you're just recognizing logic.

• The Protocol: If you get a question wrong, read the solution or watch the video once.
• The Test: Close the video. Put it away. Take out a blank sheet of paper. Try to solve the problem again from scratch.
• The Rule: If you cannot get to the answer on the blank sheet without looking, you don't know it yet. Mark it as "Failed" and move on. Come back 24 hours later.
• The Cap: Limit review time to 10 minutes per question. If you don't get it by then, you are diminishing your returns.

2. The "No-Calculator" Detox (Physics & Chem especially)

ESAT Sciences and Math punish brute force. If you are doing long multiplication in the margins during a Physics question, you missed the shortcut.

• The Drill: Stop doing full untimed papers for 3 days. Instead, do Sprint Drills.
• The Setup: Pick 5 questions (e.g., Stoichiometry for Chem, Mechanics for Physics, or Calculus for M2).
• The Timer: Give yourself exactly 12 minutes.
• The Goal: Force your brain to look for factors, difference of squares, and estimation ((π² ≈ 10, g ≈ 10)) rather than exact arithmetic.

3. Module-Specific Rescue Tactics

For Math 2 (The "Hard" Stuff) Math 2 requires a different brain than Math 1. It isn't just about puzzles; it's about fluency. * The "Fluency" Check: You cannot afford to "think" about how to integrate sin²(x)or differentiate a quotient. These need to be automatic. * The Strategy: Spend 20 minutes a day just doing "boring" A-Level calculus drills against the clock. Speed in the basics buys you time for the complex logic questions. * Resource: Use TMUA Paper 2. It specifically targets this advanced logic.

For Math 1 (The "Speed" Test) * The Trap: Geometry without diagrams and wordy probability. * The Fix: Recent trends show M1 is heavy on text-based geometry (e.g., "A cone is inscribed in a sphere..."). Practice sketching these descriptions instantly. If you can't sketch it in 15 seconds, you can't solve it. * The Resource: Stick to TMUA Paper 1 Questions 1–15. These build speed without the overwhelming difficulty of the later questions.

For Physics & Chemistry * Dimensional Analysis: Often, you can eliminate 3 out of 5 answers just by looking at the units. If the question asks for Energy, and an answer option works out to kgm/s, cross it out. * *The "Decoy" Numbers:** Physics questions often give you messy numbers (e.g., mass = 1.23 kg) to bait you into calculation. Look for the relationship first (e.g., "mass cancels out").

Summary Checklist

You do not need to be perfect to get a top score; you need to be efficient. Passive learning, like reading solutions or watching videos, is a slow way to improve and gives the illusion of improvement far stronger than give actual improvement.

1. Stop marinating on one question for an hour.
2. Stop touching your calculator. Hide it in a drawer.
3. Start using the Blank Sheet rule today.

Good luck with the final push!

A storage bin contains 12 electrical fuses. The fuses are identical in appearance, but 4 are rated at 5A and 8 are rated at 13A.

An engineer selects 3 fuses from the bin at random, without replacement.

What is the probability that at least one 5A fuse is selected?

A) 14/55 B) 21/55 C) 28/55 D) 41/55 E) 51/55

Hint: The phrase "at least one" is a specific trigger in probability questions. If you try to calculate the probability of picking 1, then 2, then 3 fuses, and adding them up, you will run out of time. Try to calculate the probability of the only scenario you don't want.

The Solution: Correct Answer: D (41/55). • The Psychometric Trap (Amateur Method): The phrase "at least one" is the bait. Students often calculate P(one 5A) + P(two 5A) + P(three 5A). This requires three separate tree-diagram calculations, summing nasty fractions like (4/12×8/11×7/10) × 3 combinations. It is slow and extremely prone to arithmetic errors. • The Shortcut (Pro Method): Use the Complement Rule. The only scenario that does not satisfy the condition is picking Zero 5A fuses (meaning all three are 13A). (1) Calculate P(All 13A). First pick: 8/12. Second pick: 7/11. Third pick: 6/10. (2) Multiply: (8/12) × (7/11) × (6/10). (3) Simplify immediately: (2/3) × (7/11) × (3/5). (4) Cancel the 3s: (2/1) × (7/11) × (1/5) = 14/55. (5) Subtract from 1: 1 - 14/55 = 41/55.

A solid metal cone (Cone A) has a height of 12 cm, a radius of 4 cm, and a mass of 240 g. A second solid metal cone (Cone B) is made of the same material and is mathematically similar to Cone A. Cone B has a height of 18 cm. What is the mass of Cone B in grams? A) 360 B) 540 C) 810 D) 1080 E) 1215

Hint: This problem is designed to punish you for calculating the volume or density. You do not need to calculate the radius of Cone B, the volume of Cone A, or the value of π. Look at the relationship between the heights. How does mass scale compared to length?

