USAT-CS is the USAT for Computer Science students. It has 75 MCQs in 100 minutes: English 20, maths reasoning 25, Physics 8, Computer Science 14 and Maths 8, then 2 essays. Computer Science has the most subject marks, and binary numbers are the topic I would revise first.
USAT-CS paper pattern
| Section | MCQs |
|---|---|
| Verbal reasoning (English) | 20 |
| Quantitative reasoning (maths) | 25 |
| Computer Science | 14 |
| Physics | 8 |
| Mathematics | 8 |
Computer Science topics to revise
- Number systems: binary, decimal, octal and hexadecimal, and how to convert between them.
- Computer basics: CPU, RAM, ROM, input and output devices, storage.
- Software and internet terms: operating system, URL, HTTP, browser, network.
- Programming basics: variables, loops, if/else and simple flowcharts.
- Data structures: what arrays, stacks and queues are.
Quick example: What is the binary number 1011 in decimal?
Answer: 11. 1×8 + 0×4 + 1×2 + 1×1 = 11.
What our question bank shows
We have 186 Computer Science questions, and 13% are marked hard. The hard ones are mostly number conversions and reading short code. The easy ones are terms like "which of these is hardware", which you can answer in 10 seconds if you have revised.
My advice for ICS students
- Practice binary conversions until you can do them in under a minute without a calculator.
- Make a list of hardware vs software vs internet words. These are free marks.
- Do not ignore Physics and Maths. Together they are 16 MCQs, more than Computer Science.
- Practice maths reasoning every day. It is 25 MCQs for everyone.
Next: the full USAT pattern for all groups and our 30 day USAT plan.
Common questions
What is the USAT-CS paper pattern?
75 MCQs in 100 minutes: English 20, maths reasoning 25, Physics 8, Computer Science 14 and Mathematics 8, then 2 essays in 40 minutes.
What Computer Science topics come in USAT-CS?
Computer basics, number systems (especially binary), programming basics and data structures, plus hardware, software and internet terms.
Is USAT-CS for ICS students only?
It is meant for students who want to study computer science and related degrees, usually after ICS or FSc with computer science. Check what your university asks for.