Assessing my options (1 Viewer)

[Aspiration1]

Hi peeps,

I have been thinking about changing degrees because I am currently not enjoying what I am studying (Law & Comm at Sydney). I am heading into my 4th year (of a 5 year degree) but I am not sure what options I have to have a crack at med.

Can someone fill me in on whether I can still sit the UMAT? Whether I can prepare for this. I bombed the UMAT in Yr 12...

Thanks for your time

 

[go_cadel]

Of course you can, any student in year 12 or post year-12 can sit the UMAT.
The other option is GAMSAT, which will probably be tougher considering your non-science background

 

[Aspiration1]

Of course you can, any student in year 12 or post year-12 can sit the UMAT.
The other option is GAMSAT, which will probably be tougher considering your non-science background

I did HSC biology and chemistry (but I could probably pick it up if I studied it over summer) but not physics... Which could be problematic. I have heard you need first-year level for the science areas.

 

[Oer]

Hi peeps,

I have been thinking about changing degrees because I am currently not enjoying what I am studying (Law & Comm at Sydney). I am heading into my 4th year (of a 5 year degree) but I am not sure what options I have to have a crack at med.

Can someone fill me in on whether I can still sit the UMAT? Whether I can prepare for this. I bombed the UMAT in Yr 12...

Thanks for your time

You can definitely sit the UMAT next year if you want to, but bear in mind universities will use your ATAR and GPA as well for academic cutoffs, and different unis will do this in different ways. You can check the course handbooks to see how different universities do this.

Been a while since Year 12 so UMAT has changed format and you may have gotten better (or worse) at the skills needed. You could also take some time out to practice if you wanted.

Give that you're close to finishing your degree GAMSAT is an option too, especially if your GPA's ok.

I did HSC biology and chemistry (but I could probably pick it up if I studied it over summer) but not physics... Which could be problematic. I have heard you need first-year level for the science areas.

The Chem and Bio is first year level, but the Physics is Year 12 level if I'm not mistaken.


James Cook University also lets you apply without UMAT or GAMSAT, and Curtin University says it plans to do the same their new degree starting 2017, which is the year you graduate if I've got it right.

So yeah, of you're absolutely set on medicine I'd sit UMAT next year, and if that didn't work, GAMSAT the next year as well as applying to Curtin. And apply to JCU both years.


But it sounds like you're still just thinking, so make sure whatever you do you've thought about and are happy with.

 

[Aspiration1]

You can definitely sit the UMAT next year if you want to, but bear in mind universities will use your ATAR and GPA as well for academic cutoffs, and different unis will do this in different ways. You can check the course handbooks to see how different universities do this.

Been a while since Year 12 so UMAT has changed format and you may have gotten better (or worse) at the skills needed. You could also take some time out to practice if you wanted.

Give that you're close to finishing your degree GAMSAT is an option too, especially if your GPA's ok.




The Chem and Bio is first year level, but the Physics is Year 12 level if I'm not mistaken.


James Cook University also lets you apply without UMAT or GAMSAT, and Curtin University says it plans to do the same their new degree starting 2017, which is the year you graduate if I've got it right.

So yeah, of you're absolutely set on medicine I'd sit UMAT next year, and if that didn't work, GAMSAT the next year as well as applying to Curtin. And apply to JCU both years.


But it sounds like you're still just thinking, so make sure whatever you do you've thought about and are happy with.

Thanks, yeah I am caught in two minds tbh. I have always really wanted to study Medicine but it definitely feels like it's been getting further and further away. Do UMAT preparation materials/courses help at all? I have heard about friends, at the time, who splashed heaps...but didn't get in.

 

[Flop21]

Can I ask something slightly off base here? Why did you choose commerce and law if you don't like it? And why didn't you change degrees in the first year, rather than do 2 whole years of it??

 

[Aspiration1]

Can I ask something slightly off base here? Why did you choose commerce and law if you don't like it? And why didn't you change degrees in the first year, rather than do 2 whole years of it??

