|  Author | Topic: Preparation Course Survey 2006 (Read 4,722 times) |
kimmy
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|  | Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Thread Started on Feb 25, 2007, 3:37pm » | |
Reviews by members of GAMSAT prep courses.
Please post any questions and comments
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kimmy
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| | MedPrep
« Reply #1 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:37pm » | |
Medprep: http://www.medprep.com.au/
$1080 + P&H
Responses from:
6x science/health background
1x non-science grad with 1st yr science subjects
2x non science background
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
Good coverage of science topics for non-science background students, Effective essay writing
The organisation it gave to my preparation and the motivation it gave me to work harder (the lecturer, Karim, was a great teacher and gave a lot of real world examples. He was also able to talk about his career as a medico and that gave the course a nice contextual grounding.) The materials were quite useful, and all of the practice papers were realistic and challenging. I found the advice on how to approach the first two sections was particularly helpful as strategy is particularly important for these ones compared with science.
Met some really awesome people who became a great support network. The topics seemed really relevant and so the 'textbook' was useful.
Essay writing, interview workshop and practice for the humanities section
The essay questions-to give you a feel of what sort of questions may be asked of you.
S3 information
Essay writing (definitely!). The science content was really good, but the essay component was priceless for me, seeing as I hadn't written an essay since year 12!
Course notes
Preparation for S1 and S2
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
Not enough organic chemistry covered, science coverage too simple for biology/chemistry student/graduate.
Some areas were not entirely relevant to the GAMSAT, especially covering histology of major organs. That said, you shouldn't go to the course expecting it to suffice for your preparation. It's only the beginning.
I felt it was a little exploitative. it was over $1000 and many people like myself who are professionals who took time out from work felt slightly insulted (treated poorly for how much money we paid) i.e. if you go to a professional work conference and pay $1000, you get first class venues, refreshments, the works, they basically exploited students who would pretty much give their right hand to get into med. i.e. for our $1000....Previously 10 day program squashed into 5 resulting in...11 hours days in a tiny lecture theatre with 40 degree heat outside, no refreshments or breaks for up to 5 hours. When we pleaded for a break we were basically guilt tripped - "other cities students don't need a break" felt very much like an Asian cram school. "you obviously don't really want to get into med if you wont sit here for 5 hours." Treated like naughty children. 1 teacher only. As a lecturer myself, you CANNOT teach for more than 2 hours at a time and expect to maintain a high standard. Ran out of time to cover some content. Persistently pushed the line "70% of Medprep students get into med" - insinuating a causal relationship when none is present. Overall - not impressed!!! I found many students being so desperate to get into medicine, the Medprep people preyed on that in order to get people to accept sub-standard conditions and service.
The science was a little dodgy and too much to absorb for 10 hours a day! Fell asleep many times! Also, the practice tests weren't a good indication of the real GAMSAT or of ACER's test books. There were also typos in the notes, which is especially bad since one of the typos was in a physics equation!
I personally did not find that the Medprep course was very helpful-I found the first section to be totally off base with the style and length of the questions. I also found the science section to be pretty basic and not very helpful compared to the type of questions they actually asked.
S1 info
It was all pretty good.
Going to the live lectures for science component. Skims over it too fast and hard to concentrate. Better off reading the notes at home and using them to point out relevant sections in textbooks.
Science section - tried to cover way too much in a short time, seemed to be aimed at science students (as revision) with a high level of pre-assumed knowledge. Not having done any science in 10 years I was completely lost the whole time, and the notes were so confusing that in the end I didn't do ANY science prep!
What area(s) did you improve most in, as a result of the program?
Essay writing
S1 and S2
S3
Can't really say. Perhaps the interview and the discursive essay? Mainly just got scared enough to study a lot, and motivated enough since I spent >$1000 on the prep course!
Probably the essay style questions as I had not had to write like that for a long period of time
Not sure
S2
Probably S2
S1
Would you recommend this program to other people? If yes, what type of person do you think it is best suited to? What would their background and previous experience be?
Recommended for people needing knowledge or significant revision of the biochemical sciences, also good for people whose writing is weak.
I'd recommend it to other people who are committed to doing a lot of extra work (probably the same for any course, though.)
Would not recommend it in general, but younger students may feel more comfortable with the delivery, i.e. perhaps not so offended by the service!! Also, for science students, I would say that the essay writing section would be invaluable.
Not really. If they can spare the money, it doesn't hurt, or if they miss all the Des O'Neill courses and can only make it for this. The home study kit is a total waste of money.
No-definitely not. For the essay questions go to a writing course and for the first section-personally I do not know what would help you increase your comprehension skills perhaps take an English subject.
I would, kind of. It is hard to say.
Yes I would - and you could go in from any background it covers all areas well - there were people in my course with degrees ranging from arts to aeronautical engineering to physiotherapy!
Yes if you have the money and are not a medical science student.
I don't think I would recommend Medprep. If I had to recommend Medprep to someone, it would be to science students as a refresher with some humanities thrown in, but definitely wouldn't recommend it to students coming from an arts background unless they had done a significant amount of pre-prep course science.
What level of knowledge was required before commencing the program?
Yr 12 science, writing skills and comprehension.
Some basic understanding of physics and chemistry would be useful. If you sign up early, you'll get the materials right away. Try to work through them all by yourself prior to the live course in order to best address any issues you might have when you're there.
None
At least a good (=A grade/>70% marks) knowledge of O level (supposedly equal but probably harder than year 10) physics, and probably year 11 or 12 Chemistry and biology. Year 12/ A level English (i.e. literature) wouldn't hurt either, but then if you've done it recently you probably wouldn't need their humanities section.
I assume a fairly good level of English and supplementary textbooks to give broader explanations
Nothing specific
None
Yr 12 physics and chemistry and 1st year uni biology.
Heaps of science!!
After you completed the program, what additional preparation was needed (if any)?
Since a whole year's worth of theory was compressed into the space of a few days, a lot of revision was necessary beforehand and afterwards. I had to consult notes from previous years as well as old textbooks from the university library to clarify certain points.
Focused mainly on practice exams after the course rather than any more knowledge work (apart from organic chemistry). You should have a good idea of what you need to work on by this stage.
Lots of home study on the science
Studied my 1st year Organic and Inorganic chemistry texts, a friend's 1st year Physics text, and practiced ACER's test papers within the time limit (except for the essays). Also went over all the practice questions and ACER questions answers for section I and every single answer to understand why one answer was more correct than the other.
After the course I went and did my own study and found that to be much more beneficial
Lots and lots of study!
All of the science needed further reviewing (as expected though!). More essay writing was definitely needed for practice - however, you were able send these off for grading.
Practicing GAMSAT using sample questions from ACER
I needed to do much more science stuff than what I did but I was so overwhelmed and baffled by the Medprep notes that I canned the whole SIII study as I was only intending this year to be a practice year anyway. I did heaps of practice deconstructing questions for SI and wrote about 5 or 6 practice essays for SII.
Did you feel the program was worth the money you spent on it?
The course was probably over-priced in comparison to what I gained from it all.
Definitely
No way!
Not really. A little hard to say actually. Is 5 extra points (I'm guessing!) worth $1000? Yes if you can afford it and/or you need a kick in your pants, no if you can't afford and are highly motivated anyway. The essay advice was good but then it's nothing you can't get on this forum anyway! (Although I didn't find Paging Dr. until July).
No
Well I got an interview, and apparently have a 'good prospect' of an offer (I have to wait till I finish 4th year physio) so I suppose. I think the GAMSAT performance was a weakness for me though. I think the main reason I have got a good chance is my GPA (6.9) and interview
Yes
Yes
No - too expensive, we were in a lecture theatre that didn't have enough seats for bums (over 100 people crammed in to a small room), in middle of summer with no air-conditioning. The time management was atrocious too, not all sections in the book provided by Medprep were covered by the lecturer so I guess in a way we paid for sessions that were not delivered and we were given the lecturer's notes and told to go through them in our own time!
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
Self-preparation (personally) was probably sufficient, although it certainly gave me a bit of reassurance prior to exams, Medprep advertised that 70% of its candidates enter medical school (I think this is somewhat inflated?)...
The Medprep program worked for me.
Would maybe try Des O'Neill because have heard good things about the science
I'd probably do Des O'Neills course instead, but then I might be b![[image]](http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4730/verymadkn3.gif) hing about that instead!
Probably, the practice is good
I would do the same program from the work materials I already have, as well as consider taking another course to broaden my scope of preparation.
Same
Definitely wouldn't do Medprep again. I'd do des' course or something else. Also, I only found this forum AFTER GAMSAT!! So if I end up sitting again next year I will take advantage of all the advice offered on Paging Dr.
