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Coronovirus - Gamsat MARCH 2020

2456716

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭Tacadh


    Confused_! wrote: »
    Yeah very hard to see how they can prevent cheating this way! Most speculation is that they will use webcams, but there's still a lot they won't be able to see with a webcam, and it would be pretty hard to monitor hundreds of students via webcam at the same time. And how will they manage toilet breaks? Still a lot to find out yet!

    My guess is that they’ll have a certain amount of online invigilators watching webcams, maybe flagging suspicious activity and there might be a keystroke logger or something to stop cheating. It’ll be an interesting one that’s for sure anyway


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 587 ✭✭✭Planemo


    I think this is highly unfair tbh. How can you compare the scores of the May 2020 sitting with September 2019, May 2019, and September 2018 when they weren't sat under the same conditions? What about people who don't have access to a home PC/webcam or have a bad internet connection (esp. people in rural areas)? I feel like I don't stand a chance with this because cheating will be so rampant. This is ACER not wanting to refund people's money and offering a poor alternative. Extremely disappointed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Agree with all the above.. webcams monitoring or not - people could just get someone else to sit the test for them entirely.. Probably shouldn't be complaining considering it's still going ahead! Just can't see myself scoring as high when trying to do the test on a laptop.. even the essay component.. much easier for me to put pen to paper and let the words flow on the page! Or if your connection is dodgy / you get cut off half-way through the test you're more or less screwed.. Definitely not sure how I feel about all of this!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20 purnimasnow


    I would imagine there is going to be some stringent measures in place regarding webcams, and programmes that monitor your computers activity. I know they have done that previously for Tax Exams in Ireland, at random an invigilator will ask you to turn your laptop around and give a tour of the room. I guess its just the best case of a bad scenario. Equally though I am very worried about peoples menacing ways to cheat and it will just knock myself down the bell curve.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 587 ✭✭✭Planemo


    I would imagine there is going to be some stringent measures in place regarding webcams, and programmes that monitor your computers activity. I know they have done that previously for Tax Exams in Ireland, at random an invigilator will ask you to turn your laptop around and give a tour of the room. I guess its just the best case of a bad scenario. Equally though I am very worried about peoples menacing ways to cheat and it will just knock myself down the bell curve.

    There's going to be around 1000 people in Ireland alone sitting this exam at the same time - it's impossible to manually check that many people for cheating the whole time. I know there's certain software that would prevent cheating on your computer but there are countless other ways eg. if we're allowed to go to the bathroom during the exam someone can leave and look at notes outside the room. The only thing that would really stop people is the time crunch for S3, and S1 you can't really cheat or look up the answers but the essay section is going to be a free for all.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43 Confused_!


    Have just seen on another forum that someone emailed ACER about cheating and they replied with this additional info (I'm sure this will be in the updated handbook next week anyway):

    "The GAMSAT online test will be monitored in real time by a live proctor, who will observe each candidate as they undertake the test. Prior to the test beginning candidates will be required to show the proctor their surrounding environment using their computer's camera. This check will ensure there are no phones, books or notes close by. ID checked will also be completed prior to the test being started. If suspicious behaviour is observed the proctor will intervene if necessary and can stop the test at any time. All tests will be recorded and will be reviewed by ACER, if suspicious behaviour is observed at any time during the test.

    Supporting the proctoring team will be an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that monitors the eye line of the test taker and listens to the background noise of the room the test is being administered.

    ACER will be notified within 24 hours of any misconduct incidents, and results may be cancelled if unethical behaviour is confirmed."


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    its really difficult to see how they could standardise this to make it as fair as possible for all candidates....hopefully points required for entry will stay the same or go down...it would look fairly suspicious if points requirements rose after having the exam online. Will they employ one invigilator per each candidate.... its all a bit mad!


  • Registered Users Posts: 19 somebodylikeme


    I deferred my sitting until September for health reasons and I am so glad I did. I can't imagine having to sit a full length GAMSAT on a computer. I wouldn't be able with my crappy internet connection anyway but I find a computer so difficult to take in information from.

    Some people will find it easier of course!


  • Registered Users Posts: 159 ✭✭Banaba


    Hey guys I read on another forum that acer emailed someone and told them that the exam will be held across multiple dates in Late May and apparently there will be different sets of questions and essay themes to obviously avoid cheating online.