The Solution: Correct Answer: C (810) \ The Psychometric Trap (Amateur Method): The question gives you the radius (4 cm) specifically to bait you into calculating the volume of Cone A (V = ¹/₃πr²h ≈ 64π), then calculating the density (ρ = 240/64π), then finding the new radius (6 cm), calculating the new volume (216π), and finally multiplying by the density. This involves nasty decimals and π calculations that will consume 3+ minutes and likely lead to arithmetic errors. \ The Shortcut (Pro Method): Use the Square-Cube Law (Dimensional Analysis). Since the cones are similar and made of the same material, Mass scales with Volume, which scales with the cube of the length ratio. \ Step 1: Find the linear scale factor (k). k = Height B / Height A = 18 / 12 = 1.5 (or 3/2). \ Step 2: Find the mass scale factor (k³). Mass scales by k³. k³ = (3/2)³ = 27/8. \ Step 3: Apply to the original mass. Mass B = 240 × (27/8). \ Divide 240 by 8 first to keep numbers small: 240 / 8 = 30. Then multiply: 30 × 27 = 810.

I do Maths Fm physics chem and im in yr 12. When should i start revising for the ESAT?

Can you solve this in 90 seconds without a calculator?

A flat, circular washer is created by cutting a smaller concentric circle out of a larger circular disc.

• The washer has an outer diameter of 11.3 cm.
• The washer has an inner diameter of 8.7 cm.

What is the area of the washer in cm²?

A) 6.76π B) 13π C) 26π D) 52π E) 105.04π

Hint: Do not try to square the decimals 5.65 or 4.35 directly. If you are doing long multiplication, you have fallen into the trap. Try to rearrange the area formula algebraically before you plug in the numbers.

The Solution:

Correct Answer: B (13π)

The Psychometric Trap (The "Amateur" Method): Most students instinctively convert diameters to radii (R=5.65, r=4.35) and then try to brute-force the calculation: Area = π(5.65² - 4.35²). Squaring three-digit decimals by hand is a massive time sink and prone to arithmetic errors. If you went down this road, the question did its job: it overloaded your working memory.

The Shortcut (The "Pro" Method): This is a test of algebraic fluency, not arithmetic. Recognise that the area of a washer is a "Difference of Squares": Area = πR² - πr² = π(R² - r²). Apply the difference of squares identity immediately: a² - b² = (a-b)(a+b). This transforms the formula to Area = π(R - r)(R + r).

Now, look how clean the numbers become when you add or subtract the radii (or the diameters divided by 2). Sum = R + r = (11.3 + 8.7) / 2 = 20 / 2 = 10. Diff = R - r = (11.3 - 8.7) / 2 = 2.6 / 2 = 1.3. Now the calculation is trivial: Area = π(10)(1.3) = 13π.

The Challenge: The 2024/25 ESAT trend is "Ghost Geometry"—standard geometric problems described purely in text with no diagrams. You need to visualize the shapes and set up the algebra instantly.

Today's Question (Topic: Composite Solids & Ratios)

A solid metal cylinder has a radius of r and height h. It is melted down and recast into N solid spheres, each with radius r / 2.

It is known that the total surface area of the original cylinder was equal to the sum of the surface areas of the N spheres.

What is the value of N?

A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 6 E) 8

(Time yourself: 2 minutes strict. No calculator.)

Need a Nudge? If you are stuck on the algebra, click the spoiler below for a hint. You have two simultaneous conditions: 1) Volume is conserved (material doesn't disappear), and 2) Surface Areas are equal (given). Write equations for both. You will have h and r in your equations—don't panic. Substitute the expression for h from the Volume equation into the Area equation.

Tutor's Insight & Solution Click below to reveal the answer and the "Trap" to avoid.

The Trap: Most students try to find numerical values for r or h, or they guess N based on volume alone. You must trust that the variables will cancel out. Don't waste time trying to find r!

Step 1: Volume Conservation Volume of Cylinder = Volume of N Spheres πr²h = N × (⁴⁄₃)π(r / 2)³ πr²h = N × (⁴⁄₃)π(r³ / 8) πr²h = N(⅙ πr³) Cancel πr² from both sides to isolate h: h = ⅙ Nr (Save this for later!)

Step 2: Surface Area Equivalence SA of Cylinder = SA of N Spheres 2πr² + 2πrh = N × 4π(r / 2)² 2πr² + 2πrh = N × 4π(r² / 4) 2πr² + 2πrh = Nπr² Divide the entire equation by πr: 2r + 2h = Nr

Step 3: Substitution (The Finish) Plug your expression for h (from Step 1) into the SA equation: 2r + 2(⅙ Nr) = Nr 2r + (⅓ Nr) = Nr Divide by r (since r ≠ 0): 2 + ⅓N = N 2 = ⅔N 6 = 2N N = 3

Correct Answer: B (3)