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
No, this was my first year of GAMSAT, although I did try UMAT a few times beforehand and my score improved over the years with or without course preparation.
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
What matters is the final outcome and I certainly can't complain! However, for quite a while I was fretting as the score I got wasn't really competitive, relative to the scores which were published in ACER's guide for last year's entrants... (Medical school entry for 2007 achieved).
Yes. Went in with very little science background and ended up with 66/72/66 (68) I am sure the course helped me along considerably.
I think it helped me focus on relevant science areas
Even before I did the course, I was hoping to get 70+ for GAMSAT and told myself I would be happy with 75. After sitting it, I thought I was going to get 64-68, so was hoping for 68. My results were totally unexpected (80+) so I can't really say it was due to the course or not.
No
Yes
Yep, definitely - I thought I was going to completely flunk it - and I ended up with a score of 63 and an interview at Queensland.
Yes.
I guess so - don't think it impacted on my S3 score but it definitely bumped up my SI and SII scores!
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kimmy
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University of Queensland
2007
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| | MedPrep Home Study
« Reply #2 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:39pm » | |
Medprep Home study http://www.medprep.com.au/
$545 + P&H
Responses from:
1x science grad, working in science field
2x science/health student
1x non-science (arts) background
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
Having all the notes arranged in one place
In order of usefulness:
1) Full length practice exams
2) Submittable/corrected essays ( 6 in total)
3) Overall guide to GAMSAT exam material. Very concise in detail to give a good recap of the sciences. Small multi choice tests at end of each section were very good at reinforcing learnt information.
After the exam, it was only the practice writing and practice test that I found useful, but I only really had 2 weeks to go through it.
It was in my own time and had notes all done for you
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
Cost for what you get.
Science section required prior knowledge to a fairly advanced degree as it would be difficult to understand due to the compactness of the explanations. Not too much further explanation which would have been needed to fully comprehend the material, therefore, bad for those who have no science backgrounds. No real approach to deal with section one questions. Just practice questions, no real strategy.
They did not provide the much needed extra Section III questions. They did not tell me the 'essence' of Section III, which was more about the thinking process rather than cold hard facts
approaches to science related questions
What area(s) did you improve most in, as a result of the program?
None, I mainly got the program for help with the humanities and essay section, but didnt do that much better in either.
Science section. 2005 GAMSAT scores where similar to 2006, except science improved by 14 points. Score improved from 63 to 70.
I think my writing definitely improved, but S1 and S3, I dont think so. (First GAMSAT attempt)
Science
Would you recommend this program to other people? If yes, what type of person do you think it is best suited to? What would their background and previous experience be?
It is definitely for a certain type of person, and I suppose it would be helpful to someone who hasnt had any science experience. You have to be someone who studies out of books with not many pictures well.
Course is suited well for people who are fairly competent in English comprehension in addition to quite formidable skills in the sciences of biology, chemistry and physics.
I would recommend it BUT I would highly suggest this not be their only method or resources for preparing
Yes I would if you need all round knowledge build up and practise. No science background means this is extra helpful
What level of knowledge was required before commencing the program?
None
Second year organic chemistry was a must to do well in the science section, including at least first year biology and physics. Confident essay writing and a comprehensive vocabulary with good control over English language is a definite help.
None
None
After you completed the program, what additional preparation was needed (if any)?
Interview prep
Interview preparation. I purchased the Medprep home study guide again. It gave an idea of examinable questions for the interview and a good approach to answering as it proposed the theory and purpose behind questions.
Needed someone to mark/review my essays
Own practise with science questions in GAMSAT
Did you feel the program was worth the money you spent on it?
Not really, but its worth it I guess because my mother will be using it when she preps for grad med in a few years.
The GAMSAT home study guide was $600 and is slightly too expensive for its worth. $350-450 would have been a fairer price, but having said that, the guide is definitely a help.
The interview home study guide by Medprep as well, was $250, and was very pricey for the content available. $70-90 dollars would have been much more reasonable, however, does save the inconvenience of having to research all material by yourself.
No
Every cent
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
No- would do a live course
The program proved to be a success, so efficacy, for me seems to be of no problem.
Would do more practice questions.
I will probably choose face to face instruction as well
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
My score did improve, but I dont think it was a result of the course at all...
Yes. 2005 = 63, 2006 = 70. Medprep claims an average gain of 6-7 points overall which was indeed shown true in my case. Hence I can say that the course definitely helped me increase my score.
No, 2006 was my first attempt.
Improved by 7 points, as was promised...
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
I achieved my desired result, but I dont attribute it to the course...
Yes.
I got an interview, so I guess so
I got a solid score and passed all sections compared to the year before
Any other comments?
Reading over my answers, I see that they are all a bit negative, but I felt like the course just didnt do it for me... It may be different for other people however.
Expensive. If a good quality (unmarked) copy can be acquired of the GAMSAT guide, then that would be the go. Otherwise, study guide, augmented with good study habits, scores will definitely go up.
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kimmy
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University of Queensland
2007
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| | COMPTEXT (Des O'Neill)
« Reply #3 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:42pm » | |
COMPTEXT (Des ONeill) www.comptext.com.au
Responses from:
11x science/health grad (S, E, T), (T), (S, E,), (S, T), (S, E, T), (S, E, T), (T), (S), (E, T), (T)
1x science (chem/IT) (E, T)
2x science (non-bioscience/health) (S, E, T), (S- notes only)
2x science/arts (E, T), (S, E, T)
2x non-science (S, E), (S, E, T), (S, T)
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
Everything!
The practise test under exam conditions was fantastic. It gave me a really good idea of how much time I'd have and the types of strategies I'd need to use in the test. It was also good to get some test strategies and a bit of extra info. (e.g. don't expect to finish all of the questions, If I hadn't been told that I would've been freaking out when I didn't have time to consider all of the questions!)
Essay section (S2)
Essay course was most useful, improved my essay writing by a huge margin. The practice exams were good in that they refreshed my memory of chemistry and physics.
Science notes.
Essay practice, practice questions, practice exam.
The fact that I had to sit down and go through stuff when attending course sessions or writing essays. Also it gave me confidence because I was attending a course that had a high rate of success for participants.
Coming from a non-science background I found Dess courses unbelievable! They were so helpful for explaining complex concepts that I had no idea about and the practice questions were so helpful. I guess the key to the GAMSAT is practice and in Dess notes there were endless practice questions for all sections.
Definitely the notes- a concise guide as to what to learn. Coming from a non-science background; it can get so overwhelming! Also- the test prep, doing a practice GAMSAT exam under exam conditions was great. I found the test to be a useful indication of how I was doing. The essay course was money well spent as well, as it forced me to write the essays and analyse my responses (when comparing my thoughts to the markers)
Essay writing
Des shared his experience in likely topics to be tested in Science Prep. Des also explains concepts using anecdotes and easy terms. His anecdotes are tedious if you already know the science but enlightening if it is a difficult topic. He gives out plenty of practice questions which are really good. You leave feeling pretty confident about the whole thing. Test prep: mock test good. Feedback good. Essay writing: good chance to practice, good feedback each time. Feed back is somewhat limiting though.
Everything.
The essays, the fact that they outline the REAL amount of science you need (GAMSAT has organic chemistry that is more advanced than first year), practice exam prepares you for the stress of the day.
Test preparation course
Covers most topics in all three sciences and got many example questions at the end of each topic
Highly GAMSAT specific, very focussed information.
The practice questions.
Didnt really find it useful other than perhaps the mock test in test condition
Everything
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
None
None
Science section (S3)
Given that I had a very high result in Section 3, even at the start of the program, the exam prep course was probably not as useful. However coming out at the top of the class was an enormous confidence booster.
None
The revision classes.
I found a lot of the essay comments to be contradictory and comments/gradings seemed to differ A LOT between markers
Nothing in the science or test prep courses.
Some of the science detail just went over my head, partly due to my lack of comprehensive revision beforehand.
Science (apart from physics), especially biology.
In 2005, the biology lecturer was really boring. We kept looking at the clock and so did she. In test prep, I didn't gain much from it apart from the mock test. Most of his advice was common sense.
Everything was useful. I have absolutely no regrets.
The feedback they give you for the essays - VERY vague, my mum is an English teacher and we had to spend ages going over the feedback sheets from the markers trying to make sense of what they were asking for.
Going through questions without explaining the answers; the humanities questions were too simple - they were not a match for the GAMSAT Section 1.
Some topics didn't give us full explanations so sometimes it was hard to grasp the concept without extra help from textbooks.
People who wouldnt shut up in the lectures!
I found that Section 1 and 2 were my weakness and since I achieved what I wanted in both sections, I don't think there was anything not useful (from my perspective).
Everything else.
N/A
What area(s) did you improve most in, as a result of the program?
