Hows everyone's prep so far?

[CatherineT]

Naw- they're all right it is horrendousness embodied! I'm liking the idea that Nottingham will lower their scores tho- might be worth folks putting St. George's on too cos they'll use the same one! I'm a bit pissed off that the UCAS date is so close and that the GAMSAT marks come out later, if you knew you'd missed it then you wouldn't put anywhere down that required it! Feel the need to go on my little rant here too- I've told you I've got a history degree- but as far as I can tell the reasoning behind the GAMSAT is to widen access so that everything is not in favour of those with Science degrees- based upon the "we teach you the Science you need to know argument"- why then, do they insist that we all have this huge amount of Science to know, and why is it weighted more heavily than anythingelse- it's insane! I'm not impressed- I did the MSAT last year, and even though Kings' have dropped it this year, it did seem to be an entirely fairer exam, designed to test ones reasoning ability and your interpersonal skills- what Grad med claims to be all about- our ability as grads to work better, and the theory that being a good scientist does not necessarily make a good doctor! Neway, thats just me fuming off cos I can't face anymore revision and I'm pre-empting my failure!

[Arch_Angel]

Here here

I'm sat with my book in front of me with no will left to go on. It's only a few days away now and I'll be so glad once it's over. As for the St. Georges thing, you need hefty work experience there, so be careful, although if it means that anyone is gonna strike off any place I'm trying to get into and put St. Georges instead, then I heartly endorse that decision

I suppose they can make the exam as hard as they like because they'll want to eliminate as many applicants as possible. This sort of sucks for Arts grads, but I suppose under this system you can at least put the work in and have a shot, where as you couldn't before.

So yea, today I expect I will sit in front of this computer and probably read a few pages of "Organic chem for dummies" and spend the rest of the time posting on here and watching cartoons on youtube.......

Although for me this isn't out of the ordinary. When exams are coming up I always seem to actually slow down on my revision.

And when this is all said and done...on to the personal statement then by the time I've finished that it'll be time to start my third year project.

All go

[CatherineT]

yeah- im with you on the reduced amount of revision during exam time- Im a classic example, i seem to think that cos I did every essay at uni in one night and my Diss in 2 days that anything more than that is wasted time! I firmly believe I'll work if i get into Med, but doing so now is frying my brain- job-hunting at the same time means you slowly but surely lose the will to live! Am loving the Organic Chem for Dummies tho- seems like the first science book I've come across that actually uses English to get its ideas across, not this other "we speak in Chemistry" language!! That said, I'm standing by my hatred of the GAMSAT- I did it in Bristol last year, and I also applied to Limerick and gosh, I met so many people who I just, point blank, would not ever ever want as my doctor- go into research for all I care, but can't we have a Medicine course for doctors and one for research idiots!! ahhh- sorry, I'm getting mega stressed here, and don't even get me started on the fact that we're only allowed 4 choices at UCAS - I mean, what the hell is that all about?!! I'm trying to work out how many grad course to put down, including GAMSAT ones, or whether to just say to heck with it, and opt straight for the financially crippling 6 year- anyone any ideas?

[wiggly_toes]

Well I'm also losing the will to live... GAMSAT revision is driving me insane. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm confused about where to apply to as well - just got an email from Cardiff telling me that they won't consider me for their 5 year course because I didn't get BCC at A-level and wait - get this, cos I didn't get AAB for science at GCSE (I got ABB)! So even if I retake the A-levels I won't be considered because of my GCSE grades. I am so ****ed off with this insane admissions process...

[Crimson Phoenix]

Originally Posted by wiggly_toes

Well I'm also losing the will to live... GAMSAT revision is driving me insane. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm confused about where to apply to as well - just got an email from Cardiff telling me that they won't consider me for their 5 year course because I didn't get BCC at A-level and wait - get this, cos I didn't get AAB for science at GCSE (I got ABB)! So even if I retake the A-levels I won't be considered because of my GCSE grades. I am so ****ed off with this insane admissions process...

Thats completely insane!! even though they accept the gamsat, they'll still reject you based on you ****ing GCSE marks??????

This gamsat is gettin me down. i'm even scared to practise the questions now cause i keep gettin so many things wrong at this late stage . i'd like to slap the person who came up with the crapsat.

[wiggly_toes]

You only want to slap them? I'd like to stab them in the eyes!

Cardiff don't do GAMSAT but they'll take you if you have a 2:1 and minimum grades. Blah. So pissed...

[Arch_Angel]

6 year courses are quite difficult to get on because apparently if you've got like, any qualifications whatsoever, you're excluded from them. I'm not stressed at all.....never am at exam times, I'm just happy, which is rather odd. I'm a tad annoyed that I'm not getting much done, but everytime I go into an exam I get hyperactive and all excited (odd right ) Think it's some sort of fight or flight, but because my brain knows that I'd rather smash up the computer (UKCAT) or burn the test paper (GAMSAT) than run away from it (both would achieve nothing, so I may as well make a mess) i'm fully willing to do the tests Strange eh.

It's a shame about Cardiff and the grades, but never mind, deal with that after this horrific exam is over. There's plenty of options, I just suppose you've got to be willing to travel anywhere.

[Arch_Angel]

Don't worry, I get most of the questions wrong too

I've just been tripped up by a sneaky enthaply equation and got the answer wrong. So apart from physics, which everyone seems to have simply disregarded, what's everyone having trouble with?

My biggest annoyance is physical chem. Ideal gas laws, equilibria, the fact that although I understand what acids and bases do and what their Ka and pKa are I can't seem to apply them to equations.

Darn exam.

[CatherineT]

ah, who cares bout travelling- as long as you have no kids to keep you back, or any other reason, then go wherever! ne-one know what the craic is with this place in Prague? You reckoning the 6 year aint the way for Grads to go then? aww, I hate how this is all about playing games to get into uni- its just a nightmare

[Crimson Phoenix]

Some of the physical chem confuses me as well. i just hate how the questions are designed to trick you, and you have to answer each qestion within a minute, on top of reading the fookin verbose questions that take up a page.

The verbal reasoning is also gettin on my nerves. i see all the options and they all seem right. and it just seems so pointless if you wanna be a doctor to analyse some shitty poem some did years ago.