GAMSAT 2010...for discussion of all things related to this exam.

beckajane

hey everyone, have just gotten my act together for the march exam. i've been out of the country avoiding the recession and 'finding myself' in asia for the past few months and i've decided that i want to give the gamsat a serious go. my background in college was business, but that never fit right since i did mostly science in LC, so im heading back to my roots. i've been reading all the posts and am super grateful for all the research. makes me feel a bit better when i read other people's experiences of the actual exam.

im keen to get involved with a study group, read a few posts about one, did it ever happen? i'm dublin based myself and would be free most evenings (shutting down the social life for this) so let me know.

also if people want to sell any previous notes im interested, is there a specific forum for that?

eagle_&_bear

hey everyone,

well then shall we pick a day next week to meet up and go from there. Who ever is able to make it makes it and we work from there.

I have the Griffith Gamsat Review and the Des O'Neill notes so they can be a starting block.

I'll type up the recommended list of topics for revision and see how people feel with it

I'm based in the city centre (four courts) so any location is convenient for me.

Let me know (drop a pm and we can swop email/mobiles and work from there)

eagle_&_bear

hi guys,

the impromptu gamsat group are going to try meeting up on Tuesday the 8th December 2009 in city centre.

So far, 'beccajane' and myself are going. anyone else want to join in?
I'd imagine there wont be a whole lot going on but its a start to see what material is out there and where people are

pharmstar

hi guys!
just going to register now--> i was wondering- would i be likely to get my preferred location at this stage; im working the week the exam is on and have managed to get the day off for it and so travelling further away would be difficult- any idea anyone?

thanks

p.s. i havent started studying yet but am aiming to start next week- is there enough time do you reckon?

eagle_&_bear

hey there,
welcome to the boards!!

you definately have enough time but, you would want to crack into it fairly soon and decide how and what you are going to prepare for etc.

best of luck

aoife-m

3rd time lucky,
The first time i sat the gamsat was right in the middle of doing my finals (biochemistry) and got an overal score of 50, which i was disappointed by at the time but realised i hadn't actually done any work.

Did it the second time in london in sept just gone, Improved my overall score but went down in section 1 (didn't know how that was posible). (55)

In the English gamsat section one is alot tougher than the Irish (my friends thought so too) and section 3 is meant to be alot harder in the Irish gamsat


Also for many of the English colleges the pass rate is over 55 in each of the sections. and failure to do so you will not be offered a place. dont think that applies in Ireland though

For time 3sitting the exam, I'm fully concentrating on the english and essay sections, as with both sittings i didn't focus on them really at all!

NFH

Is there somewhere I could get my hands on GAMSAT sample exams papers. Cheers

eagle_&_bear

NFH wrote: »

Is there somewhere I could get my hands on GAMSAT sample exams papers. Cheers

hi there,
the only place you can get the papers is from ACER themselves.

http://www.gamsat-ie.org/

including the exchange rate, it works out around 78euro. For that you get 3 booklets, 1 is for sample questions, 1 is sample exercises and 1 is a full test which you should run in the time periods allowed.

you might also want to consider one of the preparatory courses either. Or, depending on your background, there are some key text books you might want to work out of.

best of luck with the exam. See you in March

damal

I have started studing for the GAMSAT exams. I purchased the MedPrep course, they come wil 3 full length exams. I was wondering if anyone would exchange a copy of these for a copy of Des O Neills, I live in Cork but I am in Limerick at least once a week, email dmal66@yahoo.ie if anyone is intrested

pinkielady

Hi Guys,

I'm another lost Psychology soul thinking of throwing my hand at the GAM SATs for a new career direction!!

Sadly this is a last minute decision so I need to do a bit of cramming, if that will even help in an exam like this! So I've been looking at the Med Prep home study course, which I hear is decent and also the Guru method which certainly sells their product very well on the site....
But I'm not convinced; has anyone used these Guru booklets or know if they are any good!?