S2
It was the first time I had sat the test, but I did best in the humanities section (SI) (the area I did the course in) and for me that was very unusual!
S2
S2
Not sure, first GAMSAT attempt.
Overall GAMSAT exam technique.
Probably S1 and S2 due to the fact that the course required me to practice stuff that turned out to be very relevant to the exam.
This was the first time I sat the GAMSAT so I dont have any solid marks to compare. But I dont think I would have got over 50 in section III if it had not been for the courses.
S2 I think.
Don't know, used it first time but not second.
S2
Hard to say, because I only sat the GAMSAT once. My guess would be the essays.
S2
S3
S3 and test-taking strategy.
S1 and S2
I didnt improve because of the two day course but I had worked really hard on the essays and I improved in this section
All sections
Would you recommend this program to other people? If yes, what type of person do you think it is best suited to? What would their background and previous experience be?
I would definitely recommend this program to others. There are different options to take within the course itself, so it is possible to break it down and attend only the bits people think they will struggle with.
Yes definitely. Very expensive though. I think it's best suited to people who tend to feel a bit unsure about themselves and like to know the ins and outs of everything the test encompasses. I don't think it would be particularly useful for the types of people who naturally do really well at exams and problem solving. It teaches you test strategies which I'm sure many people probably already have. I think the test prep/humanities part of the course is pretty general, i.e. I don't think any previous qualifications would make the course more or less valuable.
I'd recommend the essay writing section to everyone who is not confident with essay writing regardless of background/experience. The science part would be good for non science background people but kind of a waste if you've already done science in uni. For such people I'd recommend just using textbooks, online resources etc
Yes, I'd recommend all of the programs that I did to anyone contemplating the GAMSAT. They do cost a bit, but they're well worth the money if you're serious about taking on the GAMSAT and winning. Possibly if you'd just completed a science degree at uni you'd have less use for the practice exams, but at worst they'll give you a refresher, and given the steepness of the results curve a few extra points can make all the difference.
I would recommend the course if someone doesnt know what to study and know about for the GAMSAT. Although I didnt do the essay writing section, I would recommend that section to anyone who wants to improve essay writing. Science section is great to give practice questions and stuff to actually study.
Yes, would recommend to all potential GAMSATers!
Yes, I think that probably everyone, no matter their background, would benefit.
I would definitely recommend Dess courses as I found them really helpful. I am someone who likes to know all the information out there and research everything
and Dess course was so valuable to me.
If you arent confident with the sciences- then definitely do them. If you have done a science degree then you may not find it as helpful.
Yes, would recommend it. I think basically anyone who is interested in GAMSAT would benefit from the test prep and essay course. However, for the science course, getting the notes beforehand and reviewing the material in detail would help heaps.
Yes, it cant hurt. As science is really rushed over (especially biology) the course would better benefit a science student with weak background in humanities.
I would recommend the writing and the science, but probably not the test prep course, provided finance is not a problem. (You can always give yourself a mock test, I did it all the time.) I think doing a course does not advantage you THAT much. He taught nothing you can't teach yourself. I would recommend to people for whom science was a few years ago, as it is a good refresher. People currently doing science wouldn't need it that much, and people who do not have a science background need to study first before attending.
ANY BACKGROUND... I recommend Des for ALL people wishing to pursue Medicine. He is a great man!
I don't know that I would recommend the science prep course. It's hard to say because, maybe it did make a difference for me & just don't know it? I don't learn very well from listening, I learn concepts better from reading textbooks trying to make sense, so sitting through intensive lectures didn't really help me absorb a great deal of information. I would have been just as well off with the notes. For the essay course, I think it would only work for people who are happy to work by themselves, because you don't get much assistance from the markers.
People with a science background; people with an arts background probably will be wasting their money. (T)
Yes, one has to have at least some background in science to understand all the topics but in combination with textbooks, Des is good for everyone I guess.
Highly recommend for all sorts. He really shows you where you need to be focusing your efforts. Non science students need to have covered the topic once so they wont get left behind, but it's brilliant for them in demystifying what it is they need to cover.
Someone who's not a good essay writer or is not confident in being able to construct an essay in 30 minutes... their feedback is awesome... I would also recommend it to people who are not very strong in Section 1 as there are heaps of questions for you to go through...
Dont know, it didnt really help.
If you have not taken GAMSAT before, I recommend the course as you will become aware that you need to work fast to get through the test. Its nice to feel comfortable with the organic chemistry questions.
What level of knowledge was required before commencing the program?
I would advise some prior science study in order to get the max benefit out of the science part. It tends to progress along quite quickly.
A general knowledge of the test process
Basic level of science helped but wasnt necessary.
The essay courses assume nothing. Section 3 of the practice exam requires a solid science background.
Basic science.
1st year university science
Varied, I was familiar with most concepts before I went. I used the course more as brush up as I was a bit rusty (few years since I did uni.)
None. It definitely helps you follow everything if you have done some of the sciences but they give you notes to take home. I remember some of the organic chemistry sections I totally tuned out as I didnt have the faintest idea about what they were talking about but afterwards when I went through it by myself I actually did understand it.
Basic science for chemistry, physics and biology definitely needed. To get more out of the course, a thorough understanding of the principles would be good. It is basically a revision course, not for someone trying to learn the materials for the first time.
Standard knowledge 1st year Chemistry, Biology and Year 12 Physics. English is quite important too.
I think you should learn the basics first before attending; otherwise it may seem he is going too fast and you might feel out of depth and discouraged. He sends out summaries for topics he will cover: I aimed to go through all the topics before the course (and I did manage it). That way his course can be a refresher, reinforcer, and a clarifier of concepts you had trouble with. (Eg for me this was the R, S configuration of stereoisomers). For the essay and the test prep, I dont think you need any prior knowledge.
It always helps to have your basic chemistry, biology and physics knowledge. If not, you'll catch on
First year biology, chemistry, and high school physics
Science, an ability to understand basic English, have some practice of essays yourself otherwise you will wasting your money.
High school science
Yr 12 physics, chemistry and biology.
Just give yourself a positive attitude and wherever your starting "level" is, you're bound to make an improvement.
I did the test prep course, quite a high level of knowledge was required.
Having a bit of a clue about chemistry, I'm thinking knowing the nomenclature, was probably useful.
After you completed the program, what additional preparation was needed (if any)?
I needed to go over the notes and do the provided questions.
Doing all the extra practice questions as well as going over the ones done throughout the course.
I personally didn't do anything extra but I think just going over what your not comfortable with is a good idea.
Given my high result in the practice exam, I didn't bother doing much study after that.
Reading notes, studying the notes, completing all the practice questions, writing essays.
More practice exams, revision of organic chemistry, physics, and essay practice under test conditions.
None really, own personal study was all I wanted/had time for.
I probably didnt really start studying until after the course. The exam prep course had a full length practice exam and they told you the next day your mark and where you were compared to everyone else at the course. I was right down the bottom so I realised I had to work my arse off to get my mark up. I went through all the notes and studied all the topics that I didnt understand. And then just
Practice! Practice! Practice!
Heaps of personal study- poring over my science texts and doing all the practice questions/ tests.
Never studied biology, all the questions were on some African species of penguin etc.. no way to really prepare. Practiced chemistry a lot. Writing the essays was the hardest for me.
You can not rely on any course alone, I think. Although I had already studied all the topics before attending the course, I still went back over to make sure I understood everything. Also, I did lots of practice questions. How much understanding can you get from a 3 day program that covers the gigantic area of science?
Your own time and effort... to assess yourself and why you are bothering to do this in the first place.
A lot of the program was self study. The notes they gave you, you just had to try and understand them as best you could.
Reading as much as you can; getting lots of practice questions
More questions.
Lots of hard practice!
I'm not too sure about the science as I didn't do that part of the course but I definitely think if you're willing to push yourself, you can start off at any level. For section 1 and 2 help you really need to practice and go beyond the scope of what is taught in the course. Reading news papers etc is useful. Lots of reading, notes and PRACTICE!
Yes, study for S1, S2 and S3.
Read the little McMurray (organic chemistry) book
Did you feel the program was worth the money you spent on it?
Sure did!
Yes
Essay section definitely, science section I regret as I already knew most of the material.
Yes
Probably more expensive than what its worth but it was helpful
Yes
Considering I was successful, yes, though it was very expensive.
I thought it was great value for money. The notes they give you and all the practice questions were so great.
Yes- definitely.
I think the program was over-priced, I would say worth maybe $300. However when you want to get into med you would pay a lot if it gives you an edge.
Yes and no. His advice made me feel confident about the exam, which I wasn't. But he taught me nothing I could not have taught myself (I guess its because I studied beforehand?)
BEST INVESTMENT EVER MADE.
