Gamsat 2013

thomasdavis

Im starting grad med in UCC in Sept and have a 2 bed apartment sorted, im taking one room myself and Im looking for someone else to take the other. Its a great location less than 5 min walk from UCC Medicine Campus. I have it on daft but thought it might infringe boards.ie rules if I post the link here so if anyone is interested you can message me and I'll send on the link.

r.galway

Hi thomasdavis would you mind sending me the link please as I was in Cork yesterday and didn't manage to see anything too great! Also starting gradmed in UCC in Sept

emcd87

Flange/Flanders wrote: »

Has anyone got any info pack from UCD yet?

I tweeted them (so modern) and they said I should expect something around the 19th of August. So a good few days yet.

Billydolan

rang ucc today, 5 offers went out to the cao....13 people left on random selection! anyone have any idea about the other unversities?

Stephan Grundy

From what I'm hearing, I'll be very surprised if financial considerations don't lead to a fair bout of next-round offers from RCSI, anyway.

The arrangements and timing for offers vs. loans really are striking me as verging seriously on the inhumane - I can imagine exactly how I'd feel if I'd gone through the gauntlet of GAMSAT, CAO, and everything else, and made my plans for the next four years or more, only to discover *now* that there was an insurmountable problem with the financing.

(I'm still a little annoyed about finding out by surprise about the £1000 acceptance deposit - with three working days [Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, given that Monday was a bank holiday] to sort it out and have proof of payment in by the Thursday with everything else. It may not have had a personal impact on me, but if I were totally dependent on a loan for my fees...Of course, I suppose it's possible that the information was tucked away somewhere on the difficult RCSI website and everyone but me already knew about it, but...)

demure

Stephan Grundy wrote: »

From what I'm hearing, I'll be very surprised if financial considerations don't lead to a fair bout of next-round offers from RCSI, anyway.

The arrangements and timing for offers vs. loans really are striking me as verging seriously on the inhumane - I can imagine exactly how I'd feel if I'd gone through the gauntlet of GAMSAT, CAO, and everything else, and made my plans for the next four years or more, only to discover *now* that there was an insurmountable problem with the financing.

(I'm still a little annoyed about finding out by surprise about the £1000 acceptance deposit - with three working days [Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, given that Monday was a bank holiday] to sort it out and have proof of payment in by the Thursday with everything else. It may not have had a personal impact on me, but if I were totally dependent on a loan for my fees...Of course, I suppose it's possible that the information was tucked away somewhere on the difficult RCSI website and everyone but me already knew about it, but...)

I totally agree with you.

Thankfully, the loan situation is not affecting me, however, I do believe that things need to change urgently or it may prove detrimental to the future of GEM in Ireland.

To decline future doctors loans to fund their education on the basis of not being Irish-domiciled or not having an Irish domiciled guarantor, whom is a blood relative? This is not prudent lending but an ill practice at the best of times.

It saddens me to see the amount of people here who were forced to give up their dreams due to this situation.

j.mcdrmd

demure wrote: »

I totally agree with you.

Thankfully, the loan situation is not affecting me, however, I do believe that things need to change urgently or it may prove detrimental to the future of GEM in Ireland.

To decline future doctors loans to fund their education on the basis of not being Irish-domiciled or not having an Irish domiciled guarantor, whom is a blood relative? This is not prudent lending but an ill practice at the best of times.

It saddens me to see the amount of people here who were forced to give up their dreams due to this situation.

Are you serious?

Maybe you have missed this:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_URy6gEijg

demure

j.mcdrmd wrote: »

Are you serious?

Maybe you have missed this:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_URy6gEijg

Why do you see it necessary to draw a comparison between the practices of unsecured mortgages and student loans to non-Irish domiciled students?

So, according to you, a candidate from Northern Ireland, UK or EU should be refused a loan to ensure prudent banking?

I am not sure I see it that way. After all, how is one candidate that has resided in ROI for, say 8 years, better than that who exceeded that time by 2 years?

Charging large interest rates is precisely what the Banks use as their security. Because after all there is very little security in lending to 1st year students, whether they will pass, fail or become unwell is not something that can be easily predicted. Someone earlier mentioned a case where an unfortunate Irish student fled the country to avoid paying back the loan. Well, a ticket to Australia is the same price, whether you originate from Ireland, UK or Zanzibar.

