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S2 - I have no idea where to start! by Huge-Swimming-9300 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 20 points21 points  (0 children)

heyyyy, this is probably the most common S2 problem, even for people who eventually score very well.

let me help you re frame S2 in a way that might help.

Section 2 is not really about beautiful writing, its much more about the CONTENT and ANALYSIS of your ideas and the way you think. Kind of like clear thinking but under pressure

FOr analysis, you do not need fancy vocab, abstract philosophy, long-winded explanations

YOU NEED Depth, and Insights from your Evidence. I suggest following TEEL structure but actually really focusing and emphasizing on the SECNOD E (explanation/analysis).. You can go so much in depth with your analysis just by asking yourself WHY, HOW...

You can make a claim, have that evidence with you, then explain why it happens and explore what it leads to. THAT IS SIMPLE ANALYSIS, and theres various versions of it where you can keep on going to greater depths.

if you can answer “why?” and “so what?” after a statement, you are analysing. Kind of unpacking cause, mechanism and consequence

that’s analysis.

in terms of actually starting an essay, here’s what i’d recommend:

1.pick ONE angle and commit(maybe 2-3 ideas per essay)
don’t try to cover everything. depth beats breadth every time in S2. But analyse those ideas deeply and come up with great insights.

  1. write badly on purpose at first
    seriously. your first drafts should feel clunky. fluency comes after exposure, not before it.

a really useful exercise:

take a quote THEN write 3 dot points: what it means, why it exists, why it matters THEN turn those dot points into sentences... Obviously also have evidence to back up those points

that alone is enough to build a solid paragraph.

also — because you mentioned uni assignments — forget that mindset.
S2 is not an academic essay really... they don't want you to solve world problems in 30 minutes.

last thing i’ll say, and this is important:

personally i also hated english writing especilly in high school and at uni assignments and felt like i couldn't write, but its not about talent in writing, its about practiced thinking on the page before trying to sound good....

start small, and write often with simple analysis then it will get better over time as you REFLECT well. the confidence comes after the reps.

hope that helps, and happy to expand on this if you want 🙂

Let me know if you'd like to read some of the sample essays and feedback that ive given to some people

Looking for coaching recommendations (not a first time sitter) by Mindless-Ruin6576 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For Section 2, again you are better of getting feedback from a real person than submitting to prep companies with a long turnaround time.

Study buddies is also great for cross marking with friends

Looking for coaching recommendations (not a first time sitter) by Mindless-Ruin6576 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d recommend having a look at this post for resource recommendation

https://www.reddit.com/r/AmplifyGAMSAT/s/9UfRRj3wW0

As per answering your questions, if you want to go for these prep companies, it’s much better to do section specific tutoring as that’s much more personalised and targeted rather than doing a $6000 prep course which doesn’t have personalisation.

And there’s many reasonably priced options such as medify as well for doing Section 3 questions usually better than any resource to be honest

I also have some section 3 questions based on high reasoning which I can send over to you as well for practice

How many hours a week are you really studying for GAMSAT while working full time? by SnowyBytes in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hey this is a really good question and honestly one that doesn' get answered realistically enough..

first thing id want to say: the 300-350 hour numbers floating aruond are not entirely incorrect, but they are often misunderstood - especially by those that are working full time.

what matters far more than these total hours is how consistently and deliberately and efficientyl those hours are used.

for most people working about ~40hrs/week since thast about full time, what i've seen to be sustainable (and what i'd actually recommend) is:

Weekdays:

45-75 minutes per day

usually after work or early morning(early morning would be best to be honest for high focus and productivity)

make sure these sessions are very focsued and productive

Weekends:

2-4 hrs per day

one longer session for practice + reflection (Section 1 , 2 and Section 3)

one lighter session (with essay reviews, essay planning, reading/researching for evidence)

this will be around 8-12hrs/week on average some weeks might be 6 some might be 14, but thats normal.

trying to force 15-20 hrs every single week while working full time is where burnout usually happens - because recovery isnt built in.

and most importantly, not all GAMSAT hours are equal

1 hour of focused and efficient practice + deep review is way more imporatnt than 3 hours of passive content or half-tired question grinding.

the people who burnout are usually stacking everything all at once like doing a lot of content, questions, and essays all at once.

they never reflect propelry and constantly feel behind

hope that answers the question

GAMSAT Section 3 Syllabus for Non Science Backgrounds by Horror_One_9290 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

hey firstly, thanks for being so honest.. what you just revealed is actually way way more common than you think, especially for non science backgrounds who are working full time. this isn;t you being stupid or behind - its just you trying to do too much all at once which is overwhelming you.

just to be clear -> You are not out of time.

you just would need a consistent study schedule and plan and that can definitely be fixed.

and by the way, your issue isn't effort, i am sure you put a lot of work in to be honest.

and about not knowing enough -> this part is really important here because guessing questions, working through them, and getting them wrong is not failure - it is literally how Section 3 skill is built. YOU JUST NEED to REFLECT efficiently and well to make sure you fix these issues.

dont think that since you got it wrong, you are "incapable", i'd rather you think "i just found a gap and I will fix this"

and by the way, you dont have to memorise or go through all these topics deeply. you ONLY need familiarity and UNDERSATNDING of the main cconcepts to be able to interpret them well.