I'm aware that I have left it very late but a trial run can't do any harm and there's always next year....!!

Oh if anyone is involved in a study group and open to another blow in I'd love to join??? I'm Dublin based.

Cheers!!


MOD EDIT please do not advocate photocopying of copyrighted material

kev1

Hi,

I am considering doing medicine. I am currently in final year civil engineering and should get the reqd 2.1. Together with GEM, I have also applied through UCAS for entry into medicine in queens and have an interview for same at the start of march. As a result of this and also due to workload in final year, I have been putting off studying for the GAMSAT.

So my question is, is it way too late to think about starting studying for the gamsat now?

p.s. i have to sit the biology exam in the leaving cert this summer, as i didnt take it first time around. I have that course covered now, so would that reduce the workload for studying for the gamsat?

Thanks (sorry for long post btw!)

vinnylombardi99

MicraBoy wrote: »

For 2009 entry there are ~120 places for EU applicants in the various GradMed programs. There are probably double that number of places if you include non-EU. AFAIK more than 600 sat the GAMSAT. Thing you have to remember is that not everyone applys to CAO in a given year and a whole other bunch don't get the 2.1 required later in the year.

tallaght01 posted in another thread that approx 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 gets a place so that sounds about right.

If approx 600 sit the exam and the top 120 people get places, its a place rate of 20%. probably a little higher than that though.
the number of people chosing to apply a year later is most likely cancelled out by people applying with last years gamsat (if you get me?!)...
if you take out the number of candidates that dont get the 2.1, the placeing average climbs but i wonder how significant that number is because there is a good percentage of candidates that already have degrees, were working, doing phds etc.

possibly, the number gets to 25% get placed, but 33%? i can't see that being the case honestly. pity.

http://drcoxmedschool.blogspot.com/

vinnylombardi99

kev1 wrote: »

Hi,

I am considering doing medicine. I am currently in final year civil engineering and should get the reqd 2.1. Together with GEM, I have also applied through UCAS for entry into medicine in queens and have an interview for same at the start of march. As a result of this and also due to workload in final year, I have been putting off studying for the GAMSAT.

So my question is, is it way too late to think about starting studying for the gamsat now?

p.s. i have to sit the biology exam in the leaving cert this summer, as i didnt take it first time around. I have that course covered now, so would that reduce the workload for studying for the gamsat?

Thanks (sorry for long post btw!)

mate, as i have detailed in my blog, you can do the gamsat with very little prep. people might say that that's bull, but it is true. i did no prep, just went and sat the bloody thing and did good enough to get into any course last time round.

BUT registration is over tomorrow!!! (although there does seem to be a late registration date (12th feb)).:eek:

http://drcoxmedschool.blogspot.com/

jpt77

Hi All
This will probably only be helpful for people sitting GAMSAT in UK in Sept or in Ireland next March but here is a list of books- including papers that a friend used for GAMSAT and is willing to sell for a very good price.

Books
AS and A2 ( A Level books) - Physics, Chemistry and Biology
AS and A2 in a week- Physics, Chemistry and Biology
Organic Chemistry for Dummies
Introduction to Organic Chemistry- Brown including answer book
Real World Physics and workbook- Leaving cert
Chemistry Now- Leaving Cert




Papers-

Ozimed Papers- 1-10- from 2007
Acer Papers
Gradmed Intensive revision course
Gradmed Sample Papers

Postage would be huge on this lot so they are only available for collection (or delivery- at a reasonable distance around South Dublin)
Thanks
John

Malbec

Got my GAMSAT ticket.

I got RCSI as my location, what about everyone else? I wonder if they've scrapped UCD's Blackrock campus as a location!

gem2010

Malbec wrote: »

Got my GAMSAT ticket.

I got RCSI as my location, what about everyone else? I wonder if they've scrapped UCD's Blackrock campus as a location!

