*Everything HPAT and Medicine 2012*

JackMyBoy

Hi, my name is Jack and I am hoping to do Medicine next year. I am extremely dedicated, and hard-working, but (as we all do), I fear I will not get into the course. I have applied to the DARE scheme and was wondering if anybody could clarify things, regarding the reduced points entry, specifically to Medicine. Could anybody shed some light as to how many points the course would be reduced by?

ShatterResistant

JackMyBoy wrote: »

Hi, my name is Jack and I am hoping to do Medicine next year. I am extremely dedicated, and hard-working, but (as we all do), I fear I will not get into the course. I have applied to the DARE scheme and was wondering if anybody could clarify things, regarding the reduced points entry, specifically to Medicine. Could anybody shed some light as to how many points the course would be reduced by?

From what I've heard here on boards it can be anywhere up to about 30 points for HEAR, so i presume DARE is similiar. I don't know how this applies to medcine but i suppose iif it was 734 you need it would become 704 maybe? I could be wrong though.

DARE website: http://www.accesscollege.ie/dare/

Sunny!!

For a course like medicine the places are very low with dare compared to arts or a business course. I wouldn't depend on it. But if your 5-10 off it might help:)

theowen

Sunny!! wrote: »

For a course like medicine the places are very low with dare compared to arts or a business course. I wouldn't depend on it. But if your 5-10 off it might help:)

There's 5 places in Trinity Med I think, for HEAR anyway. Don't know, or think, anyone got in on Dare. I was a good 25 points off in 2010 and got in. I'd imagine it's gettng more competitive as years go by, but it's still worth keeping in mind

Excedion

Anyone got any idea where the 2012 dublin test centre will be? Even a rough guess would be helpful i havent the foggiest.

I'm kinda worried that I'm getting over confident doing HPAT practice tests. Everyones been telling me theyve been finding the test really difficult even after doing the 600 euro prep course but I find the questions really easy

Nedasnothere

Hi Everyone....does anyone have old practice papers (that they don't need anymore) that I can have?

QueenofSpades

Hey guys just wondering has anyone received info on where the HPAT is being held? Its just over two weeks away now so I just wondering has anyone got an email, or does any of you repeats know when we are told the venues?

mnop

Last year, the admission ticket things got sent out on the 10th of Febuary, they have the venues on them

heathermay

So no one has got an email yet then? Phew, I've been freaking out!

hollingr

Last year I got my admission ticket on the 2nd of feb.

I guess it varies year on year and depending also on your test centre I suppose, since the person above got theirs over a week after I did last year.

They'll arrive soon, concentrate on prep.. Need to be razor sharp for this one!

Tuairiscitear

I just got mine, no need to worry guys!

finality

Got mine today too.

degausserxo

Got mine this morning... Thank god I actually read it cause I would've sworn it was on the 28th! >.<

bamhaithliom

JackMyBoy wrote: »

Hi, my name is Jack and I am hoping to do Medicine next year. I am extremely dedicated, and hard-working, but (as we all do), I fear I will not get into the course. I have applied to the DARE scheme and was wondering if anybody could clarify things, regarding the reduced points entry, specifically to Medicine. Could anybody shed some light as to how many points the course would be reduced by?

Hey I got into TCD Medicine this year with the DARE scheme, I had 736 and the points were 741. I believe DARE places are highly competitive so I wouldn't depend on a large reduction in points which occurs in other courses.

MyronGaines

Pollydee wrote: »

Since Clartharlear was good enough to help so many of us out, pm me your email address if you would like me to send them on to you

Could you send them to me as well?
I've pm'd you my email address...

daithioc

http://www.lsattestquestions.com/

Good website for critical reasoning questions, Seems almost identical to some of the HPAT prep stuff I've seen, in fact, I've at least one thats a direct copy.

Also, if you just setup an free account with medstart (UMAT Course) they let you download a free pdf with 26 questions from the 3 sections (26 in total, but still good)

http://www.medstart.com.au/MedStart-UMAT-Sample-and-Practice-Questions.pdf

Google stuff about the UMAT, LSAT and the GMAT, if you poke around your bound to find practice questions

reznov

LSAT questions are significantly easier, I find, than the rather ambiguous and riddled texts of the HPAT. Working through several LSAT Logic Questions, I managed to answer almost all correctly. Although I must note, it was not an official LSAT paper, rather an adaptation for mere practice.

DepoProvera

Ughhh I'm absolutely ****ting it.

Nazata

Anyone have any advice with a week and a half to go?
I agree with Depo, it's a bit nerve-wrecking wondering if the work you've done has counted for something, but I guess in two weeks it'll be one less thing to worry about...

Random_Person

Nazata wrote: »

Anyone have any advice with a week and a half to go?
I agree with Depo, it's a bit nerve-wrecking wondering if the work you've done has counted for something, but I guess in two weeks it'll be one less thing to worry about...

Don't stress yourselves out over it, that is the one thing you cannot afford to do. Do a bit of practice with whatever you can but don't go overboard. Have a good sleep the night before, a good breakfast on the morning, get to your test venue with time to spare and take your seat. Relax and be calm, everyone is in the exact same position as you. When you're finished do not overanalyse the paper, you CANNOT and WILL NOT know how you've faired until the results come out so forget about it the second you put your pencil down.

