Just over 2 weeks, how will you be spending your time?

Intron · Regular Joined: 10 Mar 2011 Posts: 12

Hey everyone!

I've been stalking this forum for a few months now, although I only joined yesterday. It's been so helpful, trawling through past and present posts whenever I feel like it's all too much.

I'm interested to know...how will you be maximising your study this next fortnight? For example, I'm not overly confident with solving org. chemistry problems, even though I understand concepts, I find it hard to apply them still. So I'll be solving as many questions as I can for the next few weeks. I ordered some MCAT study cards over a week ago, and I really hope they arrive in enough time to be useful! Otherwise I'll be googling.

I might spend a day or so brushing up on my old essays and perhaps doing little brain teasers on the net, just to get myself even more familiar with what's needed in the first 2 sections. And even though I'm a bio major, reviewing basic bio.

How about you? Does anyone have any great last minute tips? Or if you've done it before, something that should be avoided?

drmaybe · Rookie Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Posts: 9

haha me too! i do love forums. i feel less guilty for not studying full on Smile

i'm working full time at the moment, so i've taken annual leave the week before gamsat, and i plan on going over acer questions. i probably ought to study more science, but i'm hoping that by going over the questions i'll be able to apply my basics better!

hows everyone going with practice tests here? i tried an acer practice test, fully timed, and did absolutely miserably on the science section. though mostly because i lost my head with the stress of it, rather than a lack of knowledge. hoping that doesnt happen on d day!

Intron · Regular Joined: 10 Mar 2011 Posts: 12

Gah the Acer practice tests, they're in a blessing and a curse hey? I got 65% for section I and then about 50% for section III when I did it a few weeks ago. But I stopped about 2/3 through section III because I was getting discouraged. So I started studying some more stuff instead rather than wallow....in some ways I wish the GAMSAT was tomorrow because the waiting is becoming unbearable and the more I study, the more I see how much I've got to learn!! Haha. I'll probably do another lot of questions at the end of the week and *hopefully* see if there's been any improvement and decide how to spend my final days....

I don't know what I'd do without the internet though. It sounds funny, because obviously there's books and people managed to get qualifications without the internet back in the day. But just watching online lectures on youtube this weekend has cleared up so many issues I was having. Plus, I find I learn things much faster when I have someone explain it to me on a board rather than reading it....so maybe if you need to squish some science in but don't have heaps of time try that?

md-4-me · Grizzled Joined: 18 May 2010 Posts: 142

When you review your performance on the ACER booklets, don't just try to see how to get the correct answer, focus on how to get the correct answer quickly and efficiently. And of course, it's helpful to recognize patterns so that if a similar problem comes up, you can apply similar principles.

When you complete an ACER booklet, convert that learning into about 1 or 2 condensed pages of notes which you should look at daily for the next 10 days.

Which flashcards did you get?

Here is a physics formula list which you can print and look at daily: http://gamsat-prep.com/section3-physics-formula-list/

drmaybe · Rookie Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Posts: 9

thats exactly what i'm doing! itunes university though, they're pretty good, and yeah, heaps better than reading through text books...

my scores were pretty much the same, collapsed in the science section, but forced myself to go through with it coz i really wanted to see how difficult it was. it was difficult.
eek.
how much do you just want to finish this test already?!

Intron · Regular Joined: 10 Mar 2011 Posts: 12

Yes I can't wait until it's done...I'm slightly mad at the moment. One minute I'm all "I'm gonna do this!!", the next I'm miserable and I'm convinced that I'll fail terribly. Craaazy. I just found a great resource called KhanAcademy, which has tonnes of free videos and I think practice problems too. Just revising some stuff with the org.chemistry videos now, they explain it really well and use pretty colours at the same time which helps keep me interested (it's the simple things...). Only thing is you need a Google or Facebook account to enter some parts of the site, which might be a problem for some.

drmaybe · Rookie Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Posts: 9

Haha likewise. I get into fits of depression and worry ( my future happiness is dependent on this one exam!) ( but it is really..?)
well, whatever happens happens. I suppose the test is quite fair, if we do Terribly, maybe we wouldn't be able to cope with med anyway .. Oh I don't know . I am also going a bit mad Smile

Intron · Regular Joined: 10 Mar 2011 Posts: 12

I was talking to a friend of a friend yesterday, who sat the UMAT twice. Even thought it's different to GAMSAT (only 3 hours!), he said the second time he sat it, he did one of those prep courses beforehand and got some amazing score. Funnily enough, he decided he'd rather be a paramedic. But I think if I don't do so well this year, I'll do a proper course to build on what I've learnt this time around and try again next year. The if I do badly again, I'll take the hint.

Where are you sitting Gamsat if you don't mind me asking? I'm doing it in Adelaide, which I'm pleased about because it's in the same building I've had most of my other big exams, so I won't need to worry about where to park etc. It's one less thing to worry about which is nice Very Happy

Dr.2012 · Rookie Joined: 19 Mar 2011 Posts: 1

Don't worry you are not the only one going mad here, lol. As each day passes I get more stressed and the more I study the more I feel I know nothing Sad

. But I can't wait till this is all over! ...............just six days left...SCARYYYYY!!!!!!! Sad

BTW I am sitting my exam in Melbourne and good you know your place Smile

I guess for these six days left I will go over my notes that I have taken from all over the places and go over questions that I have done.

Good luck to all!!

drmaybe · Rookie Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Posts: 9

It's so good to know everyones stressed! As odd as that sounds. I'm sitting the exam in sydney, not too sure of the place, but I'll get dropped off so parking won't be an issue Smile

I don't know if I'll sit it again if it doesn't work out, I'll probably stick to Econ and become very rich instead.. Sadness.
Ack, I am kinda excited about giving the test almost! Oh now I'm afraid again..

Intron · Regular Joined: 10 Mar 2011 Posts: 12

I agree drmaybe, it's nice to know there's others in the same boat!

Ahhh...4 days Sad

DmitryMJA · Rookie Joined: 24 Jul 2014 Posts: 2 Location: Romania

Kavomatovljem · Regular Joined: 24 Dec 2014 Posts: 19 Location: On a chair

I think zipped files is the only way to do it.
Also, it's really cool. Like seriously.
Although I must ask, what were you doing with all those spawn squid eggs?