Least well answered science section...

Mokusatsu · Veteran Joined: 16 May 2009 Posts: 43 Location: Perth

I have been led to understand that GAMSAT has a marking system which overweights the marks of the "hard" questions and underweights the