TLDR; Don't get stressed over the HPAT and the key thing is to be confident.

finality

I did one of the practise tests and got 205 or something, haven't given the hpat another thought since. I don't get the whole thing of studying for it, once you're familiar with the layout and type of questions I think it should be fine. I don't think it's something you really can study for, you can't learn anything off for it and it's innate reasoning abilities you need - I don't think spending hours practising questions would make you do much better in the actual hpat at the end of the day.

Just Like Heaven

Well I scored 165 in one of those mocks and pooed myself with disappointment

theowen

finality wrote: »

I did one of the practise tests and got 205 or something, haven't given the hpat another thought since. I don't get the whole thing of studying for it, once you're familiar with the layout and type of questions I think it should be fine. I don't think it's something you really can study for, you can't learn anything off for it and it's innate reasoning abilities you need - I don't think spending hours practising questions would make you do much better in the actual hpat at the end of the day.

I think ye can study for it, this is from my experience of repeaters. I know several people who've gone up at 40+ points, some 50/60 by studying ******** for the year after they don't get in the first time. Obviously some people don't need to practice it, but others can get their scores up if needs be.

reznov

HPAT cannot be studied for! However it can be practiced. Just as with any "aptitude" test. Grinding through as much material as I could find has aided me immensely in timing, technique and subsequently in improving my score. I remember the very first practice paper I had done. Needless to say, it was horrid. ACER's misguiding advice of "HPAT cannot be improved through practice" certainly makes me suspicious of their true intent with the HPAT. Other than to cut number of applicants down, it serves no purpose.

Random_Person

reznov wrote: »

HPAT cannot be studied for! However it can be practiced. Just as with any "aptitude" test. Grinding through as much material as I could find has aided me immensely in timing, technique and subsequently in improving my score. I remember the very first practice paper I had done. Needless to say, it was horrid. ACER's misguiding advice of "HPAT cannot be improved through practice" certainly makes me suspicious of their true intent with the HPAT. Other than to cut number of applicants down, it serves no purpose.

Before the HPAT was around when Medicine was only accessible to those who could reach the highest of the high scores, the authorities at the time asked for organisations to come forward to submit their tests etc. which could be used by Irish Students in applying for Medicine.

There were a number of key criteria which needed to be met and these were all taken into account during the tender process. One of these criteria was that the test be one who's results could not be improved by grind schools/other supplementary material apart from the official booklets etc. ACER were chosen a 3 years ago I think and needless to say it has not done what it set out to achieve. Statistics show that courses such as Med.entry/IOE Course etc. improve results drastically.

Over the past 3 years the minimum LC points needed to enter into medicine has continously dropped due to the higher number of people achieving better HPAT results. Over these 3 years the 100th Percentile has risen up to 231~ if I remember correctly. People are copping on that the HPAT can be studied for and these courses do help. It's only a matter of time before it changes again because the HPAT really is just a barrier to members of low income families of gaining entry to medicine as they can't afford to do any of these courses.

QueenOfLeon

Random_Person wrote: »

Statistics show that courses such as Med.entry/IOE Course etc. improve results drastically.

Do you have a link to those statistics?

Random_Person

QueenOfLeon wrote: »

Do you have a link to those statistics?

I shouldn't post things without having evidence to back it up, ay? Sorry but you're right, I don't. I was in a HPAT Lecture in UCD and the guy was telling us that he was working on a small thing himself with students who've repeated the HPAT after doing courses and it was shown that people who did courses on repeating did improve their results.

No link to these stats though.. Sorry!

Sunny!!

Random_Person wrote: »

I shouldn't post things without having evidence to back it up, ay? Sorry but you're right, I don't. I was in a HPAT Lecture in UCD and the guy was telling us that he was working on a small thing himself with students who've repeated the HPAT after doing courses and it was shown that people who did courses on repeating did improve their results.

No link to these stats though.. Sorry!

I have to admit this is blatently true. I've seen it with two of my friends. Hopefully it will be the same for me this year!!

QueenOfLeon

Random_Person wrote: »

I shouldn't post things without having evidence to back it up, ay? Sorry but you're right, I don't. I was in a HPAT Lecture in UCD and the guy was telling us that he was working on a small thing himself with students who've repeated the HPAT after doing courses and it was shown that people who did courses on repeating did improve their results.

No link to these stats though.. Sorry!

I have a bit of a problem with people claiming that sort of thing (not you, more the prep courses ) without back up. I have strong opinions on prep courses but I am open to changing them if the stats are there...which as far as I can see, they are not

In the first sitting of the exam, if people who did prep courses scored highly...what's to say they wouldn't have done so anyway without the course? Then for the people who didn't do prep courses and also scored highly...if they had done the prep course they would probably have incorrectly attributed their results to the course.

In the second sitting, there are a lot of circumstances that contribute to people scoring higher. Most people are in college already, resitting the HPAT is to give them alternative options, not the be all and the end all that it seems like in Leaving Cert. Almost all of the people I know who resat it while in college improved on their score as they were more relaxed doing it for the 2nd time, and only a couple did a prep course.

There are obviously also a lot of people who do a course, either the first or second time, and don't score highly. You're not going to hear about those people, but it happens. Prep courses aren't the magical answer to doing well.

I wouldn't base any statistics on the small group of people that I know, so neither should the prep courses when they're giving their "stats" on how people improve so much after doing the course. But of course, they're just trying to sell you their services...

DepoProvera

Has anyone done the Practice Exams yet? Would be chuffed if it were reflective of the real exam but I sincerely doubt that - Anyone who has done it previously like to comment?