    I know the majority are against the online test and I agree it’s not going to be good but on the plus side at least we are getting a chance, albeit no ideal but if we didn’t have an exam at all until September we would also be giving out about that too. It’s a first for everyone including acer so just embrace it and see what happens. Who knows it could be the sitting that gets you the points you need


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  • Registered Users Posts: 19 gradmedgirl


    Banaba wrote: »
    Hey guys I read on another forum that acer emailed someone and told them that the exam will be held across multiple dates in Late May and apparently there will be different sets of questions and essay themes to obviously avoid cheating online.

    I know the majority are against the online test and I agree it’s not going to be good but on the plus side at least we are getting a chance, albeit no ideal but if we didn’t have an exam at all until September we would also be giving out about that too. It’s a first for everyone including acer so just embrace it and see what happens. Who knows it could be the sitting that gets you the points you need

    I'm considering asking my sister to sit it for me! We look identical and she scored 65!! Aaaah the temptations!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43 Confused_!


    I'm considering asking my sister to sit it for me! We look identical and she scored 65!! Aaaah the temptations!

    I really hope this is a joke. Most people who will be sitting the exam have been working really hard over the last few months to get the best score, and it's incredible frustrating that people are trying to use this one chance that ACER has given us for 2020 entry as an excuse to cheat. It's **** that we can't sit the exam as normal, but the world is going through an unprecedented crisis where people are already anxious enough, without people like you making us more anxious for this exam because you think it's ok to cheat. People cheating and getting high scores as a result is just going to make it harder for those of us who actually put the work in and who want to get in without compromising integrity.

    Nobody will be able to sit the exams for you if you get into medicine, so what will you do then? If you are thinking this way for just trying to get into medicine, then how do you think you'll get through a 4 year intensive course? Not to mention it doesn't speak for much for your ethical behaviour, a cornerstone of being a doctor.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19 gradmedgirl


    Confused_! wrote: »
    I really hope this is a joke. Most people who will be sitting the exam have been working really hard over the last few months to get the best score, and it's incredible frustrating that people are trying to use this one chance that ACER has given us for 2020 entry as an excuse to cheat. It's **** that we can't sit the exam as normal, but the world is going through an unprecedented crisis where people are already anxious enough, without people like you making us more anxious for this exam because you think it's ok to cheat. People cheating and getting high scores as a result is just going to make it harder for those of us who actually put the work in and who want to get in without compromising integrity.

    Nobody will be able to sit the exams for you if you get into medicine, so what will you do then? If you are thinking this way for just trying to get into medicine, then how do you think you'll get through a 4 year intensive course? Not to mention it doesn't speak for much for your ethical behaviour, a cornerstone of being a doctor.

    Thank you for your unnecessary input lol, and yes that was a joke, but on that note - may consider it now just to piss you off ☺️🙌 xo


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43 Confused_!


    Thank you for your unnecessary input lol, and yes that was a joke, but on that note - may consider it now just to piss you off ☺️�� xo

    Good one 🙄


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    Anyone selling laptops with a 15 inch screen? :pac:This whole exam is the biggest joke I've ever seen!!! Such high stakes and so unequal!


  • Registered Users Posts: 14 sbm_s


    what day are you guys going to sit it? im thinking of doing it the first day just to get it over with


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  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭Tacadh


    Hey, has anyone gone onto proctorU yet? My speakers wont pass the equiptment test :confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Bartman26


    Tacadh wrote: »
    Hey, has anyone gone onto proctorU yet? My speakers wont pass the equiptment test :confused:

    Hi folks, I've just come on and found this thread.. To say I'm a little shocked would be an understatement. Sitting the exam under these conditions is completely unfair, not only on the people who are sitting it (although that remains to be seen) but particularly on the people who sat it in Sept in a hall full of people.. Personally I've waited 5yrs to get a score that will hopefully get me my 1st preference uni and if this "online" sitting in May suddenly turns out to skew the scoring and scores go up out of nowhere.. I can see some serious protesting from people, including myself, who sat the exam in Sept 2019 or even in March 2019.


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    Bartman26 wrote: »
    Hi folks, I've just come on and found this thread.. To say I'm a little shocked would be an understatement. Sitting the exam under these conditions is completely unfair, not only on the people who are sitting it (although that remains to be seen) but particularly on the people who sat it in Sept in a hall full of people.. Personally I've waited 5yrs to get a score that will hopefully get me my 1st preference uni and if this "online" sitting in May suddenly turns out to skew the scoring and scores go up out of nowhere.. I can see some serious protesting from people, including myself, who sat the exam in Sept 2019 or even in March 2019.