I got RCSI too ! I did the HPAT on saturday in Trinity and it was such a joke, one toilet for the whole exam hall and one clock at the front up high on the wall that nobody could see it was such a joke.

Anyone know what RCSI is like? Wish the exams were in UCD or RDS... why would they cancel blackrock is it really bad? Have only ever had one exam there and it was only a midterm back in first year so I can't remember !

Malbec

The HPAT was on in RCSI on Saturday too and I think they had decent enough toilet facilities. Been out in UCD Blackrock and didn't really like it, especially the female toilets.

The city centre location will be handy for lunch etc. I'm curious now to see how many the hall in RCSI can hold and if it's the only location.

MicraBoy

RCSI too. Much handier then RDS or Blackrock for me.

Malbec

Two weeks guys!:eek:

Finnbob

jpt77 wrote: »

Hi All
This will probably only be helpful for people sitting GAMSAT in UK in Sept or in Ireland next March but here is a list of books- including papers that a friend used for GAMSAT and is willing to sell for a very good price.

Books
AS and A2 ( A Level books) - Physics, Chemistry and Biology
AS and A2 in a week- Physics, Chemistry and Biology
Organic Chemistry for Dummies
Introduction to Organic Chemistry- Brown including answer book
Real World Physics and workbook- Leaving cert
Chemistry Now- Leaving Cert




Papers-

Ozimed Papers- 1-10- from 2007
Acer Papers
Gradmed Intensive revision course
Gradmed Sample Papers

Postage would be huge on this lot so they are only available for collection (or delivery- at a reasonable distance around South Dublin)
Thanks
John

I'd be more than happy to take the GRADMED sample papers and stuff off your hands if you still have it.

Thanks

etymon

can't believe only less than 2 weeks to go - got a 57 last year with six weeks' study, now done about six months and feel no more prepared - possibly one of those exams you can only do so well in... hmmm.... I will be glad when acids and bases refer to house music and not fecking flying H's

Malbec

I'm starting to feel sick with the thoughts of it!

Some days I think I'm prepared, others not so much.

Finnbob

Hi guys,

I'm sitting GAMSAT next year. I'm looking to get my hands on the Gradmed sample questions. The more questions the merrier!!

If there's anyone who would like to sell them to me, I would love to hear from you. Just post a reply to this message and I'll get in touch.

Thanks

Finnbob

Malbec

2 days away......

What's everyone's plan for the last 2 days?

I'm going to spend the day today studying and just a bit tomorrow and an early night.


EEEEeeekkk, scared!

Biologic

Wow, I've never been nervous about exams but I'm petrified about GAMSAT. Some days I do sample questions and nail them all, others I get them all wrong. On the up-side, I haven't had a pint in 3 weeks.

gem2010

Biologic wrote: »

Wow, I've never been nervous about exams but I'm petrified about GAMSAT. Some days I do sample questions and nail them all, others I get them all wrong. On the up-side, I haven't had a pint in 3 weeks.

I'm sorry... upside?

Gah, this is going to be terrible isn't it. Oh well! Best of luck peoples!

Malbec

Except for a sneaky gin a few nights ago, I'm the same.

Looking forward to getting it out of the way but I've done it before so I know what to expect!

Biologic

I think one of my biggest mistakes was buying Des O'Neill's notes. The amount of material in the book is intimidating to say the least and I've bearly made a dent it in. I'd much rather live in ignorance. Does anyone actually feel comfortable that they know all the SIII formulae etc they need to know?

amacachi

It'll be a few years til I'm doing this but I can't really find out what kind of prior knowledge is needed for the exam. I initially though it was like the HPAT but from reading this thread it seems otherwise.

etymon

well I certainly haven't been foregoing nights out so now I'm feeling nervous!
not learning any formulae, just point-blank refusing to, any physics will have to come with pointers if I'm going to bother!
wasn't stressed AT ALL last year but beginning to think it will be hard to improve SIII too much.
Last year though I only made it as far as hydrocarbons and alcohols in orgo... now I have actually ventured onto carbonyls... which might get me some extra points
not doing much tomorrow bar flicking through notes as no point trying to cram now and only confuse myself...

good luck all!

p.s. did anyone else think the full-length ACER test was WAY easier than the two half-tests?

