GAMSAT 2018

e1994 · 20-08-2018 2:59pm

alaskaalaska wrote: »

Yes . I think that is correct . I heard of one girl who got 57 and accepted UL who was offered UCC @ 57 and was told that all Colleges had dropped a point . I heard another boy was offered UCC and was offered RCSI last week on the phone . Havn't heard anything about UCD . UL is the the only one it seems which has stayed at the Round 0 score .

Yes going by the Irish Times CAO supplement also this seems to be the case.

Fluffy6654 · 20-08-2018 5:00pm

ROUND 0 ROUND 1
UCC 58 to 57*
UCD 59* to 58*
RCSI 59* to 58*
UL 55* to 55*

CharmingApple · 20-08-2018 5:17pm

Yes. Hopefully with the other colleges dropping, there should be a nice bit of movement of previously accepted UL round zero offers moving to RCSI and/or UCC. And UL dropping to at least 54* for round 2. The one thing I am confused about is the posts where people speak of random selection...I thought they use gpa of your first degree to decide who gets a place where there is a decision to be made with people on the same Gamsat score. This at least is reproducible and auditable. Ireland is a small place...you would have people picking their daughters, nephews and the like otherwise!Like I wonder are the people with UL offers in round 0 55* all first class honours degrees?...thoughts?

Fluffy6654 · 20-08-2018 5:56pm

For Round 0 they used randomised selection . I am certain of that . Everybody who applied was given a random number between 1000 and 0 by CAO . Where more people have an identical GAMSAT score than there are places in the College the person with the highest number gets the first available place and further places are allocated in descending numerical order . Having determined who got places in Round 0 by this method it is impossible to depart from continuing allocating places on the basis of the list ordered by random numbers . This is because the person who might have just missed a place in Round 0 might not be the first in line for a round 1 or Round 2 offer if the selection was altered to primary degree performance . It would seem that there will be further offers on 29th August and there is clear movement in the other 3 Colleges . 18 days was a long time to wait for this morning's offers and to be disappointed . At least this time it is only 9 days to wait . Random selection is a very cruel selection methodology for GEM . Its not as if one has applied for a mix of courses and will be offered some undergraduate course . Its sudden death for us with no plan B except to do GAMSAT again and apply again next year

Micha_8 · 20-08-2018 9:04pm

medgirl18 wrote: »

Best of luck I’m on 54 but I’ve a very low random number so I will be one of the last 54s to get a space. It would be great to find out that they have at least gone onto the 54 list but maybe there are people still waiting on 55. I’m looking at it the same way, it’s not the end of the world and everything happens for a reason as cheesy as it sounds! UL was not my first choice at all so it will be good to broaden options with a better score in March!

Same here, good look to you for 29th, you never know....and otherwise all the best in March...could be a blessing in disguise!

brendanwalsh · 20-08-2018 10:28pm

alaskaalaska wrote: »

Its sudden death for us with no plan B except to do GAMSAT again and apply again next year

Or come to your senses and do something else with your life. Don't worry, the idealism won't last past your intern year.

futuremedic777 · 20-08-2018 11:24pm

brendanwalsh wrote: »

alaskaalaska wrote: »

Its sudden death for us with no plan B except to do GAMSAT again and apply again next year

Or come to your senses and do something else with your life. Don't worry, the idealism won't last past your intern year.

I re-applied after not getting in last year, now i have an offer this year. Giving up also breeds failures.

brendanwalsh · 20-08-2018 11:57pm

futuremedic777 wrote: »

I re-applied after not getting in last year, now i have an offer this year. Giving up also breeds failures.

Congrats. What college are you heading to?

futuremedic777 · 21-08-2018 5:40am

brendanwalsh wrote: »

futuremedic777 wrote: »

I re-applied after not getting in last year, now i have an offer this year. Giving up also breeds failures.

Congrats. What college are you heading to?

