Gamsat 2013

letsdothis

Hypnos wrote: »

I know

...and yet....!!

Dreamer4

If there is a big demand for dublin, and if a certain proportion will only take dublin then it stands to reason that the points may drop for limerick and cork, any body agree disagree?

John432

UCD admissions emailed me back today to clear up the whole 40% thing. The message was as follows:

Thank you for forwarding on the link.

The article you mention was referring to an increase in the number of applicants putting UCD as their 1st preference not an increase in the actual number of applicants.

From the statistics that we have the number of applicants is up 8-9% while the number of 1st preferences are up nearly 40%.

This simply means that applicants are putting UCD higher up on their CAO application form and not that the number of applicants has increased.
Kind regards....

(From this Im estimating that UCD may overtake RCSI at prob around 59/60.
RCSI should decrease to about 57/58
UL and Cork im guessing will remain largely unchanged perhaps an increase of 1 due to the "8-9% increase in number of applicants")
however the girl I was speaking to over at admissions in UL said the overall standard of GAMSAT scores hav dropped this yr which could possibly drop the cut-off even further although Im unsure as to how she could really know this, just sounds promising so I thought id mention it.

nomoreexams

It's hard to predict offers! Don't get caught up in the hype. There's more to be considered than just the number of applicants, there are those who will be refused a loan, those whose personal circumstances have changed, those who only sat the gamsat as a test run, English applicants who applied but may still hold out for schools at home, eu applicants who will no longer be offered a loan in Ireland. The round 0 offers may be released a point higher than last year but the final offers are inevitably going to reflect last years if not probably slightly lower. Points have decreased annually for the last 3 years, there have been no major advances to warrant any kind of increase in points. If anything the constant articles about awful working conditions will put people off. Also bearing in mind change of mind still hasn't expired. No figures are final at the moment. I certainly am nowhere near sure which I'll leave as number 1!

But then I'm as clueless as everyone else on here so what do any of us really know (unless you lot are hiding some secret affiliation with the cao from me )

Hypnos

Guys what think ye of this... says 58*

http://www.ucd.ie/medicine/studywithus/undergraduatecourses/graduateentrymedicine/

If you look at the source code and page info it says the page was updated May 2013

John432

They're actually some pretty good points that I never really considered. You've definitely made me more optimistioc anyways!

nomoreexams

John432 wrote: »

They're actually some pretty good points that I never really considered. You've definitely made me more optimistioc anyways!

glad I could make you feel better! I hope I'm right. We'll keep the fingers crossed!

boynesider

I'm not a pessimist, but at the same time I always keep in mind that the easiest person to fool is myself. A 40% increase in first preferences for UCD really should push the points up, and I'm not going to try to convince myself otherwise.

With my score I'm certain I'll get in somewhere, but I really want UCD so I'm probably going to be on tenterhooks for the next few months.

Although it would be a good thing if the quality of the GAMSAT scores went down this year.

boynesider

Hypnos wrote: »

Guys what think ye of this... says 58*

http://www.ucd.ie/medicine/studywithus/undergraduatecourses/graduateentrymedicine/

If you look at the source code and page info it says the page was updated May 2013

Just saw that. That is certainly interesting alright. Last year was 57*, so why would they put up 58*?

I'm sure the people who are involved in these things would have a pretty good idea at this stage what the cut-offs are going to be with all the applications and GAMSAT scores in. Probably shouldn't read too much into it.

nomoreexams

boynesider wrote: »

Just saw that. That is certainly interesting alright. Last year was 57*, so why would they put up 58*?

I'm sure the people who are involved in these things would have a pretty good idea at this stage what the cut-offs are going to be with all the applications and GAMSAT scores in. Probably shouldn't read too much into it.

Until change of mind date is over there's no way they can tell the cut offs. It wouldn't be the first mistake on the UCD website in fairness!

pc11

nomoreexams wrote: »

Until change of mind date is over there's no way they can tell the cut offs. It wouldn't be the first mistake on the UCD website in fairness!

Definitely. They haven't even done all the reviewing of eligibility yet, let alone the CAO matching. So, there is no possible way the cut-offs can be known yet by anyone. This isn't helping TBH.

flipflp

Quick question about deferrals. I just finished my undergrad exams there in May and want to take a year out before starting the long haul of med. I got 62 in the March sitting of the gamsat, which I hope will be enough to get accepted into UCD. I e-mailed them regarding the possibility of deferring for the year and they said it's taken on a case-by-case basis. Has anyone here deferred a grad med place in UCD? What exactly does the case-by-case process involve? I know that I have to write to them as soon as CAO offers come out and not accept the offer in the deferral is granted, but does anyone know on what basis this is accepted or rejected?

diverboy83

flipflp wrote: »

Quick question about deferrals. I just finished my undergrad exams there in May and want to take a year out before starting the long haul of med. I got 62 in the March sitting of the gamsat, which I hope will be enough to get accepted into UCD. I e-mailed them regarding the possibility of deferring for the year and they said it's taken on a case-by-case basis. Has anyone here deferred a grad med place in UCD? What exactly does the case-by-case process involve? I know that I have to write to them as soon as CAO offers come out and not accept the offer in the deferral is granted, but does anyone know on what basis this is accepted or rejected?

Why don't you just apply again next year using your score from this year? That would mean you wouldn't have to defer and could still take a year out.

flipflp

diverboy83 wrote: »

Why don't you just apply again next year using your score from this year? That would mean you wouldn't have to defer and could still take a year out.

Just in case the points go up, I'd rather the security of definitely having a place.

John432

Think your pretty safe with a 62 to be honest. Id almost contemplate applying to the uk as the nhs pay for yrs 2-4!. Anyone think the points could rise due to the people who failed to secure loans last yr managing to organise them for this September?

