HPAT and Medicine 2016

Dublad93 · 06-12-2015 1:04am

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L.c notz · 20-12-2015 4:35pm

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Mod: Read the first post.

L.c notz · 20-12-2015 4:47pm

alaskayoung wrote: »

I'm sorry but doing 2 hours a night of hpat prep is absolute insanity. Hpat prep companies have sold this idea that everyone is capable of getting a good enough hpat score if they practise enough which is simply not true. I know it sucks that it's not but that's just the way an APTITUDE test works. Why would they support this idea when it earns them no money? Familiarize yourself with the layout, download the official acer practise exams to get your timing right and spend some time looking at lots of different section 3 examples. That's the only section that a bit of practice has been proven to improve your score which is why they decreased its % value of the exam. That said your potential score and the amount of time you spend studying it is not linear. Your ability will still peak at a certain point regardless.
There are people who did the hpat with a lot of prep who got excellent scores but they more than likely would have gotten those scores anyway. People who repeat the hpat do better probably because they have been through it before and know exactly what to expect on the day. What about the people who put a lot of time into prep and get poor scores on the day? They're more numerous but funny enough they're not spoken about because they don't sell prep courses. They're not stupid and the people who do well with no prep aren't genii, the latter simply have a better natural aptitude for the exam.
I don't know why I'm even wasting my time writing this. No one is going to take it on board because no one wants to believe that it's true. Don't psych yourself out on the day, don't obsess about it for months beforehand. If it's meant to happen for you, it will. That is how an aptitude test works. Work hard and focus on the leaving cert. That is a result that is completely in your control.
(And I'm sorry but I don't know why the quoted user is advising you to do what he/she did, to spend a huge amount of your study time preparing for the hpat, when his method didn't even yield a good enough result? Not being rude but that doesn't make sense to me). This is what worked for me. I got 91st % with no prep. It's not a popular idea for obvious reasons, everyone wants to believe that they can make it happen for themselves, but in my opinion it's the truth. To give yourself the best chance of success, focus on the exams you can control.

HI, thanks for the advice and all , i believe you are right to say that. at the moment i am in a dilemma . i don’t know what to do . I want medicine desperately and can do anything for it.I have the few exam papers provided by acer and I’m not sure if i should do ******** prep course , they are worth a lot and i don’t want my parents paying for me , since i belong to a large family they can’t afford. Please give me any advice or anyone else who is reading this post. What should I do?. I see you have got high percentile with no prep, can you give me advice how you approached or studied for the test

SDAVID136 · 27-12-2015 8:24pm

Hi,
I was just wondering which hpat prep course is better - ME's course or the institute of education's course.

yoyojc · 04-01-2016 7:27pm

Do ye think it matters if I sign up for the HPAT on the same Acer account I used last year (this is my second attempt). They wouldn't look at that negatively would they?

15MrC · 05-01-2016 5:30pm

yoyojc wrote: »

Do ye think it matters if I sign up for the HPAT on the same Acer account I used last year (this is my second attempt). They wouldn't look at that negatively would they?

No, the HPAT merely provides a score from taking the test, which is passed onto CAO. Nobody will be looking at the account you used, and certainly should not be changing/altering any test scores just because you sat it before with that account.

MedHead1995 · 05-01-2016 10:52pm

Is 56 considered an above average or below average score in Section 2? Or should I say, did many of you score below/above this? (Repeat student here btw!)

WorthlessPeon · 09-01-2016 6:26pm

How's everyone's HPAT prep getting along considering it's in a month? I'm feeling a tad disheartened lately as my online scores have been a little disappointing. At this stage it feels like Medicine just won't happen for me

OMGeary · 10-01-2016 3:00am

WorthlessPeon wrote:

How's everyone's HPAT prep getting along considering it's in a month? I'm feeling a tad disheartened lately as my online scores have been a little disappointing. At this stage it feels like Medicine just won't happen for me

Don't be disheartened and power through. Is it that your scores aren't great or just not great compared to others? Also try to stay positive and don't panic because that will just make section 2 worse.

WorthlessPeon · 10-01-2016 2:37pm

OMGeary wrote: »

Don't be disheartened and power through. Is it that your scores aren't great or just not great compared to others? Also try to stay positive and don't panic because that will just make section 2 worse.

I'd say they aren't great in general but the later exams online seem to be ridiculously hard. Are you doing the HPAT too?

OMGeary · 11-01-2016 1:14am

WorthlessPeon wrote:

I'd say they aren't great in general but the later exams online seem to be ridiculously hard. Are you doing the HPAT too?