UCC

Fluffy6654 · 27-08-2018 10:46am

If anyone hears today of any offers on the waiting lists of any of the 4 Colleges would they please post any information they have . One would expect phone calls today from all the Colleges if places have freed up since the deadline for acceptances expired at 5.15 PM last friday . Thanks .

debbysoap · 27-08-2018 11:42am

alaskaalaska wrote: »

If anyone hears today of any offers on the waiting lists of any of the 4 Colleges would they please post any information they have . One would expect phone calls today from all the Colleges if places have freed up since the deadline for acceptances expired at 5.15 PM last friday . Thanks .

Round 2 is from 10am, this Wednesday, 29th. Good luck.

Ref: https://www.cao.ie/?page=timetableevents&bb=importantdates

Fluffy6654 · 27-08-2018 5:21pm

There have been calls today

Fluffy6654 · 29-08-2018 6:27pm

There was no change today in the cutoff GAMSAT scores from the previous Round offers made on the 22nd August with each of the 4 Colleges still on randomised selection. This so unfair on those who are on 55* and have not got a UL offer . They have not got places by sheer chance and by pure bad luck in a numerical lottery . I believe that at least 8 out of every 10 who scored 55 have got offers through CAO the latest batch getting formal offers this morning . There has to be a fairer way .

Celestial12 · 29-08-2018 8:14pm

Sorry to hear that you didn't get an offer, but what other way would you propose they do it? Random allocation seems like a fair method to me when they don't have enough places for everyone. I know some people have suggested using degree scores as a tie-breaker, but that's not necessarily fair either because you're not comparing like with like.

They may make more offers in the coming weeks.

Urethra Franklin. · 29-08-2018 9:57pm

So I wasnt sure where I could put this but I'm looking or a little GAMSAT help for the September sitting (its 2 weeks away not much I can do now but still 2 weeks

)

I am 100% not expecting to get a score even close to allow me into medicine. I knew when I signed up there wasn't a chance. However I am just using this as a bit o a dry run for March, I did a science course at college and I have been trying to study chemistry for several weeks now and tbh Ive retained none of it, infact I'm probably only approximately a quarter way through the chemistry course

does anyone have any quick fire ways to study up on science fast (as I said I am not expecting to do well in any regards but I'd like to be atleast to make a good few stabs at the questions...pretty sure I am going to come out with the worst GAMSAT score in history at this stage :P )

Also, bit of a stupid question and I know that the answer is almost definitely no, but can you quote unknown individuals in section 2. I know the aim is to use the quotes presented and to structure your essay around at least one of those, however I was practising writing an essay today and I made my closing statement quoting something my friend once said (this was for the argumentative essay, so I guess theoretically it could perhaps work in a personal essay but I can hardly say" "to quote my dear friend Mary Smith" in an argumentative essay, I just said "to quote Mary Smith" (Mary Smith is not her real name btw). Is there anyway you could fiddle with the rules and get an unknown quotation into such an essay?

Fluffy6654 · 30-08-2018 9:11am

I did actually get an offer for which I thank my lucky stars but my concern is for those who got the same scores as persons offered places ( like me ) and who by pure chance and misfortune were allocated low randomised numbers . There are alternatives such as calculating a GAMSAT average score by a different multiplier such as multiplying the Section III score by 3 and not 2 as GAMSAT do and selecting on the basis of the higher of the 2 overall scores . In almost all cases that will result in a different average score for each candidate either higher or lower than the official GAMSAT average with the highest of the 2 scores being chosen . Nottingham University does this . You could have interviews running in tandem with this where people's scores still remain tied . For 2018 entry the last eligible GAMSAT scores issued in May 2018 . There is no reason that CAO has to administer GEM applications and issue results in August . Alternative calculations of average scores and interviews could be run from May onward . Cao is administratively convenient for the Medical Schools but it would not cost a lot relative to the fees charged for GEM for the Medical Schools to set up their own mini CAO computer programme that would start awarding places at the end of May . Graduate Veterinary Medicine ( GVM ) and GEM are the only 2 graduate courses I think which operate through CAO . Our selection system is lazy and in international terms is one of the few systems which rely solely on GAMSAT after basic eligibility has been established . That tells its own story . GVM offers were made by UCD by letter shortly after the May GAMSAT results came out and those who did not get places were told that they were on a waiting list and were also told the position they they occupied on that list

Celestial12 · 30-08-2018 1:42pm

Congrats on the offer Alaska.

