* Everything HPAT and Medicine for 2011 *

randylonghorn

In fairness, given its location, Trinity is very accessible on a daily basis for a lot of people from Dublin and nearby (train, bus, DART).

I'm quite sure that's not the only and probably not even the primary reason for its popularity, but it has to be a big factor for many people all the same.

theowen

randylonghorn wrote: »

In fairness, given its location, Trinity is very accessible on a daily basis for a lot of people from Dublin and nearby (train, bus, DART).

I'm quite sure that's not the only and probably not even the primary reason for its popularity, but it has to be a big factor for many people all the same.

• lack of pre-med
• looks awesome, especially in comparison to UCD
• you can refer to it as Trinners.

Therefore, awesome!

randylonghorn

theowen wrote: »

• lack of pre-med

Get the right results in the right combination of subjects, and that's an option most places.

Besides, many people like to do pre-med, and ease themselves into college gradually. Straight into First Med can be heavy going.

theowen wrote: »

• looks awesome, especially in comparison to UCD

Difficult to argue with, I can happily spend a couple of hours wandering around the old place day-dreaming on a sunny day.

The architecture probably won't make much difference to the quality of your final degree though.

theowen wrote: »

• you can refer to it as Trinners.

That's an *advantage?! :eek:

Though I suppose compared to UC-double-Dcup ...

jumpguy

New HPAT booklet has been released...
http://hpat-ireland-reg.acer.edu.au/index.php?cmd=toBooklets

When's everyone else planning to get crackin' with the HPAT?

Jessibelle

jumpguy wrote: »

New HPAT booklet has been released...
http://hpat-ireland-reg.acer.edu.au/index.php?cmd=toBooklets

When's everyone else planning to get crackin' with the HPAT?

Tomorrow
Seriously though, I'd planned start of October, just because I know with the best of intentions, some stuff will take extra time and eat into my practice time some weekends.

kellogscoffey

jumpguy wrote: »

New HPAT booklet has been released...
http://hpat-ireland-reg.acer.edu.au/index.php?cmd=toBooklets

When's everyone else planning to get crackin' with the HPAT?

Within the next week hopefully!

Fenton1010

I have the first practice book, do i really need the second?

partyatmygaff

Fenton1010 wrote: »

I have the first practice book, do i really need the second?

Well you actually get the first one when you register for the test itself, you should've just bought the second practice book.

kellogscoffey

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Well you actually get the first one when you register for the test itself, you should've just bought the second practice book.

What do you mean? Do they just send you out one anyway?

Chuchoter

Doing a practice run in 5th year...good idea or bad idea? Having 2 runs of the test seems to make all the difference to peoples results.

kellogscoffey

crayolastereo wrote: »

Doing a practice run in 5th year...good idea or bad idea? Having 2 runs of the test seems to make all the difference to peoples results.

Cant do that unfortunately I was gonna try it in 5th year too, but you're only eligible to sit it if you're in your last year of school, i.e Leaving Cert. You can sit it after LC as well though, obviously.

Chuchoter

kellogscoffey wrote: »

Cant do that unfortunately I was gonna try it in 5th year too, but you're only eligible to sit it if you're in your last year of school, i.e Leaving Cert. You can sit it after LC as well though, obviously.

Damn, and here was me thinking I had such a great idea

kellogscoffey

crayolastereo wrote: »

Damn, and here was me thinking I had such a great idea

I know. Don't worry, it just means you'll just nail it first time eh?

jumpguy

Fenton1010 wrote: »

I have the first practice book, do i really need the second?

It's up to yourself really! Do you feel you need another, seperate one? I plan on buying the two just so I'll have two tries to try and get the timing right...

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Well you actually get the first one when you register for the test itself, you should've just bought the second practice book.

I'm not 100% sure on this, but don't you only get the option to buy the practice book when you register? It's not given out for free or anything, it still has to be purchased, right?

crayolastereo wrote: »

Doing a practice run in 5th year...good idea or bad idea? Having 2 runs of the test seems to make all the difference to peoples results.

No you can't unfortunately! It'd be a costly but good thing to do if it was allowed!

Jaafa

Does 540 points + a good Hpat sound like a viable goal to go for?

QueenOfLeon

Jaafa wrote: »

Does 540 points + a good Hpat sound like a viable goal to go for?

Obviously you can't aim for something in the HPAT, or have any real idea of how you're going to do, but with 540 points you'd need a hpat well up in the 180/190s (which is around the 90th percentile). To give yourself a bit of extra leeway aim as high as possible in the LC, getting 550 puts you just as close as those on 600, and imo its something you can work on better than the hpat. Those 10 points (going from 89% to 90% in 1 exam) are much easier than depending on going up that amount in the hpat!