Sorry this is so vague, but I really don't know. Essays - yes. Science - maybe.
A bit expensive - over 300 dollars - but it is reasonable (T)
Bit expensive but good.
Yes, very satisfied.
Yes. I used the program to help out on my weaknesses. Time is important and I think I spent wisely.
Not really. (T)
Yes. Cost a lot of money but I feel you need to do this sort of course to give yourself the same chance of success as everybody else.
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
Would choose the same program.
Yes I'd do the same program, probably would have also done the science course as well though.
I'd take essay writing section and just study science using textbooks and the net. For humanities section I'd just buy one of the ACER question book to get an idea of what to expect and then read a wide range of poetry and books.
Given my results, I must have been doing something right!
Happy with this program, but if I had to do GAMSAT again I would do a different program...theres no point in doing the same program again...same notes and info will be given.
Do the same program, but I would start reviewing earlier than I did and to do more practice exams.
Would probably do the same course.
I would definitely do Des courses again. It was great for someone who was not so confident with the sciences and didnt really know where to begin when it came to studying for the GAMSAT.
Yes, I would, but I would want all the notes beforehand and really study so that the course is a nice review.
Probably would do it again
If I were sitting it again, without my experience, I would use Des's program. If I went back in time, and was scared, and clueless, I would have done it again. But when I did the Gam in 2006, I wasn't scared (as much) or inexperienced so I didn't do it. Am I making sense? As it were, I do not regret it.
Same program.
Armed with the knowledge I have now, no. But of course, the whole reason I did the course was that I knew very little about the GAMSAT, and had no idea what to expect.
I wouldn't do the program again but I thought it was fine to do...
I would take des again. But one preparation course isnt enough. its best to combine several courses/programs
I would do both exactly the same, but I would also bring myself up to scratch on maths and physics more.
I think my approach worked as I received a Commonwealth Supported Place at UQ which is what I wanted. Definitely would do the course again if I had to. You really have to assess your strengths and weaknesses and then make a decision about what would benefit you.
Different approach.
Same program.
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
First attempt
First attempt
Yes once before. My score went from 59 to 63 mainly due to improvement in the essay writing section. My Section I and III remained the same (+/-2).
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
Yes, one time before, I did not study at all the first time (not even revising by myself) so unsure about how much the improvement was due to my own personal study and how much was due to the course.
This was the first year I had sat the GAMSAT. But I would recommend doing this and giving it everything the first try rather than sitting it for practice the first year and then doing the course for the next year.
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
I've sat GAMSAT before.... Then I did Des's course the year after.... I improved by 7 points! Thats a lot for GAMSAT score!
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
Absolutely. My original score was 57/81/40 - 55 after attending study group and the Des O'Neill courses, my score was 66/86/54 65
First attempt
Yes, attempted before, no improvement.
No. First go. Im sure I would have done considerably worse if I hadnt done the prep course, even if it was only a psychological advantage.
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
I was hoping for a little better but my result got me an interview at my first preferenced uni so I guess the perfectionist in me can't complain too much!
I got 56 which was enough to get into Griffith. So I guess it did allow me to achieve my desired result. I really didn't know what to expect but I feel I definitely did a lot better than I would have if I hadn't done the course.
Yes and no, I was actually aiming for a 63 which I got, but a 70+ would have been nice. I think to get that kind of score though you either need to be a natural or study a lot.
Maybe. The essay course definitely helped.
I didnt achieve a result desired, but that may not have been because of the course. Honestly couldnt say yes or no to this question since this is the first time I sat GAMSAT and I did the course.
Yes
Yes
I was so worried that I would get below 50 for the GAMSAT and the courses helped me to get a mark that allowed me to get an interview at a med school (and get in!)
I would have liked to do better, but considering the science knowledge and other constraints- yes.
No not really. I found the questions okay, but I was dramatically unprepared for the short amount of time per question. Falling behind a few seconds every question adds up really quickly
One of my friends got 73 first go. My desired result was around 68-70. (How naive I was!) I got 60. So no, I didn't get my desired result.
Yes, I start med school in January!
Yes
No
Not sure.
Yes, contributed to totally exceeding my desired result!
Definitely. I am pleased with my score. Though it wasn't as high as a lot of others, It gave me the ticket to face an interview and receive a place in an MBBS program for 2007
No
Yes
Other comments?
The marking on the essay section can be a little harsh, but don't despair. It made me try harder and this ended up being my best section.
There were times I did not really like the personality of the course co-ordinator but I tried to push these feelings aside as I wanted to make the most of the course, especially as I had spent so much money on it.
DES O'NEILL IS THE BEST! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I honestly don't think I'd get in without him
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kimmy
Administrator
University of Queensland
2007
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| | GAMSAT GURU
« Reply #4 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:43pm » | |
GAMSAT GURU www.gamsatguru.com.au
$397 + approx $40 P+H
Responses from:
3x science/health background
1x science/health/education background
1x science and commerce
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
The fact that it was a self-directed program.
Self directed and self paced.
The science section was comprehensive and advice on how much to know about topics and concepts accurately reflected the content of the GAMSAT exam. The essay writing section was very helpful and the huge range of quotes gave plenty of material for practicing essay writing.
Gave me some vague idea of what would be in the exam (but then, every other course would have done the same I'd imagine).
I used Guru as a guide for my own study, the info is concise but is written with the expectation of a high level of prior knowledge. This was good for some parts (i.e. chemistry, which by that stage I was full bottle on, and physics) but I needed further info for the organic chemistry. The section 1 and 2 parts of guru were good, they had a lot of suggestions for improving your score for these sections, but again was more of a guide, rather than a teacher. I had very little idea what standard was required for section 2, and how to prepare for it. Had good info on how to tackle the exam (time limits, educated guessing etc)
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
Too brief in some areas and too complex in others.
Poor formatting and proof reading, too many mistakes. The physics book was particularly bad in this way
The humanities and social sciences section was minimal.
Didn't seem to have been proofread before publishing, I had to print out about thirty pages of subsequent corrections, the worked examples were often missing steps, so it was impossible to work out what he'd done, and even when he hadn't, I'd still swear to this day that some of his answers were wrong.
None mentioned.
What area(s) did you improve most in as a result of the program?
Didnt feel that it helped very much. I did GAMSAT twice and improved by 5 points, but this was mostly due to experience and knowing what the exam covered in general terms
I improved by about 2 or 3 points in each section. I dont attribute this increase to the GAMSAT GURU program though.
Physics, which I have had little past experience with.
None
Definitely organic chemistry.. Also helped me realise the standard needed for section 2
I was going to go in and wing it, because I thought that studying for it was somewhat useless. My level of preparedness was improved greatly.
Would you recommend this program to other people? If yes, what type of person do you think it is best suited to? What would their background and previous experience be?
Yes its handy for science students who are semi-confident in English and cant be bothered to fork out a grand to have some guy teach them something they have already covered in the first year of their degree.
No, not unless there is a significant improvement in the formatting and quality of the books. Someone with a science background would benefit from a program like this where the summary of topics is there for them to revise from.
Yes. I would recommend this program to anyone, regardless of background. Non-science people would probably feel reassured to have basic texts to supplement their preparation, but GG emphasises that this is not necessary as enough information is given in the question. I tend to agree with this, and there is also info given in the GG material.
Definitely not.
Yes, I would recommend it to someone who can learn in a self directed way, and has a high-ish level of prior knowledge.
What level of knowledge was required before commencing the program?
Science basics and good essay writing skills.
Reasonable science skills, good English comprehension and writing skills.
Some high school sciences would be a distinct advantage, but not essential
Hard to say. I think it was meant to be geared to people with no prior science knowledge. But if I'd done it with no prior knowledge, I'd have just accepted what he said, instead when things seemed wrong I went and checked them out.
Not good for someone with a low level of knowledge about a subject, and you need proper textbooks to adequately explain some topics well.
After you completed the program, what additional preparation was needed (if any)?
Reviewed a lot more organic chemistry.
Lots of essay practice. Chemistry revision. English comprehension practice.
This course would be sufficient in itself. My experience was that I didn't use it enough to get full benefit from it.
Well, during the programme, I spent most of my time going through textbooks to try and work out how he arrived at his answers.
I read a lot of outside essays for section 2 which is definitely needed. The gamsat guru doesnt include much of this type of thing, nor does it purport to.
Did you feel the program was worth the money you spent on it?
It was $300 so as GAMSAT courses go that is cheap, for the revision it was worth it.
No
Yes. I think it's the cheapest full prep course available, and while some may be over priced, I think GG was very good value for money.
Not at all. At one stage considered asking for a refund.
Yes
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
If money wasnt an issue then I would do another program.