Urethra Franklin. wrote: »

So I wasnt sure where I could put this but I'm looking or a little GAMSAT help for the September sitting (its 2 weeks away not much I can do now but still 2 weeks )

I am 100% not expecting to get a score even close to allow me into medicine. I knew when I signed up there wasn't a chance. However I am just using this as a bit o a dry run for March, I did a science course at college and I have been trying to study chemistry for several weeks now and tbh Ive retained none of it, infact I'm probably only approximately a quarter way through the chemistry course does anyone have any quick fire ways to study up on science fast (as I said I am not expecting to do well in any regards but I'd like to be atleast to make a good few stabs at the questions...pretty sure I am going to come out with the worst GAMSAT score in history at this stage :P )

Also, bit of a stupid question and I know that the answer is almost definitely no, but can you quote unknown individuals in section 2. I know the aim is to use the quotes presented and to structure your essay around at least one of those, however I was practising writing an essay today and I made my closing statement quoting something my friend once said (this was for the argumentative essay, so I guess theoretically it could perhaps work in a personal essay but I can hardly say" "to quote my dear friend Mary Smith" in an argumentative essay, I just said "to quote Mary Smith" (Mary Smith is not her real name btw). Is there anyway you could fiddle with the rules and get an unknown quotation into such an essay?

That mindset might help you for the exam (no pressure) - and you may end up doing better than you expect. I sat last September as a practice run, but I did well enough not to have to sit the exam again. At this point I think you should spend your time practicing questions rather than going over concepts. Some question sets have solutions that will help you understand which answer is the correct one. Do you have practice tests?

If the quote fits into the essay then you can definitely include it. I didn't do it personally, but I know some people learned off a number of different quotes that they felt would benefit their essays. Best of luck with the exam!

free_falling · 30-08-2018 3:25pm

Urethra Franklin. wrote: »

So I wasnt sure where I could put this but I'm looking or a little GAMSAT help for the September sitting (its 2 weeks away not much I can do now but still 2 weeks )

I am 100% not expecting to get a score even close to allow me into medicine. I knew when I signed up there wasn't a chance. However I am just using this as a bit o a dry run for March, I did a science course at college and I have been trying to study chemistry for several weeks now and tbh Ive retained none of it, infact I'm probably only approximately a quarter way through the chemistry course does anyone have any quick fire ways to study up on science fast (as I said I am not expecting to do well in any regards but I'd like to be atleast to make a good few stabs at the questions...pretty sure I am going to come out with the worst GAMSAT score in history at this stage :P )

Also, bit of a stupid question and I know that the answer is almost definitely no, but can you quote unknown individuals in section 2. I know the aim is to use the quotes presented and to structure your essay around at least one of those, however I was practising writing an essay today and I made my closing statement quoting something my friend once said (this was for the argumentative essay, so I guess theoretically it could perhaps work in a personal essay but I can hardly say" "to quote my dear friend Mary Smith" in an argumentative essay, I just said "to quote Mary Smith" (Mary Smith is not her real name btw). Is there anyway you could fiddle with the rules and get an unknown quotation into such an essay?

Hi. I sat the GAMSAT twice - once in September like you as a practice run, and again in March to try to improve my score! Before I say anything, I will just say - don't write this exam off! I felt very unprepared for the September sitting, more prepared for the March sitting, but I did better in September and got offered a place in UCD with that score! Just for context, the score I got in March wasn't even enough to get offered a place anywhere this year! Looking back, it was probably because I went into the September sitting a lot more relaxed with a f*#%itall kind of attitude, knowing I would probably do terrible, and knowing I could sit it again. The March sitting didn't have that element, it was an all or nothing exam and I was stressed, put a lot of pressure on myself and it didn't pay off! So don't put yourself down before you even step in to the exam hall - you have the privilege of this being your first time walking unsuspectingly into this exam (before it breaks your heart haha), and you have the option to sit it again... so take advantage of that position, be positive and just try your best!

