GAMSAT 2014?

pharmacrunch

I have UCD down first - not really sure why tbh, im currently based in Dublin and like it that way so I am hesitant to change.

Where would most UCD gems live? In an around the belfield area or further afield? Id imagine rent is expensive enough in that area? I must start investigating this in the next few weeks.

HopefulGEM

pharmacrunch wrote: »

I have UCD down first - not really sure why tbh, im currently based in Dublin and like it that way so I am hesitant to change.

Where would most UCD gems live? In an around the belfield area or further afield? Id imagine rent is expensive enough in that area? I must start investigating this in the next few weeks.

Hey I did my undergrad in ucd and I think if your looking for accommodation in the surrounding areas (Dundrum etc) your looking at roughly €100 per week. Accommodation on campus may be slightly more expensive but I'm not sure... Luckily i don't live too far from the college:D

pharmacrunch

HopefulGEM wrote: »

Hey I did my undergrad in ucd and I think if your looking for accommodation in the surrounding areas (Dundrum etc) your looking at roughly €100 per week. Accommodation on campus may be slightly more expensive but I'm not sure... Luckily i don't live too far from the college:D

Thats handy for you

My parents live outside Cork so I suppose if I went to UCC I could live with them - dont know could I face moving back in with the parents tough

Confused1987

pharmacrunch wrote: »

Where would most UCD gems live? In an around the belfield area or further afield? Id imagine rent is expensive enough in that area? I must start investigating this in the next few weeks.

There are loads of places that would be grand for getting to and from UCD! I am from Dundrum and although it's not on many direct bus routes, still only a 20 min walk or 7 min cycle!

Any areas like cabinteely, leopardstown, stillorgan, Mount Merrion etc are all along the 46a route so are no more than 15 mins away!

Although if you have a bike or a car there are plenty of places within a few kms of UCD that are quite nice and very accessible!

HopefulGEM

Does anyone know when people who have already submitted their transcripts to the cao will hear whether they have been approved or not? It says the institutes meet in April on the cao website but i'm just wondering when people actually heard back last year?

Elsa Hayes

HopefulGEM wrote: »

Does anyone know when people who have already submitted their transcripts to the cao will hear whether they have been approved or not? It says the institutes meet in April on the cao website but i'm just wondering when people actually heard back last year?

Hi there hopefulGEM,

CAO - will send you a payslip like post in July (got mine on July 20th), to tell you they
"have reviewed your application and based on documentation, you are now deemed eligible to compete for a place in Graduate Medicine based on your Gamsat score will which now be used as the sole instrument to select students for the programme".

They emailed last year on 18/07/'13 @ 5pm - to say the documentation they reviewed was deemed eligible. I think all institutions/Universities meet twice - once in April and a final time in July to review all documentation in CAO HQ.

I vaguely remember that candidates were reminded around now (April 20th) if their documentation was ineligible due to 4 conditions not being met. If this is the case you'll get another one of those CAO payslip like envelopes telling you what you need to do before mid July.

This year was slightly different - CAO emailed you on Feb. 28th to let you know all your documentation had been received, scanned, stored & available for viewing - albeit briefly.

Hope this helps.
Any prediction for release dates?.

Johnnybriggs

Suggestions online that the results will be issued Friday 16th May...

http://www.ellipsoid.org/gmi/upcoming-events

HopefulGEM

Yeah it was roughly around that time last year, just after the ucd exams!

Cymini Sectores

As result day looms, the nightmares worsen.

Johnnybriggs

I know this probably isn't the right thread, but screw it anyway. Has anybody figured out how they're going to pay for GEM if they get a place? I presume most people will be dependent on a bank loan for the fees, but what about maintenance? I've worked for the past two years but unfortunately haven't been in a position to save money due to other commitments. Also, I can't depend on home for support as they've their own things to deal with. I fear that even if I get offered a place, I won't be able to afford to take it up. Terrible realisation, but I'm guessing one that could effect a proportion of applicants.

