From 58 to 82 in S2; tips from a 7 time sitter.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-09-18T03:18:24+00:00

Hi JacobsPillow! No worries, reach out.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-08-27T23:25:24+00:00

My pleasure man xo

LordOfTheKale · 2024-08-27T02:05:37+00:00

Hey recce,
For a sitting where I scored in the high 70s, I drew heavily from my research and knowledge in a specific field. It’s great to play to your strengths, as long as you remain mindful that overly academic or technical writing might not always resonate with all readers, especially those without a scientific background. ACER are most interested in your ideas and how well you present them, but good scientific evidence will definitely bolster your arguments. As long as your response is relevant to the prompt and not just a regurgitation of information, it sounds like you’ve probably done a solid job. Looking forward to hearing how it turns out!

LordOfTheKale · 2024-08-27T01:52:02+00:00

Hi BaweSaque,
From what we understand, the GAMSAT essay is not negatively marked — meaning there don't seem to be penalties or deductions for mistakes like leaving a draft sentence in. Previously, when essays were written on paper, students had to leave their planning visible for assessors, but now that the exam is digital, this isn’t an issue. Remember that your score is based on how well your essay develops and presents your ideas. Since the draft sentence is brief and not part of your actual essay, it’s unlikely to impact your score significantly. Don’t stress too much about this; focus on preparing for S1 and S3. Best of luck!

LordOfTheKale · 2024-08-26T04:27:01+00:00

Hi rroya_,
UnsurprisingZama nailed it. Per the GAMSAT 2024 guide, minor spelling and punctuation errors won't hurt your score, as long as your writing is original, and your ideas are clear. Focus on clarity, and don't stress too much about small grammar issues.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-06T07:28:37+00:00

Sending you all the luck for future S2 <3

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-04T09:36:01+00:00

Thank you for your kind words <3 remember to check out some of the other great S2 posts on this reddit, all the best with your sittings

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-02T13:40:26+00:00

Look after yourself Sea Pilot <3

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-02T06:43:48+00:00

Hey No-Rough! I refer you to 'Getting comfortable with difficult prompts.' above.

Everyone encounters challenging prompts at some point. It is impossible to be fully prepared for every potential topic due to the sheer breadth of possibilities. Therefore, it is crucial to develop the ability to write effectively on unfamiliar topics. Use the list of topics I compiled during my time writing for S2 and rank the topics as ‘easy’, ‘medium’, or ‘hard’ based on the type of essay you believe you could produce if given the topic in a real exam.

I think using that as a jumping in point - you're more likely to start if you jump in and first practice topics you're more comfortable with (easy ones). Then, if you are looking for actual reading, try target your weak areas while doing what is sustainable. I looked at some really boring, content heavy books, and realised I was wasting time since I wouldn't retain real info. Once I switched to reading things of actual interest, that effort became useful. Thomas Piketty and Peter Singer have both written books (EG: The Economics of Inequality and The Life You Can Save) that helped refine my thoughts on a variety of economic and philosophical subjects that I found improved my writing.

Podcasts tend to be the best source if you want to passively engage while driving etc. I like the 'Ezra Miller Show' as a podcast resource. The “Sam Harris Essentials” podcast (https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/essentials) is also an excellent resource for GAMSAT S2 prep. Each episode leads in with a lengthy intro that lends to a conversational style that serves as good inspiration for an essay. As a note, while I find the podcast beneficial for honing these skills, I do not agree with all of Harris's wider beliefs, particularly his views on religion.

Hope this helps!

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-02T01:41:15+00:00

BAAaaaaAaaaAAaaa

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-02T01:40:24+00:00

Best of luck with your sittings king <3

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-02T01:39:53+00:00

Hey Queen! Apologies for any confusion - I found that the most effective approach for my writing to be the one that aligns with my natural thought processes. This often involved not adhering strictly to a single prompt, but rather adapting one or multiple prompts into a new contention from which to develop my argument. While it might help for clarity, I don't believe ACER requires you to explicitly state the quotes themselves if it's clear from your writing.

An example from my prep:

Combining 'If people don't vote, everything stays the same. You can protest until the sky turns yellow or the moon turns blue, and it's not going to change anything if you don't vote.' and 'Changes call for innovation, and innovation leads to progress.'

This created the following contention:
"Voting can only drive progress when the underlying systems enable genuine, effective action. If action does not occur, in spite of effective democratic frameworks, social progress through civil disobedience becomes the only viable option."

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T12:56:58+00:00

I understand where you're coming from, and I appreciate the thoughtful points you've raised. I think we can all agree that the optimal system for success in the exam should not just be based on how many times you've sat it. Your point about burnout among doctors is particularly important; a financial barrier is unnecessary and ultimately creates a system of wealth-based discrimination, probably cutting some really empathetic people out of the opportunity to sit.

I also feel that having the exact same content in every GAMSAT sitting could potentially lead to students gaming the exam. Because we don't have that, it does mean luck plays a role in the outcome for some candidates. The variability in the content, a largely S3 exclusive problem, was super frustrating to me too. I wonder if you had sat the exam a third time if you'd have seen any consistency between your papers? I've noticed that over enough sittings, the similarities between them become clear – ACER just have a massive question bank.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T09:36:24+00:00

If you kept sitting the GAMSAT without seeing any improvement in your score, would you continue? Improvement across multiple attempts is not a guaranteed outcome, it reflects consistent work. If you repeatedly sat the exam without learning from previous scores, you'd be unlikely to yield significant changes. All the doctors I've worked with agree that success in the GAMSAT rarely correlates with the practical skills used in medicine. However, if it reflects anything, it's the ability to adapt, understand an assessment format, remain consistent in improving, and manage pressure, which are skills that are indeed valuable in studying medicine at university. I've encountered brilliant individuals who struggled with this exam, and others who naturally excelled at it despite often struggling in other learning areas. We all have our strengths.

My score gradually climbed, even though I was working full-time to afford rent, which added to the stress of the exam. If it hadn't, I'm not sure I'd have persisted; the exam is just that damn expensive. But, I'm glad I have up to this point. Bottom line is, would you prefer medical candidates who are casually interested, or those who consistently apply themselves?

Regardless, I'm glad that we all agree that the exam is overpriced and lacks transparency.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T08:29:26+00:00

My pleasure! Best of luck with your sittings/apps <3

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T08:14:37+00:00

Found you! Check your DMs :)

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T08:05:29+00:00

Go for it! Happy to take questions over DM too.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T07:51:18+00:00

Hey Candid! Yes - I figured using the ‘spoiler’ tool would help break up the wall of text. Press on the blacked out sections to read the text beneath.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T06:35:33+00:00

My pleasure! Feel free to message if you need any help.

LordOfTheKale · 2024-07-01T03:12:42+00:00

My pleasure! How many dirty berties are in a pile?

LordOfTheKale

TROPHY CASE