I would take a self-directed approach again (NOT GAMSAT Guru), but maybe look for some help on SI and SII.
I would be interested to find out more about Des' course, which seems to be highly regarded, before buying the latest GG (I've given my old one to a friend).
Different
Same program, start earlier, do more study. Probably properly write a bunch of essays rather than a bunch of essay plans. Go to the toilet after section 2. Leave a couple of minutes at the end to enter guess answers for the questions I missed.
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
Yes and yes, 5 points.
Yes, improved overall by 3 points. I would attribute this to hard work rather than the information in the GURU guide though. Probably due to the familiarity with the exam day and procedure helped.
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
I guess so. I could have done it without it but it just made things more focused.
I could have done well without it. I got into Med, so it was a small price to pay I guess.
Yes
I achieved my desired result, but I have doubts about how much was due to GAMSAT Guru.
Yes, got an offer, and I dont think that my score could have got much better, maybe a little.
Any other comments?
My GAMSAT performance was hampered by insufficient preparation time on my part, not by the prep course I used.
Please don't ever recommend this to anyone.
I dont recommend others buy this!
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kimmy
Administrator
University of Queensland
2007
member is offline
Joined: Feb 2007
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,411
| | MediRed
« Reply #5 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:43pm » | |
MediRed www.medired.com.au
$265 (including P&H)
Responses from
2x science/health background
1x arts with some science background
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
Gave a good overview of what was to be covered and was very encouraging, with good practice questions.
Concise notes. Good summary. Great practice questions.
Readability/comprehensibility.
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
Not enough biochemistry or organic chemistry.
Required some background knowledge (easily obtained from text books). Poor info on section 2. Little info on section 1 (although admittedly these are hard to study for).
Statements such as you should be able to easily convert between moles and mass
or you should also familiarize yourself with these topics
Id been hoping for something comprehensive rather than something that would still require me to fill in the blanks via textbooks! With respect to section one I felt it would have been more useful for GAMSAT-style questions to be included rather than just poems with no advice on whether the readers interpretations were correct or not.
What area(s) did you improve most in, as a result of the program?
Every area, especially S3.
S3, especially chemistry
Chemistry and Physics.
Would you recommend this program to other people? If yes, what type of person do you think it is best suited to? What would their background and previous experience be?
Yes. I would thoroughly recommend Medired.
Medired I would recommend to everyone - even though you will need a couple of text books to go along with it.
Yes. I would just suggest that they dont purchase it at the last minute as they will also need to supplement their learning with a little textbook study.
What level of knowledge was required before commencing the program?
None
It goes through the basics - however more as an overview- is ok with a separate more detailed text.
None (notwithstanding the above advice).
After you completed the program, what additional preparation was needed (if any)?
Additional biochemistry and organic chemistry study.
Practice!
A little textbook consultation but nothing too onerous.
Did you feel the program was worth the money you spent on it?
Yes
Yes - only to give some direction to my study. I don't think I could have done it properly without the direction that a course gives.
Yes
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
I would do the same, but I would make sure I covered the biochemistry in more depth than was mentioned in any of the guides.
Would probably do the same. However I wouldn't have spent too much time on details and would have done more practice questions.
I would choose the same program
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
First attempt
First attempt
First attempt
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
Yes
Yes. My goal was to get over 60 in my first go and I did. The program helped but if I had my time again I would have practiced more essays.... done more practice science questions than trying to build my prerequisite knowledge. I learnt that the GAMSAT really does test problem solving abilities more than anything.
N/A
Any other comments?
Medired was fantastic!
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kimmy
Administrator
University of Queensland
2007
member is offline
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Gender: Female
Posts: 3,411
| | Ozimed
« Reply #6 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:44pm » | |
Ozimed www.ozimed.com
$275 including P+H (tests 1-10)
Responses from 3x science/health background
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
Exam simulation and practice
Good practise for sitting on my butt for 6 hours!
Lots of practice questions.
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
Too much knowledge required for the S3 papers. S1 papers were too easy.
Too much content required, discouraging at times, papers badly printed and one was half missing. They didn't respond to my emails about this!
Required a lot of prior knowledge - not 'problem solving from the question' like in the real GAMSAT. Section 1 was way too easy compared to the real thing.
What area(s) did you improve most in, as a result of the program?
Managing the test length. I improved equally across all sections.
Every area, but especially S3.
S3
Would you recommend this program to other people? If yes, what type of person do you think it is best suited to? What would their background and previous experience be?
Yes, good for practicing the whole day. Suited to either a first timer or repeat GAMSATer.
I would say to only purchase a couple of Ozimed papers and use other available resources instead.
Ozimed I would recommend but with reservations - as long as people realise that the real thing is a 'little' different.
What level of knowledge was required before commencing the program?
You need to be prepared to do the actual GAMSAT to get much out of this program. Its real value lies in simulating the test day.
Exam-ready (i.e. very high)
After you completed the program, what additional preparation was needed (if any)?
Study of areas that I felt my knowledge was insufficient in.
Additional biochemistry and organic chemistry study.
Practice!
Did you feel the program was worth the money you spent on it?
Yes (I got the papers second-hand).
Yes
Yes
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
Yes I would do the Ozimed papers again along with more general study for all sections.
Would do the same.
Would probably do the same. However I wouldn't have spent too much time on details and would have done more practice questions.
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
Yes, score improved in all sections by 2 or 3 points- overall increase of 3 points. I think that this was due to my increase in exam practice.
First attempt
First attempt
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
Yes
Yes
Yes. My goal was to get over 60 in my first go and I did. The program helped but if I had my time again I would have practiced more essays.... done more practice science questions than trying to build my prerequisite knowledge. I learnt that the GAMSAT really does test problem solving abilities more than anything...
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kimmy
Administrator
University of Queensland
2007
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Posts: 3,411
| | Other thoughts
« Reply #7 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:45pm » | |
Other thoughts on prep courses
Regardless of whether a preparation course is done or not, if one works hard enough, any obstacle can be overcome. For peace of mind and ensuring that you do cover all the required theory though, a prep course would certainly help (esp for non-science students). There is always a matter of price and unfortunately, not all candidates can afford coaching.
The next best thing would be to try and supplement your own skills through alternative exercises. For instance, a friend of mine had her mother write a few quotes on a topic every few days and she would time herself to write good essays. She then compiled a few months' worth of essays and then 'absorbed the very essence' of her best ideas. When she walked into the exam room, she had in her head basically the essay she wanted to put down on paper!!!
With a sciences degree, you often don't get a lot of writing assessments, so practice certainly helps. To improve comprehension, read and expose yourself to a variety of texts from all different styles/genres. If you are not used to reading newspapers, journals, poetry, magazines, philosophy, etc. then start early! I found that after exposing myself to one particular genre, I was then more able to quickly extract information. My reading speed also increased over time. What would have originally taken me 4 or 5 readings to comprehend was reduced to 1 or 2 readings. Furthermore, I shaved off valuable minutes I would otherwise have used for reading. Sometimes there are speed-reading classes which universities offer. I have seen some which are offered for free if you are quick to book! I am sure those would be very useful!
To conclude - if you don't succeed the first time, there is certainly no reason for you to allow this stop you from entering into the medical/dental field. Persevere! Allow each exam experience further you in your next trial, for nobody ever won through resignation. Good luck!
GAMSAT in a lot of ways is like any other exam. Some people are under the wrong impression that it's something you can't really study for. They couldn't be more wrong. Even the essay section can be prepared for. For those non-genius types, the more preparation and study you do for GAMSAT, the better your test score will be.
A monk asked Chimon, "Before the lotus blossom has emerged from the water, what is it?" Chimon said, "A lotus blossom." The monk pursued, "After it has come out of the water, what is it?" Chimon replied, "Lotus leaves."
I would highly recommend doing some sort of prep course and then trying to be disciplined and do practice questions.
Don't underestimate the amount of cheap MCAT material available for use. You don't need a prep course to get in!
Go to places like this forum or the Steiner website for the most relevant info.
In my opinion, everyone should try and sit it at least once before their final go (ie. science students should sit it in 2nd & 3rd year), because nothing can prepare you for it like sitting it before. However, I am loathe to tell someone sitting for their first GAMSAT NOT to do the prep course, because I don't know if & how the course helped me. May I would have failed without it, maybe I would have done exactly the same. I think the course helped me, but I had saved up a lot of money over the holidays & my parents paid for some of it, so the money wasn't a huge problem for me. For people who are strapped for cash, I would recommend doing the essay course, and then study the science section on your own, because if you check resources on the internet (like Paging Dr), talk to people, and have hit the books or studied the stuff at uni, then you should be alright.
These comments are only my thoughts but I think that making your own study plan from looking at the exams is a better way to prepare for GAMSAT and start the preparation a year out so that you have time to invest in a writing course or an English subject if these are your weak areas.