    Hi bartman, I know it must feel quite stressful and in some ways unfair. There is so much that is unfair about a pandemic. It would also be unfair for candidates to be denied their chance to have a shot where they may have taken months off work to study.

    Personally, I will find it harder to sit this online as my small kids will be downstairs the whole time due to quarantine restrictions, also my desk and chair are crap and there isnt really a shop open to improve them I will find that distracting!

    I trust that acer have many years of expertise in the business of assessment and they will note if marks in increase alot compared to traditional method of sitting, in my own opinion I suspect if they see that in the marks they may introduce a handicap.

    Can I ask if you are sitting the exam in May? Truly it is an uncertain time, and lots of regulations are being modified in so many settings and domains. I hope you get your choice of uni, but the rest of us who haven't had a chance to sit don't want to be denied a shot.


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Bartman26


    Hi bartman, I know it must feel quite stressful and in some ways unfair. There is so much that is unfair about a pandemic. It would also be unfair for candidates to be denied their chance to have a shot where they may have taken months off work to study.

    Personally, I will find it harder to sit this online as my small kids will be downstairs the whole time due to quarantine restrictions, also my desk and chair are crap and there isnt really a shop open to improve them I will find that distracting!

    I trust that acer have many years of expertise in the business of assessment and they will note if marks in increase alot compared to traditional method of sitting, in my own opinion I suspect if they see that in the marks they may introduce a handicap.

    Can I ask if you are sitting the exam in May? Truly it is an uncertain time, and lots of regulations are being modified in so many settings and domains. I hope you get your choice of uni, but the rest of us who haven't had a chance to sit don't want to be denied a shot.

    Hi Tax, of course absolutely no one should be denied their opportunity to sit the exam and I understand that the current crisis is leaving Acer with little other option but to do what they are doing. I just feel uncomfortable with the test conditions to be honest. How will they monitor toilet breaks, what if someone has a biochem book waiting in the bathroom.. There's a lot of unknowns. If the scores go up we will know anyway and there will be pushback. No I'm not sitting it in May. I sat it for a 3rd time in Sept and 'had' assumed it was safe for my 1st pref. But with this now I don't know what will happen. Anyway, I wish you the best in it and I hope the kids will be quiet on the day for you! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    Bartman26 wrote: »
    Hi Tax, of course absolutely no one should be denied their opportunity to sit the exam and I understand that the current crisis is leaving Acer with little other option but to do what they are doing. I just feel uncomfortable with the test conditions to be honest. How will they monitor toilet breaks, what if someone has a biochem book waiting in the bathroom.. There's a lot of unknowns. If the scores go up we will know anyway and there will be pushback. No I'm not sitting it in May. I sat it for a 3rd time in Sept and 'had' assumed it was safe for my 1st pref. But with this now I don't know what will happen. Anyway, I wish you the best in it and I hope the kids will be quiet on the day for you! :)

    I totally understand your fears of cheating. Just to reassure you though, I used to invigilate uni exams alot; bathroom break should take 2 mins max except for once or twice a day on "those occasions". The proctor will note the exact time the candidate left room for bathroom and their return time, every single time. I also think the software probably saves their input before and after bathroom break (it should if it's any good haven't checked). As such there are two scenarios I can see, a) if they go lookup some single thing it will only buy them a few marks in a quick round trip to bathroom b) if they are gone for an extended period and look up a bunch of stuff it would be quite obvious if significant cheating has occurred by the input before and after the bathroom break, gamsat will deal with that.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Only getting a chance to properly read through the information booklet for the online test now..

    On page 5 of the booklet it talks about the structure and content of the GAMSAT and states the number of questions and length of each section.. Says there are 40 questions for Section 1 and 60 for Section 3? Am I completely missing something or have they reduced the number of questions for this online sitting? It's usually 75 questions for Section 1 and 110 questions for Section 3!

    Would appreciate any clarification!! :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    corkgal_89 wrote: »
    Only getting a chance to properly read through the information booklet for the online test now..