Malbec

I certainly don't know all the S3 formulae but they give most of them anyway.

I'm really afraid they're going to throw something awful at us for S2. That is the section I fear most, even more than S3 (and I don't have a science background).

Anybody got any tips for S2?

Biologic

I've really been neglecting SII so I'll be relying on my leaving cert essay format to get me through. The one in Des' notes recommended loads of extras (societal chance, moral reflection...) but I found myself going way over time trying to integrate them.
I found the practice test alot easier too. I suppose it doesn't matter how tough the test is because it's marked on percentiles anyway. Anyone do a prep course? I was looking at the one in Dublin city but it cost ~2k. No thanks.

etymon

this is going to sound stupid but does anyone know what 'ln' on a calculator does? keeps coming up in questions and haven't a notion. Google says :'ln' means log to the base 'e' which is called natural logarithms. It is mostly used in calculus.' obviously I don't understand this!
again I presume if it comes up in a given formula i can just type it in and hope for the best

amacachi

etymon wrote: »

this is going to sound stupid but does anyone know what 'ln' on a calculator does? keeps coming up in questions and haven't a notion. Google says :'ln' means log to the base 'e' which is called natural logarithms. It is mostly used in calculus.' obviously I don't understand this!
again I presume if it comes up in a given formula i can just type it in and hope for the best

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_(mathematical_constant)

ln is the Log of a number to the base e, and e is roughly 2.718, though that's almost irrelevant for most uses.

Malbec

etymon wrote: »

I presume if it comes up in a given formula i can just type it in and hope for the best

That's exactly it, as far as I know.

moncai

Best of luck to you all tomorrow.
At least we know it'll go well for 15% of us :P

Malbec

etymon wrote: »

did anyone else think the full-length ACER test was WAY easier than the two half-tests?

Yeah you're not the only one thinking that. Did semi-OK in the long one and brutal in the others.
Hopefully the test difficulty is similar to that of the long test.

Best of Luck everyone.

Stay calm & try get early night tonight

allsaintssue

I've been up since 6 am studying last night and have finally crashed and ended up taking a break...but I wanted to come online and wish anyone else doing gamsat tomorrow the best of luck!
MCQ's...Remember the right answer is already on the page;)

See you on the other side!
Suze.x

moncai

If you're sitting the exam tomorrow and you're reading this... you should probably go to sleep.

vinylqueen

best of luck guys this time tomorrow it'll all be over & you should have a well-deserved pint in your hands. or a pillow. or both.

moncai

Well how'd you guys find it?
I thought section I and II were tougher than i expected and that suprisingly section III was easier to get my head around! I still only got to look at questions in section III up to around 94 or so i guessed the last 16...

Anyway at least it's over.

Anyone else think section I was longer than normal??

eagle_&_bear

hey everyone, well done on getting through it. There was a huge crowd of people at RCSI this morning- a good sign i suppose given the climate we are in.

So, my take on gamsat 2010 sitting it for the first time.

From the outset, the actual exam is markably harder than the practice papers. that being said, Section 1 wasn't too bad but some of the prose pieces were long but I found I got through it with about 3minutes to spare at the end so I thought time management was ok

Section 2 wasn't too bad, essays worked well (I hope)

and as for Section 3: I could of swore the paper was entitled physical and biological - a good 60% of the paper was chemistry (organic). While it was still manageable I thought there would of been more biological questions. That's just my slant on it. The section was do-able but it was tough. I dont think I could say it was a breeze, it required alot of thinking. again I had about 5 minutes left at the end.