Jaafa

Hmmm...Yes but I'm already stretching it at 540..... oh well. Ill do my best and hope for the best.

lctake2

If you think that 540 is your max then that doesn't put you out of the game for medicine at all. There are so many people that sstill want 600 points and hardly pay any attention to the hpat and that's just silly. My aim, having sat the hpat last year, was about 530 and t would have gotten me in .It's true that unless you've sat the hpat before you can't really 'aim' for anything though. I seriously doubt that the points will go down. the more people that repeat the hpat and go up, the higher the points. i've met 4 or 5 that got in just by repeating the hpat already!

Jaafa

Yeah No way Ill repeat though. Rather go through the graduate route if it comes to that.

partyatmygaff

Jaafa wrote: »

Yeah No way Ill repeat though. Rather go through the graduate route if it comes to that.

The GAMSAT is hardly a cakewalk though to be honest.

Jaafa

Neither is the LC and Hpat. Choose your poison really.

kellogscoffey

Jaafa wrote: »

Neither is the LC and Hpat. Choose your poison really.

Ooh nice line :P I'm prepared to repeat once. After that its graduate I'd say

jumpguy

Jaafa wrote: »

Yeah No way Ill repeat though. Rather go through the graduate route if it comes to that.

Graduate route:
4 years in some course you don't really want to do to get a 2:1 degree + GAMSAT + Heaps of debt (unless you've some well-off sponsor) + a loooot of time in college.

And GAMSAT means it's not guaranteed either.



Now, although it's harder to get in the undergraduate route, it's much shorter and cheaper. Repeating will only take a year and in the long run, if you really want to do medicine, is probably worth it.

kellogscoffey

jumpguy wrote: »

Graduate route:
4 years in some course you don't really want to do to get a 2:1 degree + GAMSAT + Heaps of debt (unless you've some well-off sponsor) + a loooot of time in college.

And GAMSAT means it's not guaranteed either.



Now, although it's harder to get in the undergraduate route, it's much shorter and cheaper. Repeating will only take a year and in the long run, if you really want to do medicine, is probably worth it.

I'm prepared to repeat once. And now, I'm prepared to repeat after that again :P

lctake2

now it's easier though as if it's only your hpat that needs work you can just repeat that and not bother with the lc and vice versa. i was a repeat and my cousin is a graduate entrant, i took an extra year of my life out to get medicine, she's taken 4 of hers plus a hell of alot of money so it's insane the way people think that graduate entry is the easy way out.

maire66

hi this is my first post here!! i agree that graduate entry is alot tougher!! i did my leaving and hpat last year but i didnt get medicine because of the hpat so im repeating it this year!!

alot of my friends who didnt get in either chose to do biomed/science and think there going to sail through and do graduate entry!! but i thot 1year out was definitely alot better than 4!!!

is n e 1 else repeating from last year????

Jaafa

jumpguy wrote: »

Graduate route:
4 years in some course you don't really want to do to get a 2:1 degree + GAMSAT + Heaps of debt (unless you've some well-off sponsor) + a loooot of time in college.

And GAMSAT means it's not guaranteed either.



Now, although it's harder to get in the undergraduate route, it's much shorter and cheaper. Repeating will only take a year and in the long run, if you really want to do medicine, is probably worth it.

Actually. Undergraduate + repeat equals 7 years total.

Graduate is 4+5 equals 9 years total.

So only 2 years extra with an extra degree.

Just because med would be your first choice doesn't mean you wont find other courses interesting and a good use of your time.

kellogscoffey

Jaafa wrote: »

Actually. Undergraduate + repeat equals 7 years total.

Graduate is 4+5 equals 9 years total.

So only 2 years extra with an extra degree.

Just because med would be your first choice doesn't mean you wont find other courses interesting and a good use of your time.

And Graduate medicine in UCC is only a four year course, which makes 4+4=8.

jumpguy

Jaafa wrote: »

Actually. Undergraduate + repeat equals 7 years total.

Graduate is 4+5 equals 9 years total.

So only 2 years extra with an extra degree.

Just because med would be your first choice doesn't mean you wont find other courses interesting and a good use of your time.

Undergrad is only 5 years if you skip premed, so that's a 3 year difference and whole lot of money. That's also assuming GAMSAT goes well the first time...

kellogscoffey

Anyone considering England, Scotland or Europe?