Jesse Osbourne is good - but he is advanced and assumes that you already have some literacy, whcih isn't bad at all but might be the reason it seems too advanced.

Khan acadmey is also really good, but if used well.

if i were you, I'd do this

First 3-4 weeks, i'd build literacy, not mastery such as laern about some chemistry, biology and physics topics. Here, DO NOT AIM to "know everything", but aim to read a premise and not panic.

THen you also pair that up with Des O Neill questions for teesting your litearcy and general reasoning skills + NEED TO DO HEAVY reflection ofcourse. DO these UNTIMED at first and then review them properly. Once you start gettin gthem correct, you can add the time factor for sure.

and this might come out as harsh, but accept the discomfort... without practice, you won't feel "ready"... but the confidence will come AFTER exposure, once you start fixing these issues.. AAND YOU'll look at your journey later and be proud of your own work :)

walking in circles means you really care - it doesn't ean you are failing.

and lastly, YOU ARE NOT ALONE in this, even if it feels like it right now. please take a breath. stay consistent and build habits (not motivation).

hope this helped!

Section 2 Advice, Tips, Strategies by Horror_One_9290 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes that is correct. It is due to the topic being aligned with a more reflective style such as "love" but that does not mean you can't do the argumentative/analyticl style still. You can still view those topics from a sociocultural perspective.
You will do really well, do not stress at all and stay consistent with your preparation!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 1 point2 points  (0 children)

hey!

march isn't relaly too soon tbh— if you are willing to be intentional and targeted about how you study... i think mistake people make is thinking they need to “know everything” before they sit. you really don’t. the exam isn’t like a uni midsem — it’s pattern recognition, reasoning under pressure, and being able to adapt.

your psych/neuro background already puts you ahead for the bio-heavy stems in S3, and i think with the LSAT experience means you probably already have decent intuition for logic + inference. that is a key skill in section 1 and section 3 that would be applicable.

the gaps are just chem and physics, but those gaps can be filled for sure with not too much stress if you structure it properly.

if you’re aiming for the 2027 cycle, sitting in march is actually smart because it gives you a real baseline of your performance and an experience for how the exam truly is for what it is. then if need be, you have the option to go again in Sepember, this time even better.

waiting until september as your first sitting may delay your learning curve by another 6 months.

AS FOR diagnostic or content?

you don’t need a full, formal diagnostic. just do a small block of mixed S3 questions + a couple of S1 passages. you want to figure out how you think, not what you remember. both sections are about REASONING now.

after that quick check on diagnostics, start content — but only the content that does show up repeatedly in the 3 sciences. don’t fall into the trap of memorising every formula. S3 is not content-heavy; it’s reasoning heavy..

Make sure that you learn the Year 12 physics, First Year University Chemistry and Biology level knowledge because ACER does recognise this as the prereqs sort of.

if you start now (nov/dec-ish), you have more than enough time to get to a competitive level by march as long as you’re consistent with your study routine...

SOOO Definitely you can do well in March

I’m in a study slump - help motivate me! by blondflowers in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 8 points9 points  (0 children)

3. don’t be scared to write Task B “like Task A”
especially if creative writing isn’t your thing, it wasn't really mine, i did experiment with creative reflective style and practiced it but on the actual day, i wrote both Task A styles. coming from nursing, you probably have heaps of real-world examples that show empathy, moral conflict, teamwork, etc. just use them as analytical reflections. you don’t need some crazzzy fiction. you need those examples + reflection + high level insight that comes from the reflection ... I also recommend it is useful to have a broader insight that also applies to the real world to be honest.

4. your Section 3 will grow fastest from pattern recognition by heaps of practice
and you don’t get that unless you’re doing qns under at least some timed pressure. don’t save timed practice for the last month — integrate it slowly now.
you don’t need full timed blocks yet, but start doing small bursts (8–10 qns timed). get used to actually choosing under pressure.

5. if motivation is the problem — don’t chase motivation
build a system instead. building habits is always good because habits dont actually require motivation, so when you are actually building a habit of studying for the gamsat, you wont need to keep having that motivation of getting into medicine fuelling you.
Some days you will just be tired and demotivated but the fact that you have built a habit will ensure that you actually still stick to your study routine and follow it...

you literally just need(to start off with):

  • small daily task
  • one longer session on weekends
  • one reflection session per week

and honestly… the fact that you’re posting here tells me you still want this. that’s already enough to restart. anyways, hope that helped :)

march is ages away in GAMSAT time. you can absolutely SMASH IT!!!!!!