Did it last year, try to figure out where you're going wrong and keep working on that. You still have a lot of time before the exam

Wanderer41 · 11-01-2016 11:47pm

Don't worry too much about your online scores. Make sure you read the guides and look at the different tactics for the sections. Go over your mistakes from practice exams and drills. If you haven't been doing exams to time, start now, but don't burn yourself out. Make sure you get enough exercise and sleep - even a short walk after school is beneficial, and don't forget about extracurricular activities!

Take Your Pants Off · 13-01-2016 5:38pm

I know I asked this before, but like a month away for the exam. I just want a bit of assurance and what people think, again!. I was planning to ask this to the grind school in which I was gonna take the hpat course, but theyr obviously going to be biased. Because in the end, theyd have 240€.

I plan to sit the hpat, but I have not studied for it, I plan to study it, the week its on it. Reason being, cuz I really just want to focus on the LC. I originally planned to take a course, with the study, the week of the hpat. But do you think it be a waste of money ?!. If I am not taking the hpat seriously, or would I do really bad, If I do not take the course, cuz I don't want to do that bad either, I want to have a go at it and try to get it, if not ill most likely use the popular med courses (you know which one im talking about) and really get down to it the next year.

But for now .. any other users going in with no course ?. Or have went ?.
My friend did the same last year and he said if your not gonna take med##try than do not bother applying. As he got it this year, with continous study with med##try.

Really appreciate any advice.

Doctorhopeful · 13-01-2016 6:31pm

I did no course last year and got 98th percentile. do what you feel like you need to do.

Take Your Pants Off · 16-01-2016 1:42pm

I just registered for the Hpat now, I choose Cork, to sit the exam.
But, where in Cork is it held?, I know its given to you 2 weeks before the exam, but I just want to know beforehand so I can arrange transportation.

Manutd_4life · 16-01-2016 7:57pm

Since this thread has most medicine destined students, I think this question would be best based here:

What are people's thoughts on doing medicine outside of Ireland particularly in Eastern Europe. Recently it seems that going to the likes of Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria etc is growing in popularity due to easier entry and cheaper living expenses.

I know 2 people who are studying in Budapest and both say that at the end of the day, the degree you get is the same and isn't in any way inferior to an Irish or UK one.

Is anyone considering this route if it doesn't work out here in Ireland?

WorthlessPeon · 16-01-2016 8:09pm

I would definitely consider it, but what have you heard about the quality of these colleges? I presume the courses are taught through English

Manutd_4life · 16-01-2016 8:14pm

WorthlessPeon wrote: »

I would definitely consider it, but what have you heard about the quality of these colleges? I presume the courses are taught through English

I honestly don't know too much about the colleges. The medicine course is taught in English of course and there are plenty of foreign students.

Anyone know anything about the colleges in Eastern Europe?

Gallagher1 · 16-01-2016 11:57pm

Manutd_4life wrote: »

Since this thread has most medicine destined students, I think this question would be best based here:

What are people's thoughts on doing medicine outside of Ireland particularly in Eastern Europe. Recently it seems that going to the likes of Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria etc is growing in popularity due to easier entry and cheaper living expenses.

I know 2 people who are studying in Budapest and both say that at the end of the day, the degree you get is the same and isn't in any way inferior to an Irish or UK one.

Is anyone considering this route if it doesn't work out here in Ireland?

Take a year out/do another year of a course and just repeat the HPAT. At this stage a majority of Medicine entrants are HPAT repeats. I hate to break it but the majority of you first timers will not reach the required percentile in the HPAT because repeats most of the time know their **** and are a year older, which helps a lot.

Also if you are going move across the continent and dish out the fees for some foreign countries ( Bydgoszcz in Poland being 10k/ Charles in Prague being 12k PLUS living expenses) would you not be better off doing a Biomed course here which would ideally prepare you for gamsat and do Grad entry?

Each to their own but thinking on going to eastern Europe on the basis that you don't nail an exam on the first attempt seems a bit rash to me.

Manutd_4life · 17-01-2016 12:09am

Gallagher1 wrote: »

Take a year out/do another year of a course and just repeat the HPAT. At this stage a majority of Medicine entrants are HPAT repeats. I hate to break it but the majority of you first timers will not reach the required percentile in the HPAT because repeats most of the time know their **** and are a year older, which helps a lot.

Also if you are going move across the continent and dish out the fees for some foreign countries ( Bydgoszcz in Poland being 10k/ Charles in Prague being 12k PLUS living expenses) would you not be better off doing a Biomed course here which would ideally prepare you for gamsat and do Grad entry?

Each to their own but thinking on going to eastern Europe on the basis that you don't nail an exam on the first attempt seems a bit rash to me.

You make a fair point and can completely understand your logic. It was just something I noticed becoming more popular recently.