Just to note, everyone studies for the GAMSAT differently, there is no "right or wrong" way and only you know what works best for you, but at this time I would recommend for you to stop studying! With 2 weeks to go until the exam, my personal advice to you would just be to practice! Practice as many GAMSAT style questions as you possibly can for Section 1 and Section 3. Familiarize yourself with the exam and time yourself! From sitting the exam, I know Section 3 is hard! Not just the questions, but also getting your timing right and holding concentration for 3 hours! But it's designed to be that way, and it's physically and mentally draining. That is why I think the best thing you can do right now is to just prepare yourself for it! You have a science background so just trust what you have already, and use the logic, reasoning and problem solving skills you gained during your degree for this section. I have a chemistry degree (I studied biology, chemistry, physics and maths) and I can honestly tell you that with the exception of some physics questions, it didn't help much for any of the questions. Even the chemistry! Because so many of the questions (especially in the March sitting) didn't require a science background, but rather strong logic and reasoning skills! This section largely requires you to pick the correct answer from the information given in the question. So I would strongly advise you to familiarize yourself with the style of questions asked and attempt as many as you can! And then analyze and figure out why the answer is what it is. The more questions you attempt, the more familiar you will become with the type of questions asked, and the more prepared you will be to answer them correctly on the day!

For Section 2, I would have read a lot of opinion pieces and watched a lot of TED talks on various topics in the weeks coming up to the exam. I learned a lot about things I never knew or even thought about before. And most importantly, I started forming my own ideas and opinions on such topics. This made writing essays so much easier, because it felt like a natural and meaningful response rather than something that was forced or rote learned. I also read essays by other GAMSAT students in response to various quotes, which also helped me to get an idea of the level and style of essay that was expected. I created a word document with 100s of quotes, where I planned rather than wrote essays. I planned what I would write and practiced writing some essays under time... but for the most part, I saved writing for the day, and it saved a lot of time! I wouldn't worry so much about the ins and outs of your essay, and what you can and cannot include. There is no guidelines to that effect, there is no "rules" and it seems highly subjective and highly unpredictable. I wrote the same both times, but scored significantly differently both times! And everyone writes differently, and in different styles so as long as you write in the correct style and write a structured essay, I would say the rest is completely up to you. To directly answer your question, I included quotes in my essays distinct from those given. For the argumentative essay (on democracy), I included a quote from Churchill because it mirrored one of the given quotes and I felt it strengthened the argument. And for the personal essay, I told anecdotes and quoted my father and grandfather because they were words that meant a lot to me, I was writing what about something I knew, and it just fit. So if a quote from a figure or a friend strengthens your essay, why not use it! But my main advice would just be to focus on writing something that is strong, meaningful, and something you can stand behind - follow a style, have a structure, and the rest will speak for itself

I know it's hard but do try to be positive, don't self sabotage and try to believe in yourself! Don't give up hope just yet, nothing good ever comes out of worrying. If you don't do well in September, you have March! And my advice to you if you have to sit the GAMSAT again would be to build a positive relationship with this exam, enjoy studying for it and see it as an opportunity to study Medicine, not an obstacle. I hope this helped you, and good luck!

brendanwalsh · 31-08-2018 5:15pm

Fluffy6654 wrote: »