We are in the EU and all EU applicants should be treated the same way. I daresay a UK guarantor is as good as an Irish one. If you still disagree, then we enter another territory...

pc11

Stephan Grundy wrote: »

From what I'm hearing, I'll be very surprised if financial considerations don't lead to a fair bout of next-round offers from RCSI, anyway.

The arrangements and timing for offers vs. loans really are striking me as verging seriously on the inhumane - I can imagine exactly how I'd feel if I'd gone through the gauntlet of GAMSAT, CAO, and everything else, and made my plans for the next four years or more, only to discover *now* that there was an insurmountable problem with the financing.

(I'm still a little annoyed about finding out by surprise about the £1000 acceptance deposit - with three working days [Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, given that Monday was a bank holiday] to sort it out and have proof of payment in by the Thursday with everything else. It may not have had a personal impact on me, but if I were totally dependent on a loan for my fees...Of course, I suppose it's possible that the information was tucked away somewhere on the difficult RCSI website and everyone but me already knew about it, but...)

I was in RCSI Admissions Office on Thursday afternoon dropping in the forms after paying the deposit only at 15.59 that afternoon.

I asked if there were many looking like losing their places and they couldn't or wouldn't get in to it. I think they were waiting till Friday morning to see where they stood with acceptances and deposits. So, yes, I can see several offers coming out shortly for the next round. They will have to go through the CAO so I imagine it will be several days before people may hear, so hang in there.

The deposit bit surprised me, not that I would have to pay one as I think I knew that, but that the time was pretty short, and we didn't have a loan decision. And I knew the loan would not cover 100% of fees so I was prepared to fork out the excess.

And still no word from BOI on loans. I was assured by BOI months ago that they would have 2 underwriters dedicated to this job and would decide in 3-4 working days. So much for that.

It's 4 weeks to go now and I have yet to give notice in my job. After a particularly bad Friday, I was just seconds away from quitting on the spot. As much as I hate the place, I have to hold on until things are definite.

Stephan, have you been dealing with BOI? Any progress with them?

Hypnos

demure wrote: »

Why do you see it necessary to draw a comparison between the practices of unsecured mortgages and student loans to non-Irish domiciled students?

So, according to you, a candidate from Northern Ireland, UK or EU should be refused a loan to ensure prudent banking?

I am not sure I see it that way. After all, how is one candidate that has resided in ROI for, say 8 years, better than that who exceeded that time by 2 years?

Charging large interest rates is precisely what the Banks use as their security. Because after all there is very little security in lending to 1st year students, whether they will pass, fail or become unwell is not something that can be easily predicted. Someone earlier mentioned a case where an unfortunate Irish student fled the country to avoid paying back the loan. Well, a ticket to Australia is the same price, whether you originate from Ireland, UK or Zanzibar.

We are in the EU and all EU applicants should be treated the same way. I daresay a UK guarantor is as good as an Irish one. If you still disagree, then we enter another territory...

Let me be the Devils advocate then since I have a very different view on this EU and UK candidates are even a bigger risk to the banks so yes, I understand why EU and UK students are refused a loan. They can leave the country after they finish with the loan unpaid and there is currently* (at this time) no legislation in the EU that allows the banks to come after you if you cross borders which is why I think it should be refused to EU students. That missing legislation is enough of a reason from my perspective. Its probably another reason it's not offered (because they can't chase after the money yet). I did hear they're going to amend that soon enough.

I don't think the loan should be offered until the a legislation is passed that allows banks to chase after debt across EU borders. You also have to keep in mind that if they could chase after the loan it would be a lot more expensive to chase it in another country than here domestically. So that's a bigger cost too.

The comparison made by him with the mortgages was fair I think. Just take the 100K loan. It can be viewed as a small mortgage in comparison. Imagine how much more difficult it is to pay that back (100K) with interest over 10 years than the 60K. It's a massive difference. If the loan was offered to everyone and people started just leaving the country with the debt then I can say almost certainly they would remove it completely, and then what? Gradmed only becomes accessible to people with a lot of surplus cash, in which case a lot of us would be left out to dry I think. They removed the 100K because junior doctors were struggling to pay back the monthly installments. AIB bailed on it completely because at a time they didn't require guarantors and they had people just leave the country.