Courses are only a guide; don't rely on the courses. You need to do further preparation after attending that course.
Just a general comment (about any preparation kit) purchase it as many months as possible before GAMSAT as a huge time commitment is required to be successful.
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kimmy
Administrator
University of Queensland
2007
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Posts: 3,411
| | Different Methods
« Reply #8 on Feb 25, 2007, 3:46pm » | |
Several members used their own preparation methods!
1.
When I first decided to sit GAMSAT I tormented about whether or not to do a Prep Course. I looked around, had a look at the courses I could find (Des, Guru, etc) and had a good think, because they were all pretty expensive.
I didn't want to spend the bucks, but I kept thinking that if I failed, I would be forever castigating myself for not doing everything I could possibly do to get in. That alone was a strong attraction for me, so that if I did fail it, I could not blame myself for not doing everything I could possibly do....
But in the end, I thought they were simply rip offs, and decided not to do any of them. I have always been a pretty confident person, and I thought that my own studies would be better than a Prep Course simply because I could identify my own weaknesses and concentrate on those rather than just accepting what a Prep Course told me.
So that is what I did.
But I was a bit nervous about it. I had never studied organic chemistry, I had never studied biology, but I did have a physics sub-major in my uni degree.
What preparation course/s or aids did you utilize?
Nothing but thoroughly studying the following two texts and the official ACER GAMSAT Prep Materials:
Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology: Seeley-Stephen-Tate
Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change: Silberberg.
Both books were truly excellent.
But note neither of them had organic chemistry. And the organic chemistry questions in the GAMSAT looked very much like a foreign language to me. I had ZERO idea about any of the organic chemistry questions.
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
I could focus on what I wanted when I wanted.
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
The fear of the great unknown. Not being able to talk to anyone who knew anything about GAMSAT (I was not a member of Paging Dr at that stage). But the official GAMSAT Prep materials helped a lot in this area.
What area(s) did you improve most in, as a result of the program?
Chemistry and Biology
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
I would do pretty much exactly as I did last year, but I would have started 6 months earlier.
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
Only ever attempted it the once, and never did a prep course.
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
Yes.
2.
Several respondents used a combination of the ACER practice papers and borrowed notes/resources. Often these notes had to be supplemented with a lot of extra reading as they were notes originally intended to accompany a lecture-based program.
3. Karma to the member who sent me this! Gave me a good laugh while I copied, pasted and edited 22 pages of size 10 Times New Roman
What is your educational and work background?
Physiotherapist
What preparation course/s or aids did you utilize?
Coffee and cramming with company
What were the most useful aspects of the program?
Coffee and jokes
What were the least useful aspects of the program?
What area(s) did you improve most in, as a result of the program?
Essay writing and planning
Would you recommend this program to other people? If yes, what type of person do you think it is best suited to? What would their background and previous experience be?
Someone who knows other people sitting (or who have sat) GAMSAT
What level of knowledge was required before commencing the program?
Basic sentence construction
After you completed the program, what additional preparation was needed (if any)?
Buy a notebook and write about everything, alternatively write a blog.
Did you feel the program was worth the money you spent on it?
Definitely, $2 quote book, and $3.70 mochas
If you had to choose again, would you do the same program, or take a different approach to your preparation?
Same approach, but probably opt for the organic chemistry course too
Had you attempted GAMSAT before attending a prep course? If so, did your score improve as a result of attending the course?
Yes, and yes by 10 percentile points
Did the program help you achieve your desired result in the GAMSAT?
Definitely
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rs
Guest
| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #9 on Mar 5, 2007, 2:07pm » | |
Hey guys,
Great to see the new forum, i was depressed for days when i couldnt work at what was going on...
Did anyway save the answers that everyone put together to Des O'Neils prognostic tests for 2007 or 2006 or any of them ?? I saved the link but obviously didnt copy them.
Please post if you did!!!
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kevin
Guest
| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #10 on Mar 7, 2007, 8:29pm » | |
I'd just like to say that the Ozimed papers aren't very good. They're really nothing like the actually exam in that they require alot of very detailed factual knowledge. The format of the GAMSAT is based on problem solving rather than learning rote facts. My friend lent me the Des O'Neill practice test and it is by far the closest thing that I have come to the GAMSAT exam that I have come across so far. I think that some of the questions in it were actually on the GAMSAT when I did it, or very similar to the one that are anyway.
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woodie
Medical Student
Flinders University
2009
member is offline
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 102
| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #11 on May 7, 2007, 5:03pm » | |
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone had used the Griffith GAMSAT review and what their experiences were in using it? This has not be picked up in the review of other prep courses.
Woodie
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drinzamaking
Guest
| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #12 on May 7, 2007, 5:17pm » | |
Hi Woodie
I own it and read it from cover to cover before sitting the Gammy this year. What it gives you is common-sense advice on preparing for the exam (developing a study plan, when to do practise tests etc), how to cope with the stress leading up to and on the day and topics to study + suggested books. It also contains a few practise questions for each section.
In terms of whether my purchase paid off or not, ask me next week (this year was my first attempt)!  
Quote:Hi,
I was wondering if anyone had used the Griffith GAMSAT review and what their experiences were in using it? This has not be picked up in the review of other prep courses.
Woodie |
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woodie
Medical Student
Flinders University
2009
member is offline
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 102
| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #13 on May 8, 2007, 9:24am » | |
Thanks Linda,
I guess I will be logged on in this forum and if you are successful could you provide an update re your success in GAMSAT and your score.
I will be on the look out in case i wish to purchase that material unless ofcourse you are intending to get rid of your set???
Regards
woodie
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chinaski
Administrator
Dr Everything'll Be All Right
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #14 on May 8, 2007, 9:28am » | |
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Please reserve this thread for prep course survey like posts. There's a sub-forum dedicated to selling and buying of material - suggest you continue discussions there. Ta.
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woodie
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Flinders University
2009
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #15 on May 10, 2007, 2:08pm » | |
Sorry for putting that there. I just putting the idea there for the person in case she considered it.
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tabitha
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #16 on May 21, 2007, 12:55pm » | |
Here is my experience of Des' course along with a few other points on my gamsat experience, and how these factors led to my final gamsat result in 2007...
I found Des' course indispensable for a number of reasons:
1) Focus and motivation (the course was very intense and enabled me to keep my eyes on the prize so to speak)
2) Sample questions and expertise (i.e. Des has been doing this since Gamsat begun)
3) Confidence (the practice exam made me realise that getting 50% of gamsat answers right may actually constitute a good result! Up until then I had felt demoralised at getting so many answers to practice questions wrong)
4) Support - I did the whole course and for me having to send essays in by a certain day etc kept me focussed, and because I did not personally know anyone else sitting gamsat, it made me feel less alone!
Finally, I will also say I am very lucky to have a dad who is a chemistry whiz. He was able to give me one on one tutoring on both physical and organic chemistry. I believe that if I had gone to Des' course without having looked at pretty much all of the content (or at least read through) in all of the sciences, that I would have felt way over my head. I do not think you can get the full benefit out of Des' course without some prior knowledge either by way of a science degree, or studying up on the sciences yourself/with a tutor if possible, as I did.
And one last point, I completed communications at uni and have always found writing tasks relatively easy. However, I got a rude shock when I began to do Des' essay course, that I wasn't receiving the greatest marks. I found that the style of writing required by the gamsat is quite specific, and not necessarily a style which I had done before. Once I learnt the genre, my results improved dramatically and thank god for this, because my final score of 63, with 58, 75, 58 for SI, SII and SIII respectively, ended up relying quite heavily on my essay score!
My S1 result reflects exceedingly poor exam technique (I dawdled and missed about 20 questions and this should have been my best section). I cannot emphasise enough the importance of your performance and approach on the day, and recognising that Gamsat is an exam in which time constraints can act as a very important differentiator between candidates. As much as Des emphasised this I still didn't obey!!! Disciplining yourself is key!
Anyway sorry for this essay, I hope it helps somebody at least!
Tabitha
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mel
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Flinders University
2008
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #17 on May 23, 2007, 2:56pm » | |
I did probably every prep course there is, I did Des's essay course, bought the rest of the course and Guru from ebay and had the old version of medprep from 2003 i think. I also did Griffith's gamsat review and ran out of time for another one I think was called redimed or something like that.
Griffith's was useful and I thought it was pretty reflective of the gammy but it is very brief and contains a lot of obvious info (like get a good nights sleep and other stuff that can be found for free on this site). If you buy a different prep course I wouldn't bother too much with this.
redimed (if that's the name) I didn't really have time to do but it didn't look that good. I think a lot of the science stuff was in too much detail.