Always hard to call non-academic exams but I think it went ok (and yes I know this sentence is going to come back and bite me in the ass in May/June )

How did everyone else get on? Any thoughts on the day?

moncai

eagle_&_bear wrote: »

There was a huge crowd of people at RCSI this morning

You thought so? I know it was harder to estimate numbers this year because of the scattering of exam halls compared to blackrock last year but it seemed to me there were less people around than last year.
One important looking Aussie invigilator was commenting on the number of absentee's even from the registered number...
Limerick seemed to have about 70 peeps according to a friend of mine there.

I really dont know how the attendance affects the overall percentile of results, or even if it does at all.... but imagine if they included the non attendance candidates as 0 scores! That'd be pretty sweet...

etymon

just my ten cents' worth...

1. sitting the exam for a second time is definitely easier once you have a handle on the layout
2. section 1 was a toughie which I was disappointed at as I usually do well in it - passages very long, question choices very ambiguous, one passage actually told you what a 'copse' was but then gave 'assiduously' or 'parsimonious' in the answer choices which I thought was hilarious!
3. section 2 grand although the quotes were less controversial and more banal
4. section 3 - ????? Last year came out thinking 'sure that was grand' and got a 40 something. This year - haven't a clue. Lots of radioactivity stuff which was just maths in disguise, lots of complicated graphs in the biology. Disagree about the orgo - thought the selection was too easy (this will also come back to bite me!) in the sense that you didn't have to read past alkenes to be able to do it... oh, sorry, you had to know how to draw a tertiary alcohol or something. Annoyed as I covered the whole course and it means everyone will probably get them right which leaves me with my dodgy graph interpretations to count on!!!

anyway delighted it's over. Good luck everyone.

gem2010

Guys that was the longest day of my life !! Unreal tired by the time section three came along !

I thought section 1 was tough, so much to read that I got lazy and then had to keep going back and reading it again,, a lot of guesses in that section.

Section 2 I thought was nice. Although, haven't not written an essay since the LC, I was expecting it to go awful so you could just say, it wasn't awful.

Section 3...ahh section 3... well the organic chem questions were lovely but that's my area. I'm pretty sure I arsed up all the graph questions and there were so many of them so...

Guess we'll find out it May?

Best of luck everyone!

paraguay99

What were the graph questions about?

p_holmz

Hi folks
This is my first best ever! though I have been following this thread for months before I decided to take the gammy... Being my first time, I tought time was tight too. But was prepared for the shock so I didnt bother too much when I had to guess the last 20 in the science section. I hope I get sumtn out of it. Being in my final year of an art degree, I am prepared to sit it again in London if req.

Malbec

eagle_&_bear wrote: »

and as for Section 3: I could of swore the paper was entitled physical and biological - a good 60% of the paper was chemistry (organic).

Are you serious? Myself and anybody I know who took the test thought there was hardly any organic on it. There was a few alright but nowhere near as much as there usually is whch is a shame as it is my strongest area.

Here's my take on the exam:

Ran out of time for sections 1 & 3. Decided to try and get as many as possible answered good rather than fly through it.....don't think that that's a goo strategy though. I really hope I did enough. It's impossible to tell how you did, not like academic exams where you can tell if you did enough or not.

Roll on May!!!!!!

eagle_&_bear

In any event, it is good experience to sit 1 - if it didnt go well, I'm already looking at London 2010 (17th September) for 192 sterline (225euro) so no biggie if it didnt go well

Its impossible to call it. Glad I did it but defo v tired afterwards

Malbec

I've already done a trial run before so this one was my big one.

Don't start thinking about September yet, you might have nailed it this time.

If anybody is sitting it in the UK in Sept, I'd recommend Bristol. For the last two years, the exam was held in a hotel, means you can stay the night before in that hotel and just have to walk dowstairs that morning and can have lunch in your rm. It's also less than an hr away by air and a short transfer.