In the state that things are in now, I'm just happy BOI are still doing it! I dare not expect more for the time being I'm just happy it exists.
Now this whole long post was in regards to EU students and not Irish residents here who may have 7, 8 or 9 yrs residence and are refused. I don't personally agree with BOI on the 10 year rule but nothing we can do to change that. Only time and economic growth (fingers crossed).

Stephan Grundy

pc11 wrote: »

.

Stephan, have you been dealing with BOI? Any progress with them?

No - I'm sort of privately financed. It's more that watching other people who have been through all the same things I've been through thus far, and have pretty much the same goals and dreams, get jerked around like this over loans after passing all the other hurdles and having hopes well in hand...well, it's a big ugly spider in my celebration punchbowl.

pc11

Just heard from BOI that I've been approved, apparently I was one of the first. So, hopefully some of you will also be hearing this evening and tomorrow.

Wow, it's getting real now. Still awfully nervous about taking this on, I still have my doubts. But, I will probably go ahead. I'll have to deal with quitting work next. I'm delighted to get out of a bad workplace, I just want to get out without any fuss. I know I'll be hounded for bullsh1t exit interviews and explanations and HR nonsense.

Stephan Grundy

pc11 wrote: »

Just heard from BOI that I've been approved, apparently I was one of the first. So, hopefully some of you will also be hearing this evening and tomorrow.

Wow, it's getting real now. Still awfully nervous about taking this on, I still have my doubts. But, I will probably go ahead. I'll have to deal with quitting work next. I'm delighted to get out of a bad workplace, I just want to get out without any fuss. I know I'll be hounded for bullsh1t exit interviews and explanations and HR nonsense.

Congratulations! - good to hear it, and good luck to everyone else who's waiting for the word on their loans.

Jammyc

pc11 wrote: »

Just heard from BOI that I've been approved, apparently I was one of the first. So, hopefully some of you will also be hearing this evening and tomorrow.

Wow, it's getting real now. Still awfully nervous about taking this on, I still have my doubts. But, I will probably go ahead. I'll have to deal with quitting work next. I'm delighted to get out of a bad workplace, I just want to get out without any fuss. I know I'll be hounded for bullsh1t exit interviews and explanations and HR nonsense.

Congratulations!

Do you mind me asking how long you heard after applying?

pc11

Jammyc wrote: »

Congratulations!

Do you mind me asking how long you heard after applying?

Thanks! I applied on the day the offers came out, as I assume everyone did?

Jammyc

pc11 wrote: »

Thanks! I applied on the day the offers came out, as I assume everyone did?

Cheers!

I've been waiting on some information required to get back to me, so I've been delayed in that regard. Applying formally on Wednesday.

okdune

Hi everyone,

Same as some of you, no science background and have decided it's do or die for me on the GEM front. I'm accountant who stupidly stopped studying for Gamsat to take a finance job and alas so many years later I'm back at square one and now know its the only thing i really want. I'm 32, so I've decided it's Gamsat 2014, or else draw a line through it.

Though the prospect of covering so much before then is daunting, it's not half as daunting as picturing myself looking at excel for the next thirty years. To be honest, I'm pretty keen to get stuck in now.

Having given it serious thought and read up more on the whole financing and loan side of things, I'm now a but frightened by the potential reality of undertaking GEM (I do know I have to get there first though!).

But could I ask those of you currently undertaking GEM and those seriously planning to do so - how do you manage?!

I don't have kids or at the moment a relationship where I could lean on another. In one sense that's great no dependants, now is the time, but on the other side, I am just wondering the level of savings, financial prep and perhaps part time work people have to do to live an get by?

I admire people who just go after it, and I am typically one of those, but I would be grateful if you could share how you plan to or do manage. I really don't want money to stop me, age, though not too extreme is not on my side as it is!

Thank you so much in advance. Isn't it great to have a nice anonymous forum for these types of questions!

Emma Catherine

I've my meeting in the morning! Fingers crossed it will be some good news too

Just hoping I have everything they need organised

pc11

okdune wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Same as some of you, no science background and have decided it's do or die for me on the GEM front. I'm accountant who stupidly stopped studying for Gamsat to take a finance job and alas so many years later I'm back at square one and now know its the only thing i really want. I'm 32, so I've decided it's Gamsat 2014, or else draw a line through it.