I'm from a science background and this is what I thought of the science sections from each of the other courses:
Medprep: I think this section has been updated but i still found these study notes to be good revision and probably the best for someone with no science background. However I thought the practice exams (apart from the physics questions) didn't reflect the gamsat at all. Many of the questions required specific knowledge about how to perform chem experiments which you do not need to know for the gamsat. btw, practice exams have not changed since 2003.
Des: I think that anyone with no science background would find these notes very difficult. The difficulty is also more than what is actually required for the test. Saying that however, I think that it really helped me get a good score in the test, I thought most of the science questions in the gamsat were really easy. Des's practice exams also reflected the science section the best out of the courses, easier than the notes. The organic chemistry notes were extremely helpful and many questions resembled those in the real gamsat. The downside to Des's science notes is that they are very boring. Most of them are in dot point form and often there are no practice questions in the middle to break up the boredom. Also, the last section of the biology notes (where it says you may wish to keep these until you finish 1st year med) are useless. Way too much detail. Still, I think Des's science notes are a great way to finish up your science revision and the extra difficulty really puts you in a good position for the gammy.
Guru:
Science notes were useless. Too brief to learn from, and if you understood them you didn't need to be reading them. However, many of the gamsat style questions were very similar to the test and these helped a lot.
Essay section:
In 2003 I sat the gammy and got a 52 (I think) for the essay section. The only material I used then was med prep (which hasn't changed by the looks of the example on the internet). I found medprep useful especially as a source of essay questions but the responses were just so unlike anything I would be able to write (many using difficult vocab and examples I hadn't heard of). I also did not study for long in 2003 (maybe 2 months) and I found writing essays very difficult and was extremely happy when in the test I managed to write two complete essays.
Four years later, I did the medprep essays again. I found I was much better able to answer these questions this year than the first time around. I also did Des's correspondence course which was very helpful. The most helpful thing was not so much his comments on my essays but being able to read other peoples essay. I also studied doing essays from Guru, good practice quotes but the example essays were not very helpful. My score in section 2 went up to 63. I attribute this partly to Des's course and partly to life experience.
I haven't done medpreps correspondence essay course but from the others I definitely recommend Des's course. I also think travel and volunteer work changes the way you think about life and gives great examples for the essays.
Section 1:
I didn't feel any of the courses accurately reflected the gammy however the courses I found most helpful were medprep and Des's. Guru was good because I had run out of stuff to do but there were quite a lot of mistakes in the notes.
I also recommend reading a lot, I found Time magazine helpful.
Hope this helps. Sorry it's so long
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forgetful
Medical Student
University of Queensland
2009
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Posts: 138
| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #18 on May 23, 2007, 4:12pm » | |
Last year I did MedPrep. Their science section told me nothing I didn't already know. Their most helpful part was their advice on the social science section as I had no idea about most of those questions. They do "mark" 4 essays and give you feedback and a probable score for them. They gave me around the 59 region so I thought I'd do ok (I only wanted to pass that section). I failed the essay section.
This year I self-directed my study. I revised all the science concepts and made sure I knew how to answer all of the science questions. I went through all the social science questions with a friend who is a gun at them. I wrote a couple of essays that an Arts friend of mine gave feedback on. I mainly worked on the logical flow of my writing, making sure I was giving the person reading it adequate cues and signposts of my argument. I got 67 in the essay. And this year there is no-one to blame but myself =D
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~WunderBunny~
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|  | Mel, Tabitha and Forgetful
« Reply #19 on May 23, 2007, 5:38pm » | |
![[image]](http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/5547/thanksmz5.gif) for your input. This will be very helpful to future GAMSAT candidates. ![[image]](http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1040/heartxx0.gif)
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Please read this first ... or risk getting![[image]](http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5664/smileyspankzz1.gif)
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howdyaudi
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Australian National University
2008
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #20 on May 24, 2007, 10:03am » | |
The biggest advantage of Des' course is his 'testwiseness' - tips on timekeeping and test strategies. It seems from a lot of the post-GAMSAT comments that time issues were of particular concern, hence practicing such techniques may assist to eek out that one or two extra marks that may get you into med.
I also really enjoyed the essay course; I know it's a nerdy thing to say, however I think by enjoying it I learnt a hell of a lot more. The feedback was well conceived, insightful and helpful.
For my revision I also did a lot of MCAT and medprep practice exams; although I did feel they had way too many questions demanding specific scientific knowledge, it did get me into the groove of making a sensible guess at questions I had no idea about; again, probably an ok skill to have when going into GAMSAT.
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drinzamaking
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #21 on May 24, 2007, 10:15am » | |
Redimed, the GAMSAT Review and I've heard also the MedPrep course all have such testwise tips. They're good I s'pose but it takes a lot of self-discipline (which in turn takes heaps of timed practice tests), to apply them on the big day. Unfortunately I didn't master it on my first GAMSAT attempt a couple of months ago but hopefully next time around!
Quote:The biggest advantage of Des' course is his 'testwiseness' - tips on timekeeping and test strategies. It seems from a lot of the post-GAMSAT comments that time issues were of particular concern, hence practicing such techniques may assist to eek out that one or two extra marks that may get you into med.
I also really enjoyed the essay course; I know it's a nerdy thing to say, however I think by enjoying it I learnt a hell of a lot more. The feedback was well conceived, insightful and helpful.
For my revision I also did a lot of MCAT and medprep practice exams; although I did feel they had way too many questions demanding specific scientific knowledge, it did get me into the groove of making a sensible guess at questions I had no idea about; again, probably an ok skill to have when going into GAMSAT. |
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beatrix
Medical Student
University of
Western Australia
2008
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #22 on May 24, 2007, 10:52am » | |
Hmmm... I got the MedPrep home study course which was the biggest rip off of my life and I photocopied my friend's copy of Des' notes.
MedPrep was useful in the following ways:
1) Outlined general topics that are frequently occured in the Gamsat. Great for people like me with no science background and no idea whatsoever what will be in the Gamsat. HOWEVER as far as actual information was concerned, it was pretty useless. I just used it as a guide and had to learn everything from proper text books.
2) The practice tests, although not indicative of the actual Gamsat - since they were highly knowledge based - were good practice at time management and exam technique.
3) The social sciences notes I found very useful for polishing up my skills, but don't expect them to be terribly useful if you're extremely weak in this area and/or speak English as a second language.
4) The essay guidelines were very useful - although the marks for the essays you email to them were quite often very different depending on the markers.
Des' Notes were useful in the following ways:
1) VERY concise science notes - gave you lots of info.
2) The problems he gave you were also excellent for learning the material.
3) The multi-choice at the back of the book were also excellent.
HOWEVER I don't recommend Des if you have no idea what will be in the Gamsat. They cover absolutely EVERYTHING imaginable and this would be very daunting for someone who has just started studying (especially if they had no science background). MedPrep is much better for outlining what's important.
Both materials must be supplemented with your own physics, chemistry, organic chemistry and biology text books. They are good as a guide for what to study but they are definitely not the magic formula. By far the best materials for studying were the ACER materials (although not enough!).
Unless you have rich, generous parents, do NOT buy the materials from Des or MedPrep. They are outrageously expensive and prey on people's desperation to get into medicine. Photocopy someone else's or buy them on eBay.
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drinzamaking
Guest
| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #23 on May 24, 2007, 10:58am » | |
Beatrix
Thanks for taking (probably considerable) time to express such detailed views on these products. However, you shouldn't recommend people photocopy copyright materials. That's an intellectual property rights violation and puts this forum in a precarious position legally.
Quote:Hmmm... I got the MedPrep home study course which was the biggest rip off of my life and I photocopied my friend's copy of Des' notes.
MedPrep was useful in the following ways:
1) Outlined general topics that are frequently occured in the Gamsat. Great for people like me with no science background and no idea whatsoever what will be in the Gamsat. HOWEVER as far as actual information was concerned, it was pretty useless. I just used it as a guide and had to learn everything from proper text books.
2) The practice tests, although not indicative of the actual Gamsat - since they were highly knowledge based - were good practice at time management and exam technique.
3) The social sciences notes I found very useful for polishing up my skills, but don't expect them to be terribly useful if you're extremely weak in this area and/or speak English as a second language.
4) The essay guidelines were very useful - although the marks for the essays you email to them were quite often very different depending on the markers.
Des' Notes were useful in the following ways:
1) VERY concise science notes - gave you lots of info.
2) The problems he gave you were also excellent for learning the material.
3) The multi-choice at the back of the book were also excellent.
HOWEVER I don't recommend Des if you have no idea what will be in the Gamsat. They cover absolutely EVERYTHING imaginable and this would be very daunting for someone who has just started studying (especially if they had no science background). MedPrep is much better for outlining what's important.
