Gamsat 2014

Mccloskc

Hi guys did anyone else find section 3 to be particularly hard? I was devastated at the end.

Mecci

Yes! I took the exam in Dublin, it was my first attempt but having studied over the past four months and doing prep courses I thought I was ready for it. I have a degree in Biopharmaceutical Science & Physiology but I found the biology questions really difficult. Most section 3 questions seemed to have a twist to them, unlike in the sample & practice papers which were relatively straightforward.
Having guessed a lot of answers I know I did really badly. Like you I was also devastated coming out, particularly after hearing positive comments from others. Would be interested to hear from more people..

Mccloskc

I have a degree in natural science and did chemistry and biology up to second year before majoring in geography. I think section 2 went well so that will be my saviour if anything is. I also did prep courses! You never know till u know!

DroghedaTutor

Yes. 500% yes. I had done the sample papers 4 times under exam timings and gone through textbooks to 1st year university standard. I have also taken university level science exams, so I thought I would be prepared to scrap my 50% at a minimum and then be bumped up by papers 1 & 2. but as soon as I started the third paper, I knew I was in trouble. felt like I prepared for a french exam, then was handed a russian paper on the day.

how am I ever going to pass this thing if this is the standards of the papers? I have no problem with hard work but have been very thrown by this experience. how are people preparing in order to pass?

Mccloskc

I think the key is persistence. If we can take anything away from this it's the great experience we gained. If at first you fail try again.

DanKnev

Sat GAMSAT in Dublin on 22nd March and can definitely say its the toughest Section III I've come across to date. I'd gone through official ACER material and prep course material, and neither was close to the standard on that exam. I've a B.A and PhD in Biochemistry, yet still found the biology questions particularly challenging. Complexity of graphs was very off putting and emphasis on osmosis/genetics was detrimental for anyone not strong in those areas. I feel that Section III will really separate out who's 'passed' GAMSAT or not.

harmo08

Final year biomedical health and life science student.
I did the gamsat for the second time in march 2014. Section 3, I found was certainly hard but I felt I did better there than in any of the other sections. Notably, section 2 pretty much destroyed my seeing as i have little writing skills.

I found that some question on the section 3 were very similar to ones I had practiced using some practice papers like griffith, ozimed, prepgenie etc.

If you're doing this for the first time, don't be too hard on yourself, chances are you'll recieve a result better than you expect. The first time doing it, I wasn't expecting much, it was just for practice, knowing I was going to do it a second time and yet I was surprised when I got my result from my first time round. I only did 1 week worth of study for it that time. I think the trick is to go in without stressing.

Mccloskc

harmo08 wrote: »

Final year biomedical health and life science student.
I did the gamsat for the second time in march 2014. Section 3, I found was certainly hard but I felt I did better there than in any of the other sections. Notably, section 2 pretty much destroyed my seeing as i have little writing skills.

I found that some question on the section 3 were very similar to ones I had practiced using some practice papers like griffith, ozimed, prepgenie etc.

If you're doing this for the first time, don't be too hard on yourself, chances are you'll recieve a result better than you expect. The first time doing it, I wasn't expecting much, it was just for practice, knowing I was going to do it a second time and yet I was surprised when I got my result from my first time round. I only did 1 week worth of study for it that time. I think the trick is to go in without stressing.

Can I ask you what you got first time around?

harmo08

Mccloskc wrote: »

Can I ask you what you got first time around?

56

Junoon

I agree with u all.

section 3 was tough but section 2 topics were way too general and simple

this could help mostly people with writing skills and may cause scores go up this time

what u all think about it?

seamonkey92

Any idea when results are out guys?

Ballet17

seamonkey92 wrote: »

Any idea when results are out guys?

Hiya, apparently, according to other boards, they're estimated to be around the 16th May!

Mccloskc

As expected section 3 let me down... Got a miserable 38

DroghedaTutor

me too. i got 42 in section 3 and overall 56. oh the power of 81 in section 2.