Though the prospect of covering so much before then is daunting, it's not half as daunting as picturing myself looking at excel for the next thirty years. To be honest, I'm pretty keen to get stuck in now.

Having given it serious thought and read up more on the whole financing and loan side of things, I'm now a but frightened by the potential reality of undertaking GEM (I do know I have to get there first though!).

But could I ask those of you currently undertaking GEM and those seriously planning to do so - how do you manage?!

I don't have kids or at the moment a relationship where I could lean on another. In one sense that's great no dependants, now is the time, but on the other side, I am just wondering the level of savings, financial prep and perhaps part time work people have to do to live an get by?

I admire people who just go after it, and I am typically one of those, but I would be grateful if you could share how you plan to or do manage. I really don't want money to stop me, age, though not too extreme is not on my side as it is!

Thank you so much in advance. Isn't it great to have a nice anonymous forum for these types of questions!

Register now for GAMSAT UK. You'll thank me later

EDIT: it would be better to keep this to the other thread, this isn't the right place.

okdune

pc11 wrote: »

Register now for GAMSAT UK. You'll thank me later


EDIT: it would be better to keep this to the other thread, this isn't the right place.

Re UK GAMSAT - For practice / shed a bit of reality on the whole thing? Really minimum science knowledge!

Which other thread?

Thanks!

letsdothis

okdune wrote: »

Re UK GAMSAT - For practice / shed a bit of reality on the whole thing? Really minimum science knowledge!

Which other thread?

Thanks!

One of the 2014 threads ... we are the new breed!

okdune

letsdothis wrote: »

One of the 2014 threads ... we are the new breed!

Ah yes - I put it on both! Figured it would apply to hopefuls and current GEM students, or those waiting to start in September.

letsdothis

okdune wrote: »

Ah yes - I put it on both! Figured it would apply to hopefuls and current GEM students, or those waiting to start in September.

'Tis cofusing alright!

pc11

Back to 2013...

Anyone get any word from BOI today?

zeitsif

Quick question for anyone has been successful obtaining BOT loan. I haven’t applied yet but I am meeting them later this week

Were you required to prepare a budget to show how you would finance living expenses for the 4 years?
What level of funds (just generally) were they looking for you to have up front? Between family loan, wages due and personal saving will have approx. €16/15k. Will have to obviously work summers and possibly part time.
Any info greatly appreciated..

pc11

zeitsif wrote: »

Quick question for anyone has been successful obtaining BOT loan. I haven’t applied yet but I am meeting them later this week

Were you required to prepare a budget to show how you would finance living expenses for the 4 years?
What level of funds (just generally) were they looking for you to have up front? Between family loan, wages due and personal saving will have approx. €16/15k. Will have to obviously work summers and possibly part time.
Any info greatly appreciated..

Is that 16K total or per year? How and where will you be living?

Based on my experience and if you are living at home, that sounds like you'll be fine if you have a guarantor. One thing, I wouldn't describe help from family as a loan, I don't think they would want to see you having other liabilities.

From my conversations, BOI are looking for: science degree, 10 years residency, low debts and commitments, existing BOI customer, some work history, clear means to live and normally a guarantor who has to be a blood relative and an Irish resident (BOI customer preferred).

Some of these are hard rules, some are preferences.

I didn't have to prepare a specific budget, but I did need to state how I would be living. But, I am older and have a long work history and record with BOI. Do mention the Summer work, but be realistic about part-time work as for most people it simply won't be practical, especially in RCSI.

But, as I've said before, my mind is boggled that some people are only talking to banks now. :eek:

zeitsif

Thanks for your response.
No €16k total. Have summer work lined up for next two summers which will pay well. However I will have to rent so I admit it is a long shot
Have a solid guarantor, who is Irish resident and a blood relative. Okay on that front. We will see..

diverboy83

This is more for interest than anything else, as decisions have already been made and all of that, but The Guardian did a two-page spread in G2 today on UL's Medical School, which is up for the RIBA Sterling Prize. Will pop this into the GAMSAT 2014 thread too.

John432

Does anyone know if theres any major difference between the ulster bank and boi loan?

pc11

Update on BOI: they gave me a letter yesterday saying I've been approved for the loan, but it will be next week before the credit agreement is prepared to be signed. The letter is not formally binding, just an indication really.

I've typed up my notice to quit work letter, just waiting to submit it.

Anyone had any progress with BOI?