Coronovirus - Gamsat MARCH 2020

CopperTone1

RCSI sent the mature students who were accepted sample timetables of what the coming academic year looks like, so if anyone is interested. Let me know.

Indecisivegirl

taxignorant wrote: »

Brilliant, it's great to know there will be some contact. It would be hard to stay motivated at home without it. It's only 12 weeks and then hopefully in semester two there is more face to face learning.

Thanks for the info it really helps putting a shape on things in our minds.

Are you finished or which year are you going into?

Yeah having a small bit of contact is better than nothing for sure! Really hoping things are more or less back to normal by semester 2!

I just finished first year so I’m going into 2nd now

redser1

Does anyone anticipate any further rounds of offers? Its not specified on CAO, the timeline. Got 58 and Limerick but was hoping for UCC....surely further spaces everywhere will come up after acceptance deadline of next Thursday with these offers?

humboldt

https://www.facebook.com/groups/432372067518840
RCSI GEM group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/209718953755468
UCD GEM group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/827204067792508
UCC GEM group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/167496591191704/
UL GEM group

hopefulsucess

redser1 wrote: »

Does anyone anticipate any further rounds of offers? Its not specified on CAO, the timeline. Got 58 and Limerick but was hoping for UCC....surely further spaces everywhere will come up after acceptance deadline of next Thursday with these offers?

I'm in the same position but got UCC and wanted UCD, going to email tomorrow and see. Trying to remain optimistic

ma003

redser1 wrote: »

Does anyone anticipate any further rounds of offers? Its not specified on CAO, the timeline. Got 58 and Limerick but was hoping for UCC....surely further spaces everywhere will come up after acceptance deadline of next Thursday with these offers?

I guess its a possibility. I missed Limerick due to random selection so I haven't given up hope! Congrats anyway on Limerick either way!

bella11

hopefulsucess wrote: »

I'm in the same position but got UCC and wanted UCD, going to email tomorrow and see. Trying to remain optimistic

All 59s got UCD and it’s a few years since it has been 59 without a star so it could go to 58*

bella11

Suppose should be grateful we have lectures and that even if they’re online! It could be a lot more challenging for Limerick students at the start especially

gradmed2020

bella11 wrote: »

Suppose should be grateful we have lectures and that even if they’re online! It could be a lot more challenging for Limerick students at the start especially

Just wondering what you mean by more challenging for limerick students? Got an offer for limerick just wondering if I'm out of the loop on something?

gradmed2020

Just wondering if anyone heard anything about UL campus? Got offered campus but it's a lot more expensive than staying off campus. Has anyone heard any experience of this, is it worth the money?

ma003

gradmed2020 wrote: »

Just wondering what you mean by more challenging for limerick students? Got an offer for limerick just wondering if I'm out of the loop on something?

I think they mean because its problem based learning. I've heard it was very well done online though last semester from someone so don't worry!

RoundPony

ma003 wrote: »

I think they mean because its problem based learning. I've heard it was very well done online though last semester from someone so don't worry!

Yea honestly PBL is the same online. It was well done. UL said they are trying to get 1st and 2nd years in person in PBL for the first few weeks at least but even if they don't it won't be an issue for people in my first hand experience.

RoundPony

gradmed2020 wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone heard anything about UL campus? Got offered campus but it's a lot more expensive than staying off campus. Has anyone heard any experience of this, is it worth the money?

PM what building you got offered and I'll give you the full info. There is a lot of variance in the quality.

On campus is very handy in a normal year but won't be as beneficial with online learning. It is great to be on campus when you have a lot of in person teaching to minimize the wasted time - the amenities, free gym membership, running trails, etc are much closer than if you are off campus so it is much easier to study and still be active. Plus there was some peer led teaching and society meetings that happened in the evening so it was nice to be 2 minutes away. But given you will have less in person time this year, the benefit wouldn't outweigh the cost for me. Plus the gym is still a field hospital until November so will be closed anyway.

A lot of second years have decided to skip on campus and go off this year. You will definitely get off campus housing a good bit cheaper.

NiceMedBoy

Anyone received any email off UCD yet (besides the garda vetting one) since accepting? Kinda slow to communicate it would seem.

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

Yea honestly PBL is the same online. It was well done. UL said they are trying to get 1st and 2nd years in person in PBL for the first few weeks at least but even if they don't it won't be an issue for people in my first hand experience.

My friend is in UL, going into second year, it took her ages to adjust to PBL in person, it definitely isn’t the most ideal scenario and will pose issues.... the same as it will for lectures in the other colleges!

