*** MED ENTRY '09 - MUST READ!

Adrian · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject: *** MED ENTRY '09 - MUST READ!

Hey everyone,

Hope you're not going around the bend waiting for offers to come out (though you probably are).
I have a bit of advice for those students who received 60 or less on the GAMSAT and are applying to the University of Queensland - DO NOT stay on the waiting list. Historically, UQ has never really accepted many students with a GAMSAT of 60 or less, and if you remain on their waiting list, you will be unnecessarily overlooked for entry in 2009.

I reccommend you contact UQ, withdraw your preference to remain on their waiting list, and then contact your next preference university.

Good Luck for the rest of the application process!

Adrian
Forum Moderator

Sam_8 · Rookie Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 9

Just wondering if one does think of doing that what will really happen to their application? I asked GMAC what happens if one is selected to be on a waitlist, then declines it are they sent to their next preference and they said they will not be sent on if they are selected and they decline??????

Adrian · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject:

No, your application won't be sent on. The thing is, you won't know that you're on the waiting list until the other schools have finished selecting their students for interview. Therefore, if your score is not competitive for UQ, but is for another school, you may still be left out because UQ will hold your application.

Lovebite · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:02 pm Post subject:

I can't get over this.....

its such bulls^&t.

How rude is it to hold applications that they (UQ) KNOW aren't competitive.... for a just in case situation.

Adrian · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:57 pm Post subject:

Tell me about it. It's my personal opinion that they were doing it in order to 'poach' potential students from other SE QLD schools that they didn't intend on offering places to. Just so they could point out the fact that those other schools aren't filling their quotas.

After all, UQ did try (and succeeded) for a good decade to delay the opening of another medical school in the same area.

Nothing but big business.

Lovebite · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

its very sad indeed.

SHAME on you UQ, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME

Adrian · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject:

What's sad is that so many students still believe they're going to get a good education at UQ.

Sure it passes accreditation, but that doesn't mean students will be getting adequate community/clinical placements.

Lovebite · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject:

There seem to be quite a few GAMSAT / Graduate Med program enterprises that take advantage of the hopes of applicants....

A lot of people out there trying to profit heavily from our dreams and eagerness.

I'm not suggesting that its wrong to make money, or to operate a business that fills a need, but there is such a thing as taking advantage of people.

I'm also not attacking UQ specifically, as I know other universities do similar things in some respects.

I think its wrong to offer an interview to someone who doesn't have a genuine chance at getting a place. full stop.

If the average applicant has say, 6.3 / 64 and you offer interviews (worth less than 40%) to people with 5.5 / 58, then you are setting that person up to fail, and miss out.

The UQ situation is a little different in the sense that they are also stopping applicants from the experience of interview, but is it really any different?

it disappoints me the way that the application process plays out for some. For me, I think universities with large emphasis on interview have probably got it right. UND for example, with their 60% weighting on interview means that every applicant that goes to interview has a GENUINE chance of securing a spot.

The same is not true for many other schools, and I think thats sad.

GAMSATtutor · Veteran Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 51

some unis make their offers much earlier than others, so If you don't get a place at one uni you will miss out on other places that you could have easily got

this happened to my friend, but this time she put that uni first and got an unbonded place

the nonTISC unis offer earlier as far as I can tell

GAMSATtutor · Veteran Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 51

i don't know about UQ

but when students who have been offered a place defer then other students are offered their places

GAMSATtutor · Veteran Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 51

yes most of the big unis will hold your application, whilst the little unis are giving out their places

mainly just because they are lazy..... not because they are "posching studentgs" or other conspiracies. (once you get into ine of these unis you will notice this laziness, well at the med school i am in anyway)

some of the unis that we think are great, really aren't

and some of the unis we think are crap aren't actually that bad

the hidden message in here is don't be stuck up, those little unis actually aren't that bad

and the unis with the great reputations, only have those reputations because they are "rich snobby people unis", and once you get in they aren't that great. and talking to students in 6th year, it has always been that way, and they don't change

my friends went to a "little" "unknown" uni

and the other people that i have met from that uni, are actually nice, and say the uni is pretty good (except the library, they come to ours)

good prep for once you are in: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, behavioural science, population health, clinical skills. concentrate on the first 3

oh and the unis that let you in without having done a human biol degree
expect you to have done a human biol degree and don't give a shit if you haven't

all the best on getting in everyone