I did actually get an offer for which I thank my lucky stars but my concern is for those who got the same scores as persons offered places ( like me ) and who by pure chance and misfortune were allocated low randomised numbers . There are alternatives such as calculating a GAMSAT average score by a different multiplier such as multiplying the Section III score by 3 and not 2 as GAMSAT do and selecting on the basis of the higher of the 2 overall scores . In almost all cases that will result in a different average score for each candidate either higher or lower than the official GAMSAT average with the highest of the 2 scores being chosen . Nottingham University does this . You could have interviews running in tandem with this where people's scores still remain tied . For 2018 entry the last eligible GAMSAT scores issued in May 2018 . There is no reason that CAO has to administer GEM applications and issue results in August . Alternative calculations of average scores and interviews could be run from May onward . Cao is administratively convenient for the Medical Schools but it would not cost a lot relative to the fees charged for GEM for the Medical Schools to set up their own mini CAO computer programme that would start awarding places at the end of May . Graduate Veterinary Medicine ( GVM ) and GEM are the only 2 graduate courses I think which operate through CAO . Our selection system is lazy and in international terms is one of the few systems which rely solely on GAMSAT after basic eligibility has been established . That tells its own story . GVM offers were made by UCD by letter shortly after the May GAMSAT results came out and those who did not get places were told that they were on a waiting list and were also told the position they they occupied on that list

Nonsense. You want to overhaul the whole system for a few people who didn't score well enough on the test to get automatic entry? Why not multiply the first section by 3 and you'll get a different overall score that way too. GAMSAT and gems have been operating via this route for 11 years and it's worked just fine so far. Those who got bad gamsat scores and are hoping to scrape into a medicine score by the skin of their teeth would be best off going back and studying harder for the next Crop of exams, as that sort of approach of scraping by won't serve anyone well.

I'd suggest people also consider applying for the GEMS north west programme. Another option that's cheaper and may give you a better chance of getting in.

westawake35 · 05-09-2018 1:19pm

Fluffy6654 wrote: »

I did actually get an offer for which I thank my lucky stars but my concern is for those who got the same scores as persons offered places ( like me ) and who by pure chance and misfortune were allocated low randomised numbers . There are alternatives such as calculating a GAMSAT average score by a different multiplier such as multiplying the Section III score by 3 and not 2 as GAMSAT do and selecting on the basis of the higher of the 2 overall scores . In almost all cases that will result in a different average score for each candidate either higher or lower than the official GAMSAT average with the highest of the 2 scores being chosen . Nottingham University does this . You could have interviews running in tandem with this where people's scores still remain tied . For 2018 entry the last eligible GAMSAT scores issued in May 2018 . There is no reason that CAO has to administer GEM applications and issue results in August . Alternative calculations of average scores and interviews could be run from May onward . Cao is administratively convenient for the Medical Schools but it would not cost a lot relative to the fees charged for GEM for the Medical Schools to set up their own mini CAO computer programme that would start awarding places at the end of May . Graduate Veterinary Medicine ( GVM ) and GEM are the only 2 graduate courses I think which operate through CAO . Our selection system is lazy and in international terms is one of the few systems which rely solely on GAMSAT after basic eligibility has been established . That tells its own story . GVM offers were made by UCD by letter shortly after the May GAMSAT results came out and those who did not get places were told that they were on a waiting list and were also told the position they they occupied on that list

I have to say I totally agree with Fluffy6654. Last year when I first applied I was on 58 and got two poor draws on the waiting list for both Dublin schools where my life was based. I missed out on a place while a friend of mine (also on 58) got offered rcsi last minute but didn't take it. We both postponed and reapplied this year. I sat the gamsat again just to see if I could improve my score but alas it wasn't to be. Once again with 58 I got a poor draw and have missed ucd by a few a places and rcsi by more so, whereas my friend was again offered ucd in the second round. I'm of course happy for him but the system is a bit unfair I think because it simply doesn't evaluate people's situations in terms of where they are placed on the waiting list. Things like age, family situations, financial standing, interview shoould all be included. I'm trying to figure out now how I will logistically make Limerick work but I'm grateful to have a place in the first instance.

westawake35 · 05-09-2018 1:24pm

brendanwalsh wrote: »

Nonsense. You want to overhaul the whole system for a few people who didn't score well enough on the test to get automatic entry? Why not multiply the first section by 3 and you'll get a different overall score that way too. GAMSAT and gems have been operating via this route for 11 years and it's worked just fine so far. Those who got bad gamsat scores and are hoping to scrape into a medicine score by the skin of their teeth would be best off going back and studying harder for the next Crop of exams, as that sort of approach of scraping by won't serve anyone well.

