Resitting GAMSAT - Advice needed!

Shamrock22

Hi everyone,

I have been following various threads about the GAMSAT on Boards up until I sat the exam in March. It is only now that I have decided to resist the exam in the UK that I have been brave enough to join and ask for some advice, so hello!

When I first sat the GAMSAT, I was coming from a non-science background and didnt allow myself enough time to prepare, which in hindsight wasn't a great idea. Although I did well in the first 2 sections, science is a major downfall. I am also unsure whether I used the best materials, and whether I adapted the best study strategy.

I have given myself the next 15 weeks to study full time for the exam, and there's a few things I'd like to ask you knowledgeable people. On average, how many times do people tend to sit the exam before they are successful? Is it reasonable to expect your overall score to rise by ten or so points?

Also, what materials do people recommend? I have had various recommendations but have relied mostly on A level textbooks as well as organic chemistry and physics for dummies. From what I've seen a lot of the material is expensive to buy and, although Im willing to pay it if it's worth it, I don't want to throw money away either.

Also, I'd anyone else planning to sit the exam in the UK in September? Does anyone know if ACER still recommend hotels near the location or is it up to ourselves to decide where to stay?

AFinally, is there anyone in Limerick or the wider Munster region who is currently studying for the GAMSAT? If so, is anyone willing to start a study group or able to recommend tutors in any of the sciences?

I'm so sorry for all the questions, but am feeling a bit lost about which way to prepare second time round!

Thanks everyone

Shamrock22

Advice or answers to any of the above questions would be hugely appreciated :-)

daRobot

Shamrock22 wrote: »

Advice or answers to any of the above questions would be hugely appreciated :-)

Yes, I would love the same

PeadarGalway

Hey guys, a lot of these questions have been answered in other threads but I'll answer what I can because I know it's frustrating when nobody responds.

First of all congrats on having sat the exam first time round and doing well in the first two sections. They are, after all, worth half the exam and I think people tend to forget that! As a non science person (like myself) don't just focus on s3: practice practice practice PRACTICE essays - take 35 minutes, 3 sheets of paper, a quote and write an essay. Do this as often as possible. It doesn't matter if you start regurgitating the same ideas after a while, just make sure you respond to a variety of themes. AC Graylings "meaning of things" is great for this: pick a topic, write an essay and then go back to see what grayling has to say about it.

Biggest caveat I have for this section: 30 minutes, max 3-4 pages so MAKE IT COUNT! Don't waffle!

For section 3 I did the gradmed course which helped me immensely. I found the "for dummies" books very good as well to fill in certain gaps in my knowledge.
There's an australian forum pagingdr.net that is dedicated to grad med in Oz, their gamsat forum is very good and if you search through it there's a good study syllabus on there somewhere (I thought I had the link saved but I don't, sorry). You need to register to access that board, but be careful, I found myself getting sucked into that page as the exam drew closer, it gets very intense with uber science geeks detailing every law and question they've gone through and done. Get in and get out quickly

The khan academy videos are extremely useful too, especially for non-science peeps and are geared at the right level for gamsat.

Biggest caveat I have for this section is try to understand topics rather than learn them off by heart. Eg Instead of learning the definition of osmosis, know why it happens! The people at ACER take basic concepts,dress them up as clowns, send them out with a marching band to distract you, all while battering you over the head with time pressure.

That's all I can think of at the moment, best of luck!

cliona88

thanks peadar,
just wondering did you go to london to do the gradmed course or did you do the irish intensive one?

PeadarGalway

cliona88 wrote: »

thanks peadar,
just wondering did you go to london to do the gradmed course or did you do the irish intensive one?

You're welcome!
I did the full course in NCI which ran from January until two weeks before the exam. They really are brilliant, and doing it really cemented my drive and desire to get into medicine, along with developing my scientific intuition and focusing me on what I needed to know. The intensive course is scarily intense, especially the chemistry: if you're considering it maybe consider doing the physics and biology intensive, but the full chemistry. Being quite honest, the amount of information that Rob packed into each day of Organic chemistry left us all like zombies by 6pm. I actually can't imagine how stressful the intensive course would be.

PeadarGalway

actually, heres that link for help with the science. http://pagingdr.net/forum/index.php?topic=69.msg45#msg45

you need to register with them to access the boards.

DiGeorge

Shamrock22 wrote: »

I have given myself the next 15 weeks to study full time for the exam, and there's a few things I'd like to ask you knowledgeable people. On average, how many times do people tend to sit the exam before they are successful? Is it reasonable to expect your overall score to rise by ten or so points?

Depends on what your score was to begin with! Going from 55 to 65 is a different story than 47 to 57. With 15 weeks of proper study it is definitely possible! Average seems to be about 2/3 times though many people (myself included) got it the first time. That being said there doesn't seem to be a correlation between that and your grades once you're on the course.

Shamrock wrote:

Also, what materials do people recommend? I have had various recommendations but have relied mostly on A level textbooks as well as organic chemistry and physics for dummies. From what I've seen a lot of the material is expensive to buy and, although Im willing to pay it if it's worth it, I don't want to throw money away either.

The For Dummies books are excellent, couple it with a college level o-chem book and you're more than set. The Dummies books only go so far and don't prepare you for some of the more conceptually challenging questions that occur. Plus there are usually sample questions at the end of chapters in proper books and so give you plenty of practice with the questions.

Shamrock wrote:

I'm so sorry for all the questions, but am feeling a bit lost about which way to prepare second time round!

Ask a million questions, you'll be surprised how quickly you can progress by doing that! Any other Qs fire away.

daRobot

The For Dummies books are excellent, couple it with a college level o-chem book and you're more than set. The Dummies books only go so far and don't prepare you for some of the more conceptually challenging questions that occur. Plus there are usually sample questions at the end of chapters in proper books and so give you plenty of practice with the questions.

Hi DiGeorge

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! Just as any of us out there I am becoming a stress head in relation to finding the best material possible to tackle the G.! The problem is, there is so much stuff out there and not enough time to read it all! Would you say that having read and understood all dummy books on Bio, Org Chem, Chem and Physics, you stand a good chance for a good mark? When you speak of the more conceptually challenging questions, is there anything in specific that the above detailed positions lack...?

I consider purchasing the GradMed notes or Des Notes, do you think it is useful or should I stick with dummies and Acer test only...

On a side note, I have bought the Gold Standard, but gosh, it's proving very user-hostile

Thanks again to all contributing to this board. Let the madness roll !

JakeZ

daRobot wrote: »

The For Dummies books are excellent, couple it with a college level o-chem book and you're more than set. The Dummies books only go so far and don't prepare you for some of the more conceptually challenging questions that occur. Plus there are usually sample questions at the end of chapters in proper books and so give you plenty of practice with the questions.

Hi DiGeorge

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! Just as any of us out there I am becoming a stress head in relation to finding the best material possible to tackle the G.! The problem is, there is so much stuff out there and not enough time to read it all! Would you say that having read and understood all dummy books on Bio, Org Chem, Chem and Physics, you stand a good chance for a good mark? When you speak of the more conceptually challenging questions, is there anything in specific that the above detailed positions lack...?

I consider purchasing the GradMed notes or Des Notes, do you think it is useful or should I stick with dummies and Acer test only...

On a side note, I have bought the Gold Standard, but gosh, it's proving very user-hostile

Thanks again to all contributing to this board. Let the madness roll !

DES o neill notes are great!! Anyone in dublin area want to meet up to b'''' about all this work! Gamsat exam is so isolating when u don't know anyone doing it!!

Also have some mock DES o neill exams that I want to do in the "exam environment" so if anyone is game, pm me!!


STREEEEESSS!!

daRobot

Ha ha ha

My feelings exactly!!!

I am stressed, unprepared and I need heaps of motivation!

I am in! Whereabouts are you based?

Wisco

I too found the 'for dummies' stuff good and used the Organic chem book as well as workbook- very helpful. I also used Examkrackers MCAT stuff and found especially the verbal reasoning questions to be good practice (I found the MCAT questions easier than GAMSAT, but they were good for getting me into the right mindset).
I had no science background so def used my language and writing skills to bring up my score- do practice verbal reasoning and essay writing, even if you're already good at them as it can really bring up the score.
I also looked at some YouTube clips of a Canadian high school teacher who does organic chem- can't remember his name right now but they were helpful and short so you could watch as many or as few as fit into your studying- just search for organic chemistry.
And get as many GAMSAT papers as you can to practice your timing- I'd reserve at least one for the weekend before the exam to make sure you get your timing down. I'm quite a fast reader and still found myself caught for time on S1 and S3. Reading current events, especially the Economist because they have good examples of defending an argument, is a good way to prepare for S2.
Good luck- I got the score I needed on the first go, despite no science background and probably not as much study as I should have done;), so it's def doable!

JakeZ

daRobot wrote: »

Ha ha ha

My feelings exactly!!!

I am stressed, unprepared and I need heaps of motivation!

I am in! Whereabouts are you based?

Great I'm in north Dublin, I've pm'd u there, if we could get like say max three or 4 pple and get a hall and set the time etc etc. I got a practice paper from Internet

Shamrock22

I have just seen your replies, they are really appreciated :-) its nice to hear from others who are/have been in the same boat!