IMAT Physics & Maths: Only 13 Questions, Stop Overstudying

Physics & Maths is only 13 of the IMAT's 60 questions, the smallest of the three heavy science sections - well behind biology's 23 and chemistry's 15. So it should get a proportionally smaller share of your study hours, not more just because it's comfortable. And yet it's consistently one of the sections candidates spend the most disproportionate time on. I've watched it happen to friends with strong math backgrounds more than once: comfort, not weight, decides where their hours go.

The mistake, specifically

Candidates who feel confident in math and physics - often because it was their strongest subject in school - tend to over-invest hours there because it's the section that feels good to study. Meanwhile biology, worth almost double the questions, gets comparatively less time because it feels less comfortable. That's the opposite of how study time should be allocated if the goal is maximizing your total score.

What's actually tested

The section covers mechanics and kinematics fundamentals, thermodynamics, electrostatics and basic circuits, plus algebra, functions, probability, and geometry. It's foundational-level - not advanced calculus, not university-level physics. The same "clean numbers, direct formula application" pattern that runs through chemistry shows up here too.

The actual fix: allocate by weight, not by comfort

Your study hours should roughly track each section's share of the exam, not how enjoyable each subject feels to review. If Physics & Maths is 13 of 60 questions - a little over a fifth of the exam - it shouldn't be consuming a third or more of your prep time just because it's the section where practice feels satisfying. (This is the same principle I wrote about for the syllabus more broadly: the syllabus tells you what's covered, not what deserves your hours - weight does.)

That doesn't mean neglect it - a strong Physics & Maths score is still worth real points. It means treating it as one section among five with a defined, proportional share of your prep time, not the default place your hours drift toward because it's comfortable.

The section that feels best to study and the section that earns you the most points are not always the same one. Physics & Maths tends to be the clearest example of that gap - don't let comfort make the decision for you.