I'd suggest people also consider applying for the GEMS north west programme. Another option that's cheaper and may give you a better chance of getting in.

It's well known that you can study harder and not score as well as you did previously in the gamsat. I know someone who sat the exam 6times and when they finally "scraped" in they were never out of the top 15% of the class. The gamsat is not a good reflection of who will be a good candidate for a career in medicine.

Pierre_Robin · 09-09-2018 4:16pm

westawake35 wrote: »

The gamsat is not a good reflection of who will be a good candidate for a career in medicine.

True. But it is an excellent predictor of who will get into medical school.

The point Brendan is making, and you see people make similar complaints about the memberships as well, is that the GAMSAT is all you have. Whether you agree or not with its merits as an entrance exam for medicine is irrelevant. Study, get a good grade, and move on.

You'll only depress yourself giving out about how it SHOULD be done. If you thought the GAMSAT was bad, wait until the MRCPI!

ilovesmecounty · 09-09-2018 8:13pm

I started in college a few days ago, and guess what, Gamsat is a good indicator. Loads of the material covered for the exam are a great starting point for what we are learning. Without that basis, I would've already been floundering. You also need to be quick at decision making and writing, which I think also covers section1 and 2 well. I'd rarely agree with Brendan here, but he's right on this one. Save your energy and put it toward your next sitting. Doing it twice is horrible, I get that. It's not perfect either. I get that too. But it is a help, it's objective and it's all we have as a system.

santino · 18-09-2018 11:03pm

Hi All,

I sat GAMSAT again last week in UCD. It's been quiet enough here so I said I'll give my 2 cents. I did very little study for this one compared to last March as I'm hoping to give it my all for next March again assuming it doesn't go well.

I thought S1 was very reading heavy again but was a slight improvement on the last sitting. I didn't get to the end, as is par for the course for me. The cartoons are getting quite difficult now, at least 2/3 answers could have easily fit so I just went with the one I thought was most appropriate. Not sure what the rest of you thought.

Section 2 topics were very left-field, superstitions/conspiracy theories and Freedom. I was able to write on both, just about.

Section 3, I hadn't even looked at a book for this sitting. However, from a quick glance at other sites (Australian), people are unhappy. I think the questions are def going away from pure theory to more reason based questions, with lots of graphs. I like these types of questions normally but time is the killer here. I have no idea how this section went so just have to wait for the results, in mid November I assume.

I am thinking of doing either grinds or the GAMSAT (science) course in Dublin in January. The cost/travel is an issue for me but I would try anything at this stage. However, as mentioned, if the science is going more towards understanding questions rather than taking in knowledge with you as such, I'd be interested in people's opinions as to the value of these courses. Friends of mine (now doctors) have done them in the past and experiences are mixed.

Final thing, did anyone have an issue with the noise at the venue? The kids in the school next door put me off a bit during the essays and there were some banging/works during S3 that was annoying but presume we were just unlucky on the day.

PS If anyone thinks a new thread is warranted feel free.

Thanks.

ChromosomeT · 19-09-2018 9:40pm

santino wrote: »

Hi All,

I sat GAMSAT again last week in UCD. It's been quiet enough here so I said I'll give my 2 cents. I did very little study for this one compared to last March as I'm hoping to give it my all for next March again assuming it doesn't go well.

I thought S1 was very reading heavy again but was a slight improvement on the last sitting. I didn't get to the end, as is par for the course for me. The cartoons are getting quite difficult now, at least 2/3 answers could have easily fit so I just went with the one I thought was most appropriate. Not sure what the rest of you thought.

Section 2 topics were very left-field, superstitions/conspiracy theories and Freedom. I was able to write on both, just about.