MathsMedMixed

Johnnybriggs wrote: »

I know this probably isn't the right thread, but screw it anyway. Has anybody figured out how they're going to pay for GEM if they get a place? I presume most people will be dependent on a bank loan for the fees, but what about maintenance? I've worked for the past two years but unfortunately haven't been in a position to save money due to other commitments. Also, I can't depend on home for support as they've their own things to deal with. I fear that even if I get offered a place, I won't be able to afford to take it up. Terrible realisation, but I'm guessing one that could effect a proportion of applicants.

I have been working 9 yrs + (immediately after leaving cert). Come August, fees for 2 years should be manageable. Plan to work at least 20 hrs a week during college (if that's possible) to meet living costs. Haven't had a good relationship with banks, hoping to deal with credit union.

just-joe

Johnnybriggs wrote: »

I know this probably isn't the right thread, but screw it anyway. Has anybody figured out how they're going to pay for GEM if they get a place? I presume most people will be dependent on a bank loan for the fees, but what about maintenance? I've worked for the past two years but unfortunately haven't been in a position to save money due to other commitments. Also, I can't depend on home for support as they've their own things to deal with. I fear that even if I get offered a place, I won't be able to afford to take it up. Terrible realisation, but I'm guessing one that could effect a proportion of applicants.

In this exact situation. very hard to decide about whether to take up a place and study med when I don't have a clue if i can actually afford it.

I guess working part time would be a start. But it would be hard to get by on just a part time job...

Johnnybriggs

Unfortunately it still seems that with admission to this course, it's more than advantageous to be from an affluent background. If the right support structures were in place for affordable loans post-graduation, equality of access would exist. However, even the loaning systems in place at the moment are under threat, with most (if not all) banks only offering fee's cover only. How worth is any course of study if its four years consist of nothing but a poor and miserable existence?

pharmacrunch

I am in the same boat as the rest of ye, as results day looms I think the biggest obstacle will be funding.

I have relatively no savings and the current loan prospects scare me. Its a shame there is not something more solid in place to accommodate those who have achieved the necessary requirements (honours degree, gamsat score etc- which are an achievement in themselves)

RainBow_xo

The prospect of funding the course is a very scary one indeed! I am in the same boat! I come from a not-so-fortunate background and my parents live in a council house. This will probably mean I have no guarantor Do any of the banks offer loans without a guarantor?

Cymini Sectores

RainBow_xo wrote: »

The prospect of funding the course is a very scary one indeed! I am in the same boat! I come from a not-so-fortunate background and my parents live in a council house. This will probably mean I have no guarantor Do any of the banks offer loans without a guarantor?

Think someone was saying that UB give without guarantor. But one never knows unless they have offer in hand and walk into UB to know what the story is.

Cymini Sectores

The fees no doubt is an obstacle. But my immediate worry now is the results! Looking back at the number of guesses in s 3, the fact that I didn't read three passages in s 1 and ended up guessing AND finally the fact that the quotes in s 2 had no authors which completely threw me off, I'm looking to repeat this exam.

pharmacrunch

RainBow_xo wrote: »

The prospect of funding the course is a very scary one indeed! I am in the same boat! I come from a not-so-fortunate background and my parents live in a council house. This will probably mean I have no guarantor Do any of the banks offer loans without a guarantor?

Looking at this realistically, I will not have a guarantor - simply because of my parents age (both retired) and wouldnt dream of inflicting such a notion in their minds.

Ill have to try my luck with the banks based on my financial history alone and hope for the best

RainBow_xo

Cymini Sectores wrote: »

Think someone was saying that UB give without guarantor. But one never knows unless they have offer in hand and walk into UB to know what the story is.

Thanks, I will have to call in and see what the story is!

RainBow_xo

Cymini Sectores wrote: »

The fees no doubt is an obstacle. But my immediate worry now is the results! Looking back at the number of guesses in s 3, the fact that I didn't read three passages in s 1 and ended up guessing AND finally the fact that the quotes in s 2 had no authors which completely threw me off, I'm looking to repeat this exam.