Anythingsposs

Hey all. Thank god the wait for results is over, does anyone have the 2013 Ireland percentile curve handy? Just to compare to the 2014 for cut offs. Thanks

Ballet17

Mccloskc wrote: »

As expected section 3 let me down... Got a miserable 38

Mccloskc I'm the exact same, science section really dragged me down, so far that I don't think I'll be seeing an offer and will be doing the gamsat again in Sept It was my first time doing it with no science background but I spent months trying to bring myself up to scratch, feel like I could have done nothing and guessed and got the same result! Not sure how I'm going to improve for next time, guess all I can do is try

Mccloskc

Ballet17 wrote: »

Mccloskc I'm the exact same, science section really dragged me down, so far that I don't think I'll be seeing an offer and will be doing the gamsat again in Sept It was my first time doing it with no science background but I spent months trying to bring myself up to scratch, feel like I could have done nothing and guessed and got the same result! Not sure how I'm going to improve for next time, guess all I can do is try

Same did 50 and 67 in section one and two respectively. Got 48 overall so won't be getting an offer. I truely believe in persistence. It's tough but I really want this.

Ballet17

Mccloskc wrote: »

Same did 50 and 67 in section one and two respectively. Got 48 overall so won't be getting an offer. I truely believe in persistence. It's tough but I really want this.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you! 56 and 66 in section 1 and 2 respectively. Damn science section! but feeling a lot better and optimistic about it all today than I did yesterday with the initial disappointment. You're right about being persistent, and hopefully with more time and practice we can all do a lot better in September . (I'm so scared though my other sections could drop but trying not to let gamsat paranoia get the better of me )

Mccloskc

Ballet17 wrote: »

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you! 56 and 66 in section 1 and 2 respectively. Damn science section! but feeling a lot better and optimistic about it all today than I did yesterday with the initial disappointment. You're right about being persistent, and hopefully with more time and practice we can all do a lot better in September . (I'm so scared though my other sections could drop but trying not to let gamsat paranoia get the better of me )

Do you mind me asking you what you got in section 3 and as an overall score?

Ballet17

Mccloskc wrote: »

Do you mind me asking you what you got in section 3 and as an overall score?

36 and 48 when I read my results the morning they were released my sleep deprived eyes saw 38 in s3 and it was only when I looked again days later I realised that I actually scored just 36, jokeshop! But feeling better about it all now,and if nothing else at least we've 2 more chances at gamsat for 2015 if needs be

nickynoonoo5

Hi guys,

Does anybody know how to figure out your own scores from the GAMSAT practice papers? Have been doing lots of practice and am trying to figure out what the number of my correct answers would correlate to in the actual exam... I know the marking and weighting of the paper is all shrouded in secrecy but if anybody has any idea how to do this itd be much appreciated

Mccloskc

nickynoonoo5 wrote: »

Hi guys,

Does anybody know how to figure out your own scores from the GAMSAT practice papers? Have been doing lots of practice and am trying to figure out what the number of my correct answers would correlate to in the actual exam... I know the marking and weighting of the paper is all shrouded in secrecy but if anybody has any idea how to do this itd be much appreciated

I'm not sure on the method but I think it works out by subtracted approximately 5 marks of ur practice test. Although this of course changes every year but that's what I've read.

nickynoonoo5

Mccloskc wrote: »

I'm not sure on the method but I think it works out by subtracted approximately 5 marks of ur practice test. Although this of course changes every year but that's what I've read.

Thanks so much!! Just gotta try find myself a science tutor now!!

Frances02

Hi All,

I have a quick question, I'm sitting the GAMSAT in the UK in September and I was wondering does anyone have a list of the previous Section II Essay topics that have been covered in the actual exam over the past few years?

Or even what it was in March this year??!

I would have thought it would be pretty easy to find, in college the first thing we did having come out of exam was write down the questions were so that the year behind us would have an idea what was covered, but I can't find anything like that for the GAMSAT!

Thanks!

Mccloskc

Frances02 wrote: »

Hi All,

I have a quick question, I'm sitting the GAMSAT in the UK in September and I was wondering does anyone have a list of the previous Section II Essay topics that have been covered in the actual exam over the past few years?

Or even what it was in March this year??!

I would have thought it would be pretty easy to find, in college the first thing we did having come out of exam was write down the questions were so that the year behind us would have an idea what was covered, but I can't find anything like that for the GAMSAT!

Thanks!

Can't remember the exact essay titles but I remember they were almost identical to the ones provided by acer. So if you practice them you should be ok.