Both materials must be supplemented with your own physics, chemistry, organic chemistry and biology text books. They are good as a guide for what to study but they are definitely not the magic formula. By far the best materials for studying were the ACER materials (although not enough!).
Unless you have rich, generous parents, do NOT buy the materials from Des or MedPrep. They are outrageously expensive and prey on people's desperation to get into medicine. Photocopy someone else's or buy them on eBay.
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beatrix
Medical Student
University of
Western Australia
2008
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #24 on May 24, 2007, 11:13am » | |
Ok - sorry - the following statements about photocopying materials is my opinion only and in no way reflects the opinion of the forum.
Buy them from eBay instead or borrow them from someone (that's not illegal is it?)
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Unibum
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #25 on Jun 15, 2007, 5:41pm » | |
Hey all, ive been reading a lot of these forums past few days (only having discovered it a week or so ago) and there are some overall questions i need clarifying about the gamsat/prep courses/etc so please bear with me.... i tried to read as much as i possibly can to not ask something repeadetelly:
In relation to med prep: So is the only difference between live and home med prep and live and home workshop interview is that at live they speak all of the notes and at home u read em all urself? (Or do they have diferent questions/notes/info, between live and home packages?) Anyone know of people doing both?
In relation to des oneil course: again any diff between live des oneil (3 courses) vs home (3 of the courses) apart from the cheaper price and obviously one u study by urself, one you go to a venue etc etc..
Is there anyone here who has done both (Med prep live and des oneil live (all 3 sections) ? If so did u find that more useful? Waste of money?Too much to comphrehend? Just do one? I am still deciding over which course to go over
In relation to gamsatguru: whats up with gamsat guru... on the website they say they not making any new publications..?so i guess you can only get it second hand from someone else if u want it?... is the free 10 day thing any good ? Will sign up for it anyway
A bit of topic to this board but rather than posting hundreds of posts:Is it true that people dont end up finishing all of the gamsat? (as in run out of time for certain sections?).. i believe i have read that in a few message boards..
Thanks in advance for all the info you can provide me. Might seem a bit early (I am planning on applying for gamsat 2008) but i want to give myself the best possible opportunity available and give it my all.... I was initially thinking to do something along the lines of: Med Prep live or Des Oneil live, followed or preceding Acer preps (3 of em), with ozimed (i like the idea of going over past exam papers) in between (as in do one ozimed exam once a week?).....
medired also sounds good as they also provide past exam questions.... but will i have enough time? Will doing so much things (medprep,ozimed,acer,general reading) over um 3 months be possible? Anyone done this approach? Anyone done this amount of effort? Will more effort mean more success in gamsat? Will doing so much above lead me to a asylym (aka go crazy lol?) Whats the limit (assuming there is no need to worry about cost$)?
Again thanks in advance. May i once again say this has got to be the best webpage i have see in relation to gamsat (or best forum lol)... let me say, due to this site i am more determined than ever to do gamsat (haha start of the year wasnt so sure after hearing so many negative comments from everyone *omg so hard omg so hard* )...but what i am concluding from the many posts i have read.... if u put effort .... acing the gamsat seems possible? Right?
Byy byyy..
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Unibum
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #26 on Jun 15, 2007, 5:55pm » | |
argh ok one more question then i wont disturb anyone else again (for today )
Whats Kaplan? MCAT?(another forms of med prepping?) and what is prognosis test solutions refering too?
Thanks again...
Byyy
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stewiegriffin81
Medical Student
University of Sydney
2008
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #27 on Jun 15, 2007, 6:02pm » | |
Hi Unibum
Good to hear you already getting ready to study for the gammy so early!
I noticed that you mentioned "past exam questions". I thought I should mention that Acer does not release anything about their exams, ever (apart from the three practice exams that they sell), and so no prep course can actually offer you past exam questions. All they can do is offer you 'simulated' questions that they think might be similar to the gammy.
As to not finishing the gammy: some people don't finish in time, some people do, and some people finish early (eg. I personally finished section 1 early, but didn't finish section 3, I had about 5-10 questions left).
If money is an issue, get some american MCAT review books instead. That's what I did (the prep courses are way too expensive for me), as the MCAT books go for $20-40 at Amazon, and are pretty similar to the gammy.
ps. I didn't do any prep courses, so I can't help you on that. The only thing I can say is that it is easily possible to do your own gammy study without them, and still do well.
Edit: Kaplan is an american company that specialises in college level science and medicine education. They make an awesome MCAT review, which I used for last year's gammy. The MCAT is the exam the americans use for entry into graduate medicine. It is more didactic than our exam, and requires more science knowledge.
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mtm
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University of Sydney
2008
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #28 on Jun 15, 2007, 6:25pm » | |
The MedPrep courses are the same for home study or live. At home, you would study it by yourself. The problem is that there are a lot of errors in the MedPrep book. My friend did the live course and interview course and said she found it helpful. However, I think it's definitely over-priced.
I did the Des O'Neil live test course over 3 days. It was much more affordable than the others at ~$200. It was good to understand the process of making the questions and testing them. It was also helpful to do a lot of questions under test-like conditions. He taught about 'test wiseness' (commonsense tips like doing the questions you know first, managing time etc.) and gave some other good advice. The book he gave had lots of MCQs in it and a practice exam.
Doing the test there will give you a feel for the exam. I didn't finish any section entirely. Section 1 was the most incomplete, I missed a conclusion for one of my essays and finally I missed a bit on section 3. However, some people manage to complete everything.
The home study test course is different from the live test course (he tried to sell everyone the home study one at the live course). He did menthion, though, that there were some overlapping sections.
I think that the science one is the same (whether live or home study), but a lot of people say that unless you already have a good science background, it won't be too helpful as it is fast-paced.
Ozimed doesn't really reflect the GAMSAT in its entirety - the section 1 questions were too easy and the section 3 sections required a lot of prior knowledge. This is the impression I got from buying their sample paper. I didn't get the remainder in the set.
I don't think it's possible to do all of those courses. You might be better off choosing 1 or 2 and doing them well, than getting all of them and being overwhelmed by the amount of work you need to do.
Focus on what you feel you need most work with. I found sections 1, 2 and physics the most daunting and so spent most of my time studying them.
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Unibum
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| | Re: Preparation Course Survey 2006
« Reply #29 on Jun 15, 2007, 8:25pm » | |
reply to stewie:
*looks up didactic in dictionary, aaaah cool * hehe anyway on to my post:
Ah sorry about calling them past exam papers, im just so used to the fact that to practice for exams i do heapssss of "past exam papers" both now during my time in uni and even back in high school time....... yes my bad i meant the simulated ones from acer (the 2 half practice ones i think are 20-30ish bucks and the one full simulated one worth 40ish bucks..), and the 10 simulated ones given to u by ozimed..
The thing about making ur own gammy study is tho... its just i dont know where to begin.. CUZ like i am doing a science related course now so i wouldnt know where to begin... (i guess i can go over my biology and chemistry yr 1 lecture notes that i saved for possibly this situation  ) but i just felt that doing a prep course (however expensive they unfortunatelly are  ) will put me on the right path and i follow on from what i gain out of it and do lots and lots of practice... thanks for the advice tho and clarifying the kaplan/mcat thing tho and if time persists tho i might check out (in addition of doing the 3 acer, + free online med prep practice, + (either med prep OR desX3) + ozimed and + (possibly mediredi to add the icing on the cake and make me go insane lOl)
reply to mtm:
aaaaah im a bit of a anti typo or anti mistake freak, like i hate it when lectureres mispell words on their lecture notes, its just a sily picky thing about me, but none the less, a product they are trying to sell to u for $1 grand should really be perfect but i guess they are human i duno....hmmmm but with the des coments u mentioned, its making me lean more towards that prep course... i like the idea of a simulated test with other people around u, exam conditions etc, close to what u would expect,
thanks for clearing out the live vs home study tho ...
hmmm yeah ozimed... i suppose they cant be perfect and i suppose i will have to decide on a basis of is 300 bucks worth 10 gamsat papers which are somewhat if at all simulated to the real thing.....I should research if anyone has second hand.. that would be a good compromise true ?
mmm i guess in the end it will be how much effort i put in it...it is going to be a lot of work... and i will probably need to use the 3+ months i got b4 the gamsat in match (after my exams finish)
So des oneil + acer preps, + ozimed........
Yeah my areas of struglle is ummmm Section 1 , 2 and 3  .. BUT if anything i would guess 3 would be my strongest (ack exclude physics) as i am doing a science course. Section 2 will be my worst tho... unless of course i put in the effort.
Thanks for answering my question people.... will be looking for a few second hand papers in the near future so if anyone intrested in getting rid of their past simulated gamsats Pm me
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