To answer your first question, at the time right after missing out on med, I laboured over doing a med science degree in case things didn't work out (I am a glass half empty person) and employability in a professional service (yes, I know, you crazy) was a concern because of financial pressure. I didn't change degrees because I enjoyed first year and wanted to see if I could continue with it, it was only this year where I started to lose interest.

 

[Oer]

Thanks, yeah I am caught in two minds tbh. I have always really wanted to study Medicine but it definitely feels like it's been getting further and further away. Do UMAT preparation materials/courses help at all? I have heard about friends, at the time, who splashed heaps...but didn't get in.

It really depends. I know people who did prep that helped them, people that did prep and still absolutely flunked it, people who did no prep amf flunked and people who did no prep and killed it. So it depends - do you feel like you need prep? If so, then it might be worth it to do some. Quite expensive though yeah.

 

[Aspiration1]

It really depends. I know people who did prep that helped them, people that did prep and still absolutely flunked it, people who did no prep amf flunked and people who did no prep and killed it. So it depends - do you feel like you need prep? If so, then it might be worth it to do some. Quite expensive though yeah.

Tbh, I think I might have more chance with GAMSAT. Don't think my GPA is quite there yet just hovering under 6 atm, which isn't great. It's definitely a degree that is hard to be consistent in.

 

[Oer]

Tbh, I think I might have more chance with GAMSAT. Don't think my GPA is quite there yet just hovering under 6 atm, which isn't great. It's definitely a degree that is hard to be consistent in.

http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/future-students/medical-program/AdmissionsGuide.pdf

I was actually surprised to read this the other day, because if I interpret it correctly if you get a GPA over 5 then that meets the cutoff for USYD and then it's not used to rank you...

 

[Aspiration1]

http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/future-students/medical-program/AdmissionsGuide.pdf

I was actually surprised to read this the other day, because if I interpret it correctly if you get a GPA over 5 then that meets the cutoff for USYD and then it's not used to rank you...

Ranked by GAMSAT results? Yeah I should be able to meet the min GPA cutoff.

 

[Oer]

Ranked by GAMSAT results? Yeah I should be able to meet the min GPA cutoff.

Give it a read yourself, but yeah that's what I got from it

 

[Aspiration1]

Give it a read yourself, but yeah that's what I got from it

I will smash out some past-papers for UMAT (there are some copies at USYD sci-tech library) over the mid-sem break and take the UMAT next year. If that doesn't work out, I will still have the summer break to prep for GAMSAT.

 

[Medman]

As someone who got 100% in S3. GAMSAT science is up to 2nd year level at university for chemistry and biology. Physics I am uncertain as I didn't pick physics in my undergraduate subjects. I hate how they advertise it as 1st year level but it really isn't.

I always thought the GPA for Usyd has been 5.5 unless they changed it?

I commend you on having the courage to say no to something you don't like. Good luck!

 

[RishBonjour99]

Is this K.wu haha

 

[RishBonjour99]

As someone who got 100% in S3. GAMSAT science is up to 2nd year level at university for chemistry and biology. Physics I am uncertain as I didn't pick physics in my undergraduate subjects. I hate how they advertise it as 1st year level but it really isn't.

I always thought the GPA for Usyd has been 5.5 unless they changed it?

I commend you on having the courage to say no to something you don't like. Good luck!

But I think it is possible to study up. A friend of mine from comm did it this time with no science background (just high school chem) and a month of independent study. Got 99tile in sciencr section. He got 99.95 during the hsc but just did the gamsat for the lols so he is a fairly bright guy.

 

[kwu1]

Is this K.wu haha

But I want to work for the Goldman Sachs.

 

[nerdasdasd]

Lololol alright m8, I think we old BOSers know who this is ^

 

[Medman]

But I think it is possible to study up. A friend of mine from comm did it this time with no science background (just high school chem) and a month of independent study. Got 99tile in sciencr section. He got 99.95 during the hsc but just did the gamsat for the lols so he is a fairly bright guy.

I'm not saying it's impossible to study for but I'm saying the content level is that found in 2nd year chemistry and not 1st.