    On page 5 of the booklet it talks about the structure and content of the GAMSAT and states the number of questions and length of each section.. Says there are 40 questions for Section 1 and 60 for Section 3? Am I completely missing something or have they reduced the number of questions for this online sitting? It's usually 75 questions for Section 1 and 110 questions for Section 3!

    Would appreciate any clarification!! :D
    OOOoooh hadnt read the complete document yet, thank you for the heads up. Am going to go check now. Wondered if they would change structure.


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Yes, please have a look and let me know your thoughts!

    Says that the test element is 4 hours which would imply that it's a shorter exam alright but it's strange that this hasn't been made more obvious!? That's why i'm doubting my eyes somewhat and am looking to others for clarification on the matter!! ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    Yep, it seems you are correct. This is a totally different exam now.

    Section 1: Reading time 5 mins, 40 Qs, 55 mins writing time
    Section 2: Reading time 5 mins, 2 Qs, 60 mins writing time
    Section 3: Reading time 6 mins, 60 Qs, 1 hr 54 mins writing time.

    @Bartman ... I think now you have more cause for feelinrg fed up.

    I'm not sure how to feel about it, it is certainly proving to be a rollercoaster. Students all over the world are going through similar though. Trying to study while homeschooling kids is really proving difficult on a personal level.

    I feel like the exam will be more difficult in the sense that if a few topics you are unfamiliar with come up you could be at a big disadvantage on the science side. However, the marathon number of questions and brain fog that must go with the original format are reduced.

    Have new practise questions been posted or are we going in blind?


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    Maybe proctorU servers cant cope with 7 hours of video? The proctor would need relief/break if the exam was in the long format, which given the good ole pandemic would not be possible. So I can see why GAMSAT may have needed to change it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    I cant believe my webcam just died. Now have to buy new laptop.


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    I cant believe my webcam just died. Now have to buy new laptop.

    Oh no! How do you do the equipment test!? I haven’t done it yet.. clicked on a link that I thought was it but nothing loaded!!

    Also, just out of interest - what background are you coming from!? I’m coming from a business background myself!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 27 Bartman26


    Yep, it seems you are correct. This is a totally different exam now.

    Section 1: Reading time 5 mins, 40 Qs, 55 mins writing time
    Section 2: Reading time 5 mins, 2 Qs, 60 mins writing time
    Section 3: Reading time 6 mins, 60 Qs, 1 hr 54 mins writing time.

    @Bartman ... I think now you have more cause for feelinrg fed up.

    I'm not sure how to feel about it, it is certainly proving to be a rollercoaster. Students all over the world are going through similar though. Trying to study while homeschooling kids is really proving difficult on a personal level.

    I feel like the exam will be more difficult in the sense that if a few topics you are unfamiliar with come up you could be at a big disadvantage on the science side. However, the marathon number of questions and brain fog that must go with the original format are reduced.

    Have new practise questions been posted or are we going in blind?

    It's a different exam now. This is getting interesting.. Here's the reply I got from Acer to an email I sent them..


    Thank you for your email. Please note scores are scaled by ACER to make them directly comparable from test to test. ACER psychometricians will apply Item Response Theory methods to scale and equate the May 2020 GAMSAT Online test onto the existing GAMSAT scale. These methods reflect international best-practice for scaling and equating high-stakes admissions tests. This is the same process that occurs each year to allow for differences across tests and testing cohorts.

    GAMSAT results obtained from different sittings are directly comparable and may be used when applying to universities for up to two consecutive years.


  • Registered Users Posts: 20 si1234


    Did anyone receive a confirmation email that their exam is now in May 2020? I’m worried my choice didn’t save, I know if you don’t choose anything your automatically deferred to September! Been trying to reach ACER since yesterday but they’re OOO until April 14th. can someone ease the anxiety?


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    si1234 wrote: »
    Did anyone receive a confirmation email that their exam is now in May 2020? I’m worried my choice didn’t save, I know if you don’t choose anything your automatically deferred to September! Been trying to reach ACER since yesterday but they’re OOO until April 14th. can someone ease the anxiety?

    If you log into your ACER account you'll be able to see if you're registered for May 2020.. The cut off for choosing your test date was yesterday.. Did you go into the 'View options' tab in the past week or two and choose a test date?? If not, may have automatically deferred you to September..