RoundPony

bella11 wrote: »

My friend is in UL, going into second year, it took her ages to adjust to PBL in person, it definitely isn’t the most ideal scenario and will pose issues.... the same as it will for lectures in the other colleges!

As a non science, I found keeping up with PBL hard work until like halfway through 2nd year. So I get where your friend was coming from - just in my opinion I didn't find it any more difficult or hard to adjust moving from in person to online.

gradmed2020

RoundPony wrote: »

PM what building you got offered and I'll give you the full info. There is a lot of variance in the quality.

On campus is very handy in a normal year but won't be as beneficial with online learning. It is great to be on campus when you have a lot of in person teaching to minimize the wasted time - the amenities, free gym membership, running trails, etc are much closer than if you are off campus so it is much easier to study and still be active. Plus there was some peer led teaching and society meetings that happened in the evening so it was nice to be 2 minutes away. But given you will have less in person time this year, the benefit wouldn't outweigh the cost for me. Plus the gym is still a field hospital until November so will be closed anyway.

A lot of second years have decided to skip on campus and go off this year. You will definitely get off campus housing a good bit cheaper.

Thanks, I've pm'd you there

RoundPony

If anyone is going to UL there are a few handy FB pages you might want to join:

University of Limerick Medicine Class of 2024

GEMS Housing Hunt

ul med students selling stuff

redser1

I emailed CAO and they said the next round for offers for Graduate medicine is September 11th..... even though most courses start the end of August... its strange how its left so late, if all offers aren't accepted on Thursday, surely they aren't left in limbo for a month? Did anyone else hear anything from the colleges?

redser1

RoundPony wrote: »

If anyone is going to UL there are a few handy FB pages you might want to join:

University of Limerick Medicine Class of 2024

GEMS Housing Hunt

ul med students selling stuff

What year are you in RoundPony?

RoundPony

redser1 wrote: »

What year are you in RoundPony?

3rd

1direction

RoundPony wrote: »

As a non science, I found keeping up with PBL hard work until like halfway through 2nd year. So I get where your friend was coming from - just in my opinion I didn't find it any more difficult or hard to adjust moving from in person to online.

Another current UL student here. I personally found going into PBL style teaching pretty okay but I had done a bit of it in my undergrad and came from a science background. In terms of the online version of it, all ran pretty smoothly. That being said people (including myself) deffo had more of a tendency to read notes off than learning it off like I would have done in person. Also way easier to tune out of the convo but hey that’s more my own fault then anything. Just make sure to ask for help if you’re struggling because there’s always happy to help.

medgirl18

humboldt wrote: »

:(:(

That's awful, how can they do that? It doesn't even make sense - what if everyone accepts?

I am going into 2nd year in UL and this wasn’t the case for us. Maybe it was in previous years but definitely not last year! 4 people that I know of got a late offer after we had already had orientation and it wouldn’t surprise me if there was more than this. 3 were offered the Thurs/Friday before starting so they didn’t miss any classes but missed orientation that Mon-Weds. The 4th (a guy in my PBL) didn’t get his offer until week 1 so actually missed our first PBL. So there definitely was more offers after round 0 but they were directly from UL and not from CAO. Best of luck!

Nicolmc

Just wondering if any other first year UL students have received any correspondence from the university yet?

RoundPony

medgirl18 wrote: »

I am going into 2nd year in UL and this wasn’t the case for us. Maybe it was in previous years but definitely not last year! 4 people that I know of got a late offer after we had already had orientation and it wouldn’t surprise me if there was more than this. 3 were offered the Thurs/Friday before starting so they didn’t miss any classes but missed orientation that Mon-Weds. The 4th (a guy in my PBL) didn’t get his offer until week 1 so actually missed our first PBL. So there definitely was more offers after round 0 but they were directly from UL and not from CAO. Best of luck!

They 100% didn't make round 1 offers. People accept then back out which is where people get offered spots like you mention. UL admissions told people last year that they decided to slightly overfill round 0 knowing that a certain % would not accept. There were definitely people in your year that started and dropped out after accepting their place because I was assigned to be a peer mentor to somebody who did.

ERpunk

RoundPony wrote: »

They 100% didn't make round 1 offers. People accept then back out which is where people get offered spots like you mention. UL admissions told people last year that they decided to slightly overfill round 0 knowing that a certain % would not accept. There were definitely people in your year that started and dropped out after accepting their place because I was assigned to be a peer mentor to somebody who did.

Any particular reasons cited for dropping out so early?

RoundPony

ERpunk wrote: »

Any particular reasons cited for dropping out so early?

This was a financial reason. Others are usually location.