Hypnos

flipflp wrote: »

Just in case the points go up, I'd rather the security of definitely having a place.

UCD has never gone above 60, even in the good days... So I wouldn't even have a second thought as to whether I could get in with that score, but up to you

Hypnos

John432 wrote: »

Think your pretty safe with a 62 to be honest. Id almost contemplate applying to the uk as the nhs pay for yrs 2-4!. Anyone think the points could rise due to the people who failed to secure loans last yr managing to organise them for this September?

I really don't. Having spoken to the banks in person there are very few refusals and the 10yr thing is relatively new but unless everyone who applied last year has been in Ireland for 9 years I don't see it. The others are based on having taken out a mortgage already or having dependents etc. Those type of situations. They don't change from year to year

gh1

John432 wrote: »

Think your pretty safe with a 62 to be honest. Id almost contemplate applying to the uk as the nhs pay for yrs 2-4!. Anyone think the points could rise due to the people who failed to secure loans last yr managing to organise them for this September?

I was thinking about this too but I doubt it, not many got refused for loans last year (direct quote from Ulster bank @UL), it was the fact that they cut loans for living expenses that killed people, and as someone else said, mortgages, dependents etc.

Dreamer4

Anybody have any idea how many hours/week study is the norm?

concerted

Dreamer4 wrote: »

Anybody have any idea how many hours/week study is the norm?

At the moment I'm planning on sitting the September UK Gamsat and doing about 7 hours study a week. I'd prefer to do more but working full time and entertaining a family leaves one slightly constrained time-wise.

I'm planning on taking the month of September off to study full time aswell, I'd image that should cover it. If that fails I'll resit the Dublin March exam, but the intention is to pass first time

FairytaleGirl

Decided Im gonna aim for the September exam too.
Pretty much science virgin but have a literature degree so hopefully won't need too much work on that.
Been looking up resources online, ordered organic chem for dummies so far plus workbook, anyone know where I can get a cheaper examkrackers verbal reasoning? Its pretty dear.
Also any other science stuff reccomendations?

supraspinaswim

Have question about ul. am now 4th yr in trinity and got 55 in march after 2 weeks full study and 3 1/2mnths part time study. limerick seems the only option available ,should i wing it, not repeat it in september or repeat and give myself a better chance.

Was looking at the rcsi, and found the hidden costs. ucd i wasnt sure on given im a tcd'er.
ul looks attractive since the high performance swimming centre... im a swimmer too

beardedmaster

supraspinaswim wrote: »

ucd i wasnt sure on given im a tcd'er.

...?!?

demure

beardedmaster wrote: »

...?!?

ditto.

supraspinaswim

Forget it. its just taking that risk of not doing it again in sept snd the points for ul say going up and myo losing med.. again .

oh and is 73 a decent mark for the essays ?

beardedmaster

As you said yourself, you're a 3rd year. I don't know what course you do, but everything in Trinity is 4 years (I think).
You could easily do it again in September and/or March in your 4th year. Sure, you'll be in final year, but if you try for it, it's achievable.

Still don't understand the UCD comment, by the way.

DeadEight

flipflp wrote: »

Has anyone here deferred a grad med place in UCD?What exactly does the case-by-case process involve? I know that I have to write to them as soon as CAO offers come out and not accept the offer in the deferral is granted, but does anyone know on what basis this is accepted or rejected?

I deferred a place last year. A few days (five to be exact) after I received the e-mail with the Round Zero Offer I emailed the Admissions Office requesting a deferral. I gave a reason (insufficient funding), and they accepted my request within two hours.

If you intend to reapply next year, it is easier to do so with a deferred place as you do not need to submit the transcript or parchment. A deferred place is guaranteed, even if they decide to change the entry rules, or the scores rise dramatically. Probably less stress as well. I will need to accept or reject the deferred place about a month before the round zero offers are made.

pc11

beardedmaster wrote: »

As you said yourself, you're a 3rd year. I don't know what course you do, but everything in Trinity is 4 years (I think).
You could easily do it again in September and/or March in your 4th year. Sure, you'll be in final year, but if you try for it, it's achievable.

Still don't understand the UCD comment, by the way.

I'm always intrigued by these current students sitting GAMSAT (usually in final year). I don't what what cushy course they must be doing, but in my final 2 years given that we had 50+ hours a week of a very demanding course, it would not have been even conceivable to sit GAMSAT and hope to still get a 2:1. In fact, despite the fact the students on my course were often very talented, getting a 2:1 at all was far from standard.

Also, I'm baffled as to how people can afford to go straight from 4 years of college to 4 years of grad med. Different worlds.

WoolahUrma

FairytaleGirl wrote: »

Decided Im gonna aim for the September exam too.
Pretty much science virgin but have a literature degree so hopefully won't need too much work on that.
Been looking up resources online, ordered organic chem for dummies so far plus workbook, anyone know where I can get a cheaper examkrackers verbal reasoning? Its pretty dear.
Also any other science stuff reccomendations?

You need to get your science stuff sorted and that's for sure but you're gonna get through on you lit if your gonna get through. DO NOT neglect the essays!! There is a very specific style that they expect and that style is different for the two essays.

Flange/Flanders

DeadEight wrote: »

I deferred a place last year. A few days (five to be exact) after I received the e-mail with the Round Zero Offer I emailed the Admissions Office requesting a deferral. I gave a reason (insufficient funding), and they accepted my request within two hours.

If you intend to reapply next year, it is easier to do so with a deferred place as you do not need to submit the transcript or parchment. A deferred place is guaranteed, even if they decide to change the entry rules, or the scores rise dramatically. Probably less stress as well. I will need to accept or reject the deferred place about a month before the round zero offers are made.

From what I understand, your deferred place has to be first choice on your CAO.