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  • Registered Users Posts: 20 si1234


    corkgal_89 wrote: »
    If you log into your ACER account you'll be able to see if you're registered for May 2020.. The cut off for choosing your test date was yesterday.. Did you go into the 'View options' tab in the past week or two and choose a test date?? If not, may have automatically deferred you to September..

    I think I did, you choose the date range vs actually individual dates, right? Now I’m worried it didn’t save or I messed something up. My registration says PROGRAMME: GAMSAT, Year: May 2020, Status: Completed and then just gives me the Action Option to Manage.. is this the same as yours?

    Thank you I hope I’m just freaking out!


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    si1234 wrote: »
    I think I did, you choose the date range vs actually individual dates, right? Now I’m worried it didn’t save or I messed something up. My registration says PROGRAMME: GAMSAT, Year: May 2020, Status: Completed and then just gives me the Action Option to Manage.. is this the same as yours?

    Thank you I hope I’m just freaking out!

    Oh I know, it's a very stressful time so I completely understand.. the deadline to get a refund was yesterday and I was panicking and almost cancelled the whole thing altogether but then just decided to truck on with it!

    It says that on my homepage, yeah, but when I click into the 'Manage' tab and scroll down it says 'Preferred Test Centre - 30 May 2020 - Remote Proctoring'.. I went in and picked the test date which I think you're supposed to do?

    I wouldn't worry about it too much though as you're registered for May 2020 and it says 'Completed' on your homepage so I would say there will be no issue with you selecting your test date then as soon as the ACER staff at back in the office and email you.

    Which college are you hoping for!?


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    Hello all,

    Hope the study is proceeding ok for you all.

    So, I got a confirmation email from CAO for receipt of supporting documentation but when I checked they had not scanned my main transcript. Their email simply says dont post anything until covid restrictions are lifted - this has me quite concerned. They managed to scan the cover letter, which included a list of the documents I had sent but not my actual transcript. The impression I get from the email is that they dont want to be contacted, has anyone spoken to CAO recently?

    Thanks :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    not a response to your question, but thinking today, there could be far less International students studying graduate medicine this year so maybe we picked a good year to apply - it makes sense that points could drop if they increase Irish places to pay for fees. Just a thought!


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    not a response to your question, but thinking today, there could be far less International students studying graduate medicine this year so maybe we picked a good year to apply - it makes sense that points could drop if they increase Irish places to pay for fees. Just a thought!

    Very true! Only thing is that the international students pay double the fees that Irish students pay so even if they increase Irish place fees they still won’t cover their costs.. Time will tell I suppose!?

    I’ve completely lost motivation to study.. haven’t done anything in almost 6 weeks now.. was on a roll up until then!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    Same!! Its very hard to have the same motivation with everything thats going on at the moment aswell!
    Yeah, id say they will still want to fill as many places as they can still...
    Hopefully we have some luck with it anyways


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    not a response to your question, but thinking today, there could be far less International students studying graduate medicine this year so maybe we picked a good year to apply - it makes sense that points could drop if they increase Irish places to pay for fees. Just a thought!

    Very true! Only thing is that the international students pay double the fees that Irish students pay so even if they increase Irish place fees they still won’t cover their costs.. Time will tell I suppose!?

    I’ve completely lost motivation to study.. haven’t done anything in almost 6 weeks now.. was on a roll up until then!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Everyone get that email about the two separate GAMSAT sessions!? Section 1 & 2 will be together on one day and then Section 3 will be another sitting on a separate day..

    Surely this is better as it alleviates the pressure of having to do it all in one sitting? Here's hoping anyway!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    Probably easier for us but how are the scores anyway comparable to March 2019 and September 2020? Changing things by the day is unsettling, its not fair on peoples mental health.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Probably easier for us but how are the scores anyway comparable to March 2019 and September 2020? Changing things by the day is unsettling, its not fair on peoples mental health.

    Completely agree! I think I will find it very difficult to do the science questions looking at a laptop tbh.. even little things like the noise the laptop makes will distract me!! Sounds silly I know!