WorthlessPeon · 17-01-2016 1:55am

Gallagher1 wrote: »

Take a year out/do another year of a course and just repeat the HPAT. At this stage a majority of Medicine entrants are HPAT repeats. I hate to break it but the majority of you first timers will not reach the required percentile in the HPAT because repeats most of the time know their **** and are a year older, which helps a lot.

Also if you are going move across the continent and dish out the fees for some foreign countries ( Bydgoszcz in Poland being 10k/ Charles in Prague being 12k PLUS living expenses) would you not be better off doing a Biomed course here which would ideally prepare you for gamsat and do Grad entry?

Each to their own but thinking on going to eastern Europe on the basis that you don't nail an exam on the first attempt seems a bit rash to me.

I understand completely where you're coming from but what about if it doesn't go right the second time either? I've heard of repeats going down in scores

Take Your Pants Off · 17-01-2016 2:00pm

In regards to filling out your cao, am I right in saying you cannot add medicine during the ''change of mind facilities'', but you can remove it.
As currently I only have 1 medicine course on my cao.
If your not allowed to add them during the change of mind facility then, I was thinking of putting medicine in all the college as my top 4, if I see after my hpat results, I have no hope, ill just take 3 of them away, and put in my desired choices.

15MrC · 17-01-2016 2:28pm

Take Your Pants Off wrote: »

In regards to filling out your cao, am I right in saying you cannot add medicine during the ''change of mind facilities'', but you can remove it.
As currently I only have 1 medicine course on my cao.
If your not allowed to add them during the change of mind facility then, I was thinking of putting medicine in all the college as my top 4, if I see after my hpat results, I have no hope, ill just take 3 of them away, and put in my desired choices.

CAO Handbook:

Applying for a restricted course – you must have applied to CAO by 5:15pm on 1st February 2016 if
you wish to apply for a restricted course. The restricted course must be included on your course choices
list by that date, or added to your application using the ‘Change of Course Choices’ facility before
1st March at 5:15pm.
Restricted courses normally require additional assessment procedures, e.g. the submission of a
portfolio, an oral assessment or interview, or a written assessment – restricted courses are identified in
the handbook by the words “(Restricted - see page 3)” on the same line as the restricted course’s title.
Please make sure to acquaint yourself with the additional requirements, if any, of the restricted
course(s) that you have applied for and go to page 11 for more information about interviews and
assessments.
Exception: If a restricted course shares the exact same assessment procedures with a course you had
applied for by 1st February 2016, you may be permitted to introduce it on a ‘Change of Mind’. You
should consult with the relevant HEI before introducing such a course.

Take Your Pants Off · 17-01-2016 2:58pm

15MrC wrote: »

CAO Handbook:

So I take that as a yes?. I can just leave one restricted course and add others later one if they share the same assessment.
Thanks

Consonata · 17-01-2016 5:26pm

Im just looking at alternate routes just incase the HPAT doesnt go my way, do people often opt for dentistry, retake the HPAT and then transfer into med

15MrC · 17-01-2016 9:00pm

Take Your Pants Off wrote: »

So I take that as a yes?. I can just leave one restricted course and add others later one if they share the same assessment.
Thanks

I'd assume so, but I'd check just to be sure. If you're not applying for another restricted course like music, your safest option would be, as you say, add all the Medicine courses you were considering, then remove them afterwards if you change your mind.

Consonata · 22-01-2016 1:22am

How are people doing percentile wise for the HPAT, considering there is now 37 days till the exam

spurious · 22-01-2016 8:27am

WorthlessPeon wrote:

I understand completely where you're coming from but what about if it doesn't go right the second time either? I've heard of repeats going down in scores

There are few certainties in life and yes, sometimes people go down in the repeats, but if someone has the money and the inclination, I think the European courses are a great option. I would just double check whether any additional course is needed to register in Ireland.

I don't think that is the case though. The main issue Polish-trained people have here is a language one, not anything to do with the quality of their degrees, which they have been at a lot longer than Ireland.

Any of the Polish run clinics I have attended both in Ireland and Poland would put all but a very few places here to shame. I wouldn't worry about it.

IrishLassie26 · 24-01-2016 9:38pm

I've been practicing the career services HPAT questions and have also tried the ******** free sample paper. Does anyone else find the ******** questions way harder than other practice questions or is the ******** standard what the real HPAT is like? ðŸ˜±

15MrC · 25-01-2016 12:20am

IrishLassie26 wrote: »

I've been practicing the career services HPAT questions and have also tried the ******** free sample paper. Does anyone else find the ******** questions way harder than other practice questions or is the ******** standard what the real HPAT is like? ðŸ˜±

Speaking as someone who did the HPAT last year, the CS papers are considerably easier than the real thing. I did the M******y free paper too, and as far as I remember, while it was challenging, it was definitely more like the real thing.

**HPAT and Medicine 2016**

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HPAT and Medicine 2016