Section 3, I hadn't even looked at a book for this sitting. However, from a quick glance at other sites (Australian), people are unhappy. I think the questions are def going away from pure theory to more reason based questions, with lots of graphs. I like these types of questions normally but time is the killer here. I have no idea how this section went so just have to wait for the results, in mid November I assume.

I am thinking of doing either grinds or the GAMSAT (science) course in Dublin in January. The cost/travel is an issue for me but I would try anything at this stage. However, as mentioned, if the science is going more towards understanding questions rather than taking in knowledge with you as such, I'd be interested in people's opinions as to the value of these courses. Friends of mine (now doctors) have done them in the past and experiences are mixed.

Final thing, did anyone have an issue with the noise at the venue? The kids in the school next door put me off a bit during the essays and there were some banging/works during S3 that was annoying but presume we were just unlucky on the day.

PS If anyone thinks a new thread is warranted feel free.

Thanks.

Similar scenario here! Sat the Gamsat again while sitting on a score of 53 from last September. I felt as though section 1 was in line with other sittings. I didn’t get every question answered in time, I’d to guess 5-8 I think. Section 2 themes were ok. I felt as though I could write on fairly general topics like climate change and gun control etc but bring in conspiracy theories to it fairly ok. The noise of the school was definitely off putting when trying to really concentrate! Section 3 was fairly horrible. I always seem to get thrown with all them damn fish questions and the lack of human bio even though. Having a science degree didn’t feel like it helped much here at all! Normally I’d be good at organic chemistry too but this was definitely a lot more abstract than usual! I’m not sure how the results will go no but it’s always just a waiting game and a gamble hoping you pick the right answer in fluke!

I have some of the grind materials but I’m not sure how useful it is. It seems quiet fact based and ties in with the notes. Probably best suited for the earlier Gamsats but I’m not sure who good it would be for the more abstract questions that seem to be in section 3 now. Maybe they’ll revamp their material? Maybe sitting the course is also better?

Urethra Franklin. · 20-09-2018 4:40am

santino wrote: »

Hi All,

I sat GAMSAT again last week in UCD. It's been quiet enough here so I said I'll give my 2 cents. I did very little study for this one compared to last March as I'm hoping to give it my all for next March again assuming it doesn't go well.

I thought S1 was very reading heavy again but was a slight improvement on the last sitting. I didn't get to the end, as is par for the course for me. The cartoons are getting quite difficult now, at least 2/3 answers could have easily fit so I just went with the one I thought was most appropriate. Not sure what the rest of you thought.

Section 2 topics were very left-field, superstitions/conspiracy theories and Freedom. I was able to write on both, just about.

Section 3, I hadn't even looked at a book for this sitting. However, from a quick glance at other sites (Australian), people are unhappy. I think the questions are def going away from pure theory to more reason based questions, with lots of graphs. I like these types of questions normally but time is the killer here. I have no idea how this section went so just have to wait for the results, in mid November I assume.

I am thinking of doing either grinds or the GAMSAT (science) course in Dublin in January. The cost/travel is an issue for me but I would try anything at this stage. However, as mentioned, if the science is going more towards understanding questions rather than taking in knowledge with you as such, I'd be interested in people's opinions as to the value of these courses. Friends of mine (now doctors) have done them in the past and experiences are mixed.

Final thing, did anyone have an issue with the noise at the venue? The kids in the school next door put me off a bit during the essays and there were some banging/works during S3 that was annoying but presume we were just unlucky on the day.

PS If anyone thinks a new thread is warranted feel free.

Thanks.

This was my first time sitting the exam.
Section 1 I didnt think was too bad. I did rush the last passage but timewise it was ok. I had done a few practice ones where my score was ok I guess (I have no idea what the average score is in section 1) and I felt this probably went about the same, maybe a slightly lower score than usual cause whenever I practiced section 1 I always gave myself the full time to write, no reading time, so it meant I had 10 minutes to go over some of my answers, whereas in the real thing, I spent the last 10 minutes trying to finish off the questions.

