GAMSAT In A Month
Is it possible to prepare for Gamsat in a month? With just one month to go before Gamsat a lot of people will be asking themselves if they've got enough time to prepare.
A lot of people send me emails asking the same thing.
Maybe you only decided to sit Gamsat at short notice, or you had some other problem which set your studies back
So let me give you my answer and then some preparation tips if your time is now limited.
So first of all while the recommended time to prepare for Gamsat is 6 months, it is possible to do well in less time. Even in as little as a month.
I have even received emails from people telling me they passed Gamsat and got into med school with only two or three weeks prep.
So it can be done.
Like I said I don't recommend it but if you have no choice because of your circumstances then I'd say go for it, because you have nothing to lose.
The worse that can happen is that you don't pass and you have to re-sit at the next sitting. But then at least you have the experience of having sat it once already which is invaluable.
So let's look at my advice for people who want to take Gamsat in a month.
Tip 1
Focus on the high yield topics.
With so little time to study you won't be able to go through a whole program of study to cover everything in biology, chemistry and physics.
It makes more sense to concentrate on the high yield topics, i.e. those topics which seem to have come up repeatedly in past sittings of Gamsat. I call these Gamsat favourite topics.
In my course Griffiths Gamsat Review I've made full list of these but if you want to spend a couple of hours trawling round student forums you might be able to find something similar.
Tip 2
Focus on your weak areas
If your first degree was in chemistry then don't waste time studying any chemistry even if you feel your recall of certain topics is a bit rusty. Questions in Gamsat are based around concepts and reasoning skills rather than memorized information.
So don't waste time going over old ground. You'd be better off dedicating more time to biology and physics.
Or probably even better concentrate on your section one and two skills as these are likely to be weak for you as a science graduate.
Likewise if you're a humanities graduate you don't need to practice writing essays, concentrate on the science.
Tip 3
Don't overdo the practice questions
ACER publish three full length practice tests and two additional booklets equivalent to about half a test each.
Realistically speaking you won't get through all of these in less than a month and it's also not the best use of your time given that you also have to study some new topics from scratch.
Aim to do two full length tests for practice and just choose questions from the others to practice your known weak areas, e.g. just do the section 1 questions if you're a science graduate.
Tip 4
Make a proper plan
With less than a month to go you can't afford to waste a single minute. So set aside an hour right at the beginning to work out a study schedule, decide exactly what materials you're going to use and when and how you're going to use them.
For more detailed information on each section have a look at my prior posts:
Tip 5
Don't be afraid to sacrifice personal time
When you're studying over a long period of time you have to be careful to not burn out. That means more moderate hours of study and factoring regular breaks for exercise, leisure and personal activities.
But when you've only got 4 weeks or less to the test all that can go out the window. Don't be afraid to put in an intensive burst to achieve as much as possible in the time available.
The only exception to this is to make sure you arrive on the day of the test refreshed and relaxed, so ease off a couple of days before the big day.
Tip 6
Don't miss deadlines
If you've got only a month to prepare for the test then chances are you decided to take it at the last minute. Make sure you check the official GAMSAT website to make sure you apply before registration closes as you've probably got very little time left to register now. You may have to use the late registration feature, but this involves paying an extra fee.
Also don't forget that for entry to the test centre on the day of Gamsat you'll need a photo ID such as a driving license or passport. If you don't have these you'll also have to start the process with enough time.
Further Resources
For more help with GAMSAT check out Griffiths Gamsat Review Home Study System which takes you step by step through all three sections with advanced strategies for each.