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

They 100% didn't make round 1 offers. People accept then back out which is where people get offered spots like you mention. UL admissions told people last year that they decided to slightly overfill round 0 knowing that a certain % would not accept. There were definitely people in your year that started and dropped out after accepting their place because I was assigned to be a peer mentor to somebody who did.

You don’t work in admissions? To be honest you can’t be 100% sure, I don’t understand your interest in this thread still at this stage either

RoundPony

bella11 wrote: »

You don’t work in admissions? To be honest you can’t be 100% sure, I don’t understand your interest in this thread still at this stage either

haha clearly don't work in admissions but I have no doubt if you emailed UL admissions they will tell you the same thing. That information came directly from UL admissions because I had a friend who missed out on a place last year and emailed them about round 1. I am confident saying 100% because I personally saw it in writing. But believe what you will.

What a thing to say to somebody who is just trying to help you guys out with the truth. No idea why my interest would be bothering you but there is a lot of misinformation on these forums and I find it interesting to see what is still being said. Given the nonsense I read when I was applying, I'd thought it would be the decent thing to do to provide people out with the truth than see misinformation. By all means ignore everything I've ever posted - that's your choice.

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

haha clearly don't work in admissions but I have no doubt if you emailed UL admissions they will tell you the same thing. That information came directly from UL admissions because I had a friend who missed out on a place last year and emailed them about round 1. I am confident saying 100% because I personally saw it in writing. But believe what you will.

What a thing to say to somebody who is just trying to help you guys out with the truth. No idea why my interest would be bothering you but there is a lot of misinformation on these forums and I find it interesting to see what is still being said. Given the nonsense I read when I was applying, I'd thought it would be the decent thing to do to provide people out with the truth than see misinformation. By all means ignore everything I've ever posted - that's your choice.

Last year was last year. Things change every year.... I just find it peculiar, it’s a matter of opinion.

RoundPony

bella11 wrote: »

Last year was last year. Things change every year.... I just find it peculiar, it’s a matter of opinion.

I find it peculiar that you can't understand that UL deciding to implement a strategy with CAO offers last year is relevant to this year's applicants.

I also find it peculiar that you care what I say/do but to each their own.

This intake is going to be a whole bundle of laughs judging by some people this thread...

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

I find it peculiar that you can't understand that UL deciding to implement a strategy with CAO offers last year is relevant to this year's applicants.

I also find it peculiar that you care what I say/do but to each their own.

This intake is going to be a whole bundle of laughs judging by some people this thread...

I am actually laughing.... glad you have enough time to be writing all this anyways, it’s reassuring for the medical profession😂

RoundPony

bella11 wrote: »

I am actually laughing.... glad you have enough time to be writing all this anyways, it’s reassuring for the medical profession��

I have the time because I've already gotten into GEMS and I'm enjoying my summer break.

Did you get a place? If so, good luck. People like you find GEMS very isolating.

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

I have the time because I've already gotten into GEMS and I'm enjoying my summer break.

Did you get a place? If so, good luck. People like you find GEMS very isolating.

Well done...���� you’ve a long way to go.... settling scores is something you’d want to let go of if you want to be able to work in a hospital environment

RoundPony

bella11 wrote: »

Well done...���� you’ve a long way to go.... settling scores is something you’d want to let go of if you want to be able to work in a hospital environment

Thanks! Well I'm sure I'll make it work somehow. I've gotten this far.

I can't help but find it peculiar that you didn't mention if/where you are attending.

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

Thanks! Well I'm sure I'll make it work somehow. I've gotten this far.

I can't help but find it peculiar that you didn't mention if/where you are attending.

Haha I perhaps don’t need the validation to verify it with yourself! Best of luck 😂

skrrskrr97

Has anyone who has been accepted to ucc received an email from the college itself yet? Seems strange to me that no communication has been made since Saturday.

RoundPony

bella11 wrote: »

Haha I perhaps don’t need the validation to verify it with yourself! Best of luck ��

So very peculiar. I don't think you got in anywhere but that's just a matter of opinion.

Good luck next year!

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

So very peculiar. I don't think you got in anywhere but that's just a matter of opinion.

Good luck next year![/quote

Thanks for brightening up my day...! I’ve been lolling all evening.

RoundPony

bella11 wrote: »

RoundPony wrote: »

So very peculiar. I don't think you got in anywhere but that's just a matter of opinion.

Good luck next year![/quote

Thanks for brightening up my day...! I’ve been lolling all evening.

Delighted to hear it. Just try not to laugh too much or you'll expend the energy you need to study for next year!

bella11

RoundPony wrote: »

bella11 wrote: »

Delighted to hear it. Just try not to laugh too much or you'll expend the energy you need to study for next year!