The essays, I thought were weird. I just felt that section A lent itself more to a personal essay and question B more so to an argumentative style essay even tho I thought it was normally the other way around (then again I did barely any prep or study for the GAMSAT so maybe it is the other way around sometimes). My question A was definitely far better than my B, I just found it difficult to find a personal angle, I kept finding myself drawing back to an argumentative style essay.

And then, the dreaded section 3. Disaster. I did 0 study for physics, 0. And personally they were the ones I felt most comfortable with. At lest they could be reasoned with logically in a timely matter. The Biology ones I thought took up waaaaaaaay too much time reading and reasoning. The practice ones I did I could complete within the allotted time per question, the ones on this exam, I dont know if maybe it was that I was subconsciously brain fogged cause of the pressure or something, but for me just couldnt be one in time like the ones I had practiced (which were acer questions btw), but they just seemed to take up so much time. And I have a biology based degree. I didnt study biology cause I knew most of it would be reasoning I just wasnt expecting it to take so long, so in the end for most of these questions I said F*** it and chose a random letter. And then chemistry...... This was the only thing I had studied for section 3, I hadnt gotten around to studying all the topics-in fact I got barely around to studying anything, and it definitely showed. All the chemistry topics I had studied, well I think a total of 2 questions came up. I hadnt studied anything about bonds or functional groups so i eeny meeny miny moed my way through these questions. Hadnt a bloody clue

I should be ashamed. I had studied the questions I had practiced in some of the practice books I had, but this was a bad tactic cause tbh the only way I would have done ok in this would have been if the questions were eerily similar to the practice ones I had done.

I actually just dont know how to study for section 3, more specifically chemistry. I took in accumulation 2 weeks off of work to study chemistry and it did not pay off at all. I was just as clueless as if I hadnt taken that time off. So I ask you now fellow GAMSATers, how do you study for section 3. Section 1 and 2 just seems to be reading and practice but section 3...I just dont know how. The girl beside me had section 3 done with about 40 minutes left to spare. She was even joking and laughing with invigilators (quietly) during the remaining time, I really wanted to ask her how she managed to do it so quick, what had she done to get on so well, but as soon as we were free to leave she was out of there like a bullet. I meanwhile ended up putting down B for half of my questions in the last 10 minutes cause thats how little of the exam I had actually gotten done by the time we got the 10 minute warning. I took this September sitting as a complete dry run, i put no pressure on myself to do well (bar taking time off of work

)

So legit anyone any recommendations for someone with 0 clue when it comes to science, cause thats what I took away from this experience, that the college I attended should take back my degree cause I hadnt a frigging clue for section 3 :P (But seriously tho, any recommendations?)

Kagana · 09-11-2018 5:51pm

Hello, all.

I wasn't sure if this was the right place to post my question, as there are so many threads on the topic of GAMSAT.
Anyway, I sat GAMSAT for the first time in September and got 65 as my overall score. As I don't have a scientific educational background, I had expected that I may have to sit the exam again in March, especially as I hadn't done so much preparation for the September sitting.
Now, on the basis of the 2018, 2017, etc. cut-off scores, I think my existing score should be enough to get me in to any of the schools in September of 2019, and that I may not need to resit GAMSAT in March, after all. This is assuming that the scores do not jump by more than 5 points, and such a jump seems to be dramatic, when compared with previous trends.
What do you all think? I would be grateful for your thoughts.

indiep · 09-11-2018 7:12pm

Scores wont jump by that much, you're good.

Kagana · 09-11-2018 8:48pm

indiep wrote: »

Scores wont jump by that much, you're good.

Thanks.

indiep · 10-11-2018 2:25am

No worries Congrats on a great score!

I also came from a non science background, if you have time to spare and want to ease the transition into the course it will be helpful if you try to get some sort of foundation in biology/anatomy this can be fairly intense/overwhelming at the start if you're starting from scratch (not unmanageable but worth getting ahead of if you can)

GAMSAT 2018

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