    I think ACER should be more accommodating with regards to refunds at this stage too - they're saying the deadline for refunds was 9th April but, considering everything keeps changing, they should allow people to defer / get a refund if this new arrangements doesn't suit them!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    Definitely.... but they are money-obsessed. And they seem like a complete shambles. Pandemic or not, given the high stakes with this exam, there should be a more coherent approach....like even suggesting doing it without scrap paper in the first place, then oh you can use it actually, then pick your date, then no actually pick it again, and its first come first serve like we're ordering some type of pub food or something. Who is in charge in their offices, like things change but think things out a bit before you start blasting out emails


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20 purnimasnow


    Despite it being stressful to sit the exam at home and from a computer - do you guys think we have some sort of advantage? It's split over two days so it will be less enduring physically, and the exam is much shorter (albeit not easier)? I sat the exam once before 3 years ago, and I have never experienced post-exam exhaustion like it!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    Despite it being stressful to sit the exam at home and from a computer - do you guys think we have some sort of advantage? It's split over two days so it will be less enduring physically, and the exam is much shorter (albeit not easier)? I sat the exam once before 3 years ago, and I have never experienced post-exam exhaustion like it!!

    Maybe less exhausting but I doubt any easier, less questions, the more you get right is more important, and there will still be a bell curve with only a certain amount getting certain scores


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Definitely.... but they are money-obsessed. And they seem like a complete shambles. Pandemic or not, given the high stakes with this exam, there should be a more coherent approach....like even suggesting doing it without scrap paper in the first place, then oh you can use it actually, then pick your date, then no actually pick it again, and its first come first serve like we're ordering some type of pub food or something. Who is in charge in their offices, like things change but think things out a bit before you start blasting out emails

    This made me laugh :D:pac: .. I wouldn't mind being in a pub ordering some food right now!! But yea, you're dead right.. hasn't really been thought through at all. Have you sat the GAMSAT before under normal circumstances out of interest?!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    corkgal_89 wrote: »
    This made me laugh :D:pac: .. I wouldn't mind being in a pub ordering some food right now!! But yea, you're dead right.. hasn't really been thought through at all. Have you sat the GAMSAT before under normal circumstances out of interest?!

    Lol, its better to laugh at it at this stage, its become such a shambles. Yeah I sat it last March! Looking forward to when its all over now, regardless!:)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Despite it being stressful to sit the exam at home and from a computer - do you guys think we have some sort of advantage? It's split over two days so it will be less enduring physically, and the exam is much shorter (albeit not easier)? I sat the exam once before 3 years ago, and I have never experienced post-exam exhaustion like it!!

    It's hard to know.. In one way I agree as it will be split across 2 days and there are less questions and will be less exhausting overall.. On the other hand, it depends what questions you get on the day you choose?

    I'm convinced that I'm going to pick the day that has the questions that will suit me least.. especially for the essay topic! That'd just be my luck!! :pac:;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 125 ✭✭taxignorant


    Woke up early to try book sessions that will work for me for childcare to find an email from ACER GAMSAT saying proctorU won't open booking today and no idea when it will open.

    I'm beginning to doubt proctorU can cope with the demands during this pandemic. Trying to remain patient but it is certainly lots of additional stress, having to check constantly and I can't even ask my partner who is front line to request time off if I don't know what days we need (our kids will be in the house while I sit the exam). It's turning into a debacle, which isn't anyone's fault but it seems ridiculous that we can't even book the sessions, they didn't say if it is server problems or finding trained invigilators. Who knows?


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Woke up early to try book sessions that will work for me for childcare to find an email from ACER GAMSAT saying proctorU won't open booking today and no idea when it will open.

    I'm beginning to doubt proctorU can cope with the demands during this pandemic. Trying to remain patient but it is certainly lots of additional stress, having to check constantly and I can't even ask my partner who is front line to request time off if I don't know what days we need (our kids will be in the house while I sit the exam). It's turning into a debacle, which isn't anyone's fault but it seems ridiculous that we can't even book the sessions, they didn't say if it is server problems or finding trained invigilators. Who knows?

    I know.. it's an absolute dose! I paid €408 for the exam as I missed the deadline to register by like 5 minutes (I thought the deadline was at 5pm on the day in question but it was actually 10am) and now here we are 6 weeks after the original exam was meant to take place with no solid indication as to when we'll be sitting the exam... I want that late fee I had to pay back!!!! :D:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 34 galwaypharmer


    Yeah its very unfair the way they are managing it...its hard to know how this will go!


  • Registered Users Posts: 36 corkgal_89


    Yeah its very unfair the way they are managing it...its hard to know how this will go!

    Yeah I know! I wonder will the courses even commence in September.. who knows!


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