I really hope you’re in the early twenties age bracket just for the sake of the Irish health service...😂 and hopefully will have matured by qualification 🙠but anyways, thanks hun

hopefulsucess

skrrskrr97 wrote: »

Has anyone who has been accepted to ucc received an email from the college itself yet? Seems strange to me that no communication has been made since Saturday.

I haven't received anything from them yet

medgirl18

RoundPony wrote: »

They 100% didn't make round 1 offers. People accept then back out which is where people get offered spots like you mention. UL admissions told people last year that they decided to slightly overfill round 0 knowing that a certain % would not accept. There were definitely people in your year that started and dropped out after accepting their place because I was assigned to be a peer mentor to somebody who did.

Yes they were spots from people who dropped out at some stage during/after orientation, I should have been more clear about that But I definitely agree with you as everyone I have spoken to has either gotten a round 0 offer or a late offer.

redser1

Has anyone heard anything from the colleges in relation to further rounds? Or do they just contact in-between rounds directly outside CAO - For example the people that originally got UCC and then subsequently UCD offers?

ma003

redser1 wrote: »

Has anyone heard anything from the colleges in relation to further rounds? Or do they just contact in-between rounds directly outside CAO - For example the people that originally got UCC and then subsequently UCD offers?

I couldn't say for sure but from what I can gather from other peoples posts about previous years is that there isn't really a round 1 and the colleges tend to contact you if there are dropouts but it can be quite late as in during orientation or the first week of classes. Could be wrong but thats what I've put together from what people have said!

redser1

ma003 wrote: »

I couldn't say for sure but from what I can gather from other peoples posts about previous years is that there isn't really a round 1 and the colleges tend to contact you if there are dropouts but it can be quite late as in during orientation or the first week of classes. Could be wrong but thats what I've put together from what people have said!

ah I see, Ive heard that aswell but also have heard from people last year that were on * scores, that got in between round 0 and the actual start dates of courses...its hard to know what will happen this year with the way things are also...

Indecisivegirl

redser1 wrote: »

Has anyone heard anything from the colleges in relation to further rounds? Or do they just contact in-between rounds directly outside CAO - For example the people that originally got UCC and then subsequently UCD offers?

For me, I got a phone call after round zero offers ended but it was a call basically asking if I would accept an offer to UCD if offered it in the next round as it was number 1 on my list. The caller even said she couldn’t tell me 100% that I’d get an offer but just needed to know if I’d accept one. Then on the day of round one offers I had an offer on my CAO account

ma003

Indecisivegirl wrote: »

For me, I got a phone call after round zero offers ended but it was a call basically asking if I would accept an offer to UCD if offered it in the next round as it was number 1 on my list. The caller even said she couldn’t tell me 100% that I’d get an offer but just needed to know if I’d accept one. Then on the day of round one offers I had an offer on my CAO account

Thats good to know! Had you already started somewhere else at that stage? I know the round one this year isn't till after some of the colleges start, was it the same for you?

Flimsy_Boat

redser1 wrote: »

Has anyone heard anything from the colleges in relation to further rounds? Or do they just contact in-between rounds directly outside CAO - For example the people that originally got UCC and then subsequently UCD offers?

I can confirm that UCC accepted people late (1st or 2nd week), and UCC contacted the candidates directly.

Also as previously stated: last year the CAO did not inform anyone of a UL acceptance in round 1 as they oversubscribed their Round 0 deliberately.

People drop out every year from every medicine course. Reasons include not getting the BofI loan or not wanting to start the programme that particular year. It isn't rare that someone applies to keep their options open and then decides last minute to withdraw, or try again next year. I think we all know of one poster on this very thread did this due to location and family reasons.

If your score is on the cut off, stay in contact with admissions.

PS - In case I get any backlash for being a medical student who is still interested in admissions, my response is that I love my job as a peer support leader. You will find very helpful upper years in the course who provide notes, books, the low down on what certain professors emphasise on exams, etc. Most of us like to take care of the incoming class because the memories of first year are still raw lol. In fact, many consultants have come back to academia to participate in admissions and running the medical school. It is a passion for some to guide the next cohort, so I'd appreciate it if people didn't malign anyone trying to help in this forum. There aren't enough actual medical students or graduates posting in Ireland as it is...

Indecisivegirl

ma003 wrote: »

Thats good to know! Had you already started somewhere else at that stage? I know the round one this year isn't till after some of the colleges start, was it the same for you?

No this was a good amount of time before the college year started! I just went and checked and round zero offers were out August 1st and then round one offers August 15th so that still gave a little bit of time before the start of the term! And I was only sitting with the UCC offer for 2 weeks before I officially got the UCD one so it worked out fine