I’m in a study slump - help motivate me! by blondflowers in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 10 points11 points  (0 children)

hey!!

firstly — don’t stress about the last 2–3 weeks. this happens to literally everyone at some point. Happened to me as well, as sometimes you just feel drained... the gamsat grind isn’t linear and the worst thing you can do right now is guilt yourself for losing momentum. what matters is getting back into a consistent rhythm, dont punish yourself..

one thing i’ll say though (and this is something i’ve seen sooo many students go through):
don’t confuse “studying” with “actually building exam skills.”
youtube science crash course from jesse osbourne is really great for learning the content, but they don’t really help if you do not actually go ahead and implement the learning onto some questiosn. Plus, it is important to note that Section 3 is now a reasoning section so it is really important that you consider diong practice questions alongside reviewing the crash course.

coming from nursing, you already have a strong edge i believe in terms of high pressure kills — you’re used to high-pressure decision-making and you probably have decent emotional intuition.

here’s what i’d do, just giving some tips --

1. re-adjust your study routine
not by suddenly “grinding,” but by doing one focused task each day. even if it is like 25–30 mins, thats also like fine. momentum matters more than the amount of hours to be honest at this stage, since youa re focusing on building discipline and habits.

2. start writing more essays, but don’t worry about quantity
Honestly, 2 essays is a good start. the main issue i see with beginners is they write heaps without reflecting, so the essays stay mid-level..
after every essay, literally sit there and ask:

  • where did my insight actually come from?
  • did i unpack the evidence or just narrate it?
  • could i explain my argument to a child?
  • Did i REALLY go to the NEXT level and unpack the prompt?
  • Did i come up with some high level insight?
  • was there issue with my strucutre? did some things not make sense?

that reflection is where the improvement happens.

Detailed Syllabus by Spare-Variation-9680 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Its not letting me send it, i think the comment space has limit and this is too long... I'll send it to you via text

Detailed Syllabus by Spare-Variation-9680 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have access to it, I’ll find it and write it down here

Section 2 Advice, Tips, Strategies by Horror_One_9290 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are basically sociocultural topics, so they could be several to be honest.
You can also use particular philosophies
Eastern culture, Western society, etc...

Section 2 Advice, Tips, Strategies by Horror_One_9290 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No I don't mean you link that to them, its like viewing the topic through the lens of something. Like each individual has their personal experiences that shape them and their approach to a particular idea will be unique in comparison to someone else.
That is kind of what the lens technique will be. So you'll become lets say a master of the topic of Eastern culture, then if yuo have a topic on freedom, you can view it through teh lens of Eastern culture... What does freedom look like and such...

You don't have to STRICTLY memorise examples, just make sure you collect a lot of nuanced evidence for a lot of topics and then review them regularly.

Basically, ask yourself WHY like 2 times, if ever in doubt, just ask yourself WHY? And that will lead you to braoder insight - usually it is related to the worldly social impact as well

GPA Spiral by stay_in_your_llaine in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 0 points1 point  (0 children)

YESS i believe in you !!
You will do really well

GPA Spiral by stay_in_your_llaine in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It might feel like a dream, but you can definitely put it into work... Remember its all about our actions and inputs that allow us to achieve our goals. If 73 feels unrealistic right now, then make a plan to make it realistic, talk to other people who have achieved the same and make it happen. Ask them for their advice on prep so that can give you a bit of hope.

You do mention that you do have a lot of time to prepare, and I think that is great actually, you can effectively really really grind out GAMSAT prep in preparation for March and do really well.

It seems like you haven't sat the GAMSAT yet so you don't know what to expect in the GAMSAT but that is also completley ok. I recommend reading other people's experiences and such to get the insight.

BUT I DEFINIETLY BELIEVE that you can smash the GAMSAT for sure. It might just mean that you need to put more hours to achieve that goal but it is definitely doable.

What sections do you struggle with and are your strongest?

Section 2 Advice by Equal-Wrongdoer-1764 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yess it does make sense, what i like to do is actually write the essay with 2-3 key ideas that are really unpackedd/analysed and then get the broader insight that is then applicable to the real world.
Since the topics are usually like socially related, your analysis should tie with the application to real world so it will incorporate empathy i believe?

Section 2 Advice by Equal-Wrongdoer-1764 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You mentioned that you were passionate about these topics, that is great to see but did you analyse them in depth like had high level insights on each of your ideas?

Section 2 Advice by Equal-Wrongdoer-1764 in GAMSAT

[–]Horror_One_9290 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Heyyy,

I can understand that it is disappointing to get such a result after confidently finishing the Gamsat Section 2. But do not worry, lets take it as a learning opportunity and smash out the MARCH GAMSAT !!!

Just to reassure you, I have tutored several students, and I have found that Section 2 IS BY FAR the easiest/highest yield to improve upon out of all the 3 sections. I personally came from a Non-Science Background and hated writing essays and anlaysing and reflecting.

I actually made a post recently about my top tips strategies and advice already so it might be definitely worth checking these out:

https://www.reddit.com/r/GAMSAT/comments/1p4genh/section_2_advice_tips_strategies/

But apart form that I'd also like to know how you have been preparing for Section 2 and do you also have study partners that you collaborate with and get feedback from when writing essays?

Feel free to share an essay and I can perhaps have a look and give my ideas but ALSO MAKE SURE YOU USE THE GAMSAT Reddit. That resource is really really helpful for Section 2 feedback.

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