I think there are many of us in the same boat as you, myself included. Thing is, you don't know your score so you have no idea how it went! The exam is designed in such a way that you feel defeated coming out of it, so do not give up yet! Just think you have already beaten those who didn't even show up on the exam day

RainBow_xo

pharmacrunch wrote: »

Looking at this realistically, I will not have a guarantor - simply because of my parents age (both retired) and wouldnt dream of inflicting such a notion in their minds.

Ill have to try my luck with the banks based on my financial history alone and hope for the best

I have been a student my whole life :P I don't even know if I will have any financial history. Have you been working? If not, do you think they will give out loans to students with no 'real' financial history? I guess I shouldn't worry right now, I don't even know my score :P

pharmacrunch

RainBow_xo wrote: »

I have been a student my whole life :P I don't even know if I will have any financial history. Have you been working? If not, do you think they will give out loans to students with no 'real' financial history? I guess I shouldn't worry right now, I don't even know my score :P

Ive only been working for two years! But always had a part time job etc through the years.

I am a relatively new customer to bank of Ireland tough - just hoping that if I do get in and do decide to ultimately take the offer then the lack of having a guarantor wont stop me

Johnnybriggs

I've heard (on good authority) that the banks won't even entertain an application unless you have a CAO confirming offer of a place on a GEM course. As that doesn't happen until 1st August, leaves it quite tight getting loans pushed through before the start of term in early September. I feel that clearing that hurdle will be nearly as big as getting the offer in the first place!

Lub

Is anyone else riddled with the fear of not sending all of the correct documents off to the CAO? I just got an email from them saying I haven't sent them a certified copy of my award. I didn't even know I have to send that!

letsdothis

Lub wrote: »

Is anyone else riddled with the fear of not sending all of the correct documents off to the CAO? I just got an email from them saying I haven't sent them a certified copy of my award. I didn't even know I have to send that!

Same here - I thought it was just transcript and GAMSAT result. I'm going to get onto one of the admissions offices tomorrow to see where I stand. Can't believe I missed that...

Ballet17

letsdothis wrote: »

Same here - I thought it was just transcript and GAMSAT result. I'm going to get onto one of the admissions offices tomorrow to see where I stand. Can't believe I missed that...

Hi guys, oh thank god I'm not the only one then! Received the email just after 5 so it was too late to call, needless to say panic ensued! I sat the gamsat for the first time in March so am already a little on the panicky-side awaiting the results.. I just had previously sent them my full transcript (2.1 etc) presuming this was fine. Did your email say that 'inadequate document was supplied? -If you don't mind me asking. I've been going through horrible scenarios imagining why I may not be eligible! Thanks
I emailed admissions as well so will post if/when I hear something back.

Lub

Ohhhh fantastic we're all in the same boat! :P

This is what mine said:

The institutions concerned have jointly reviewed your application and based on
the documentation received as of 15th March, 2014, you have been deemed
ineligible for the following reason:


A. inadequate documentation supplied (original transcripts for all years and a
certified copy of evidence of conferring is required);

So I assume (and hope) that everything else is in order. They'll probably want a DNA swab next!

pharmacrunch

I was lucky enough that everything I sent in was ok - deemed eligible etc. If it helps anyone exactly what I sent was:

1) Photocopy of my degree parchment ( verified by the University)

2) Copy of transcripts for my undergraduate course

Ballet17

Lub wrote: »

Ohhhh fantastic we're all in the same boat! :P

This is what mine said:



So I assume (and hope) that everything else is in order. They'll probably want a DNA swab next!

That's what mine said as well. I got a response from the admissions office in UL this morning and they said it was because I had not submitted proof of conferring along with my transcripts. So I've just to send a certified copy of my certificate to the cao before the deadline and they review again July. Hope that helps people in the same situation!

Now to wait for the results...no idea what to expect! Yikes:) Best of luck to others waiting as well and congrats to those who already have them!

MathsMedMixed

Anyone know if there is FREE student car parking in UCD? Website is unclear as regards this. Thanks