GAMSAT Essays

**zepplin** · 11-12-2009 05:44 AM

no no no course not! haha... i'm embarrassed by my complete brain freeze as to events of exam day so i'm sorry i could only remember that rubbish but if it's even slightly useful to someone then deadly.

**heavenlyjohnson** · 12-12-2009 05:02 PM

Thanks to Zepplin and Goldhawkgonk! I've put together what I hope is a relatively complete GAMSAT essay guide here:

GAMSAT Written Communication Section Essays Revise Gamsat

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

**goldhawkgonk** · 12-12-2009 07:54 PM

Wow, I genuinely think this is excellent!

I might put a note to timing as it isn't mentioned - my impression would be to work very hard at completing an essay in exactly 30mins, so both are proper, finished articles without trailing into bullet points. I practised beforehand in writing essays to time- I think a pretty significant amount of content is expected to garner the highest scores, so need to be able to churn out a lot in 30mins.

**zepplin** · 14-12-2009 04:45 PM

that's a really helpful guide heavenlyjohnson!
i also agree with goldhawkgonk. practise the timing as much as you can! in the exam i ended up writing 3 a4 pages for each essay but the first (more argumentative essay) took me about 35 mins whereas the 2nd, which was a subject i found required less critical thinking, took 25 mins. i was only confident about reducing my time for the 2nd because i'd practised the timing so often and knew i could get enough written. make sure you at least attempt to get a beginning, 3 good points (or thesis/antithesis) and a conclusion of some kind if time is running short, try not to leave it hanging halfway through.

**heavenlyjohnson** · 14-12-2009 04:55 PM

Thanks for the feedback Zepplin and Goldhawkgonk,

I'll extend the piece a little when I get a chance. Just out of interest, how much did you write for your essays? I wrote about 2 sides each.

**heavenlyjohnson** · 15-12-2009 05:20 AM

Thanks for the feedback, I've now extended the piece with some stuff about timing

**Professor Higgins** · 15-12-2009 03:19 PM

heavenlyjohnson, that is great advice. Free advice like that helps to even up the field between those who can afford coaching and those who cannot.

I only managed 2 sides for each essay but scored well. I think that practice is key. I had to get used to writing by hand again after years using computer keyboards. Choosing a nice gel rollerball to write with helped.

**heavenlyjohnson** · 21-12-2009 03:54 AM

Originally Posted by Professor Higgins

heavenlyjohnson, that is great advice. Free advice like that helps to even up the field between those who can afford coaching and those who cannot.

This is my feeling too. I really don't think that specialist coaching is nessesary provided the applicant really wants it and puts in the time. All the resources are out there!

**aishahassan** · 06-01-2010 04:00 PM

Hi,

I am new to this Forum. I am preparing for GAMSAT, I really want to sit the March Irish GAMAST in London, but I am not sure if that will be enough prep time, considering I am from a non science background. I have attempted my first essays an essay from a sample paper I found online, if you lovely people could have a look at it and please give me your honest feedback on it that would be great because believe it or no this section is scaring me more than anything else. (you all did really well so you obviously know what you are talking about

I am convinced that he (God) does not play dice (Albert Einstein)

I am convinced that he (God) does not play dice (Albert Einstein). This a bold statement made by Einstein. This quote can be translated as God has every ones lives mapped out for them, and he doesn’t just decide, by the roll of a dice (so to speak) as he goes.

From a Christianity and Islamic point of view, true believers of the religion believe as Einstein did, that indeed God did have everything mapped out for us and that we are the driving forces behind how the plans come about. God throws obstacles our way as part of the plan for which we have to overcome using our faith and effort, as Epictus (A.D 200) once said no great thing is created suddenly, everything require time and effort, in the same way God would not make life easy for us with no obstacles, because it is the obstacles in life that we come across that make us stronger and better people.

The other side of the argument would therefore be that God does ‘play dice’. The implication of this would be that there would be great uncertainty in our lives but also in God’s plans for us and the thought of that makes me think that the world would potentially be quite disastrous, imaging if Gods ‘dice’ resulted in conflicting plans or strategies. It is almost unbearable.

It is interesting how certain Einstein is that God doesn’t play dice. There is really no way for mortals to know for certain whether or not God does or does not play dice. I guess the only reason one can hold such a firm opinion would be if one was religious and therefore placed all their trust in what the faith told them to believe.

**aishahassan** · 17-01-2010 05:34 PM

Hi,

I have attempted one of the essay questions from one of the past papers, and I would be so greatful if you could look through it for me and give me some feedback, this imy second attempt at an essay. You all did really well so your opinion will most certainly be valued!

“If Poverty Is the Mother of Crime, Stupidity is its Father”

UNICEF records state that 25,000 children die everyday due to poverty. Some people living in poverty would turn to crime if it meant keeping there family alive. When you look at it from this view point it seems understandable. In fact during the Christmas period a Priest was reported to say on the BBC news that he thinks it is better for people living in poverty to commit petty crimes like stealing food from supermarkets than committing serious crimes like hurting people, as bizarre as this may seem coming from a priest, there is an element of truth within what he is saying. Although saying that it could also look like he was encouraging crime among those living in poverty which of course is very immoral.

Many people on the other hand commit crime purely out of stupidity, many studies have found that most of the people that commit petty crimes are youngsters. These crimes are usually committed to gain ‘respect’ from peers or to look ‘cool’. Many of these children come from decent homes, some may come from broken homes, but not necessarily living in poverty. A lot of the parents of these children do not even know that there children are committing these crimes.

If, therefore poverty is the mother of crime, it would seem obvious that the only way to eliminate or reduce the effects of this is to get rid of poverty, but as we know this easier said then done, especially if you are talking of a country such as Sudan, where the problem is so large scale that it would not be something that could easily be done overnight. There are examples of countries such as Nigeria where well educated people are turning to crime to keep there families alive because corruption and an improper balance of wealth in the country is leaving them in a situation of poverty.

‘Stupidity’ is the father of crime-this would seem a much easier problem to tackle than that of poverty. Once you know the people committing these crimes, (in England the majority of petty crimes are committed by youngsters who hang around on the streets), then you can begin to take action as to how to prevent it from happening in the future, in England there have been interventions put in place such as building youth centres and various types of recreational centres for youth. This is much more beneficial for them now and in the long run, then hanging round on the streets causing problems is. In both cases however, crime is in no way deemed as acceptable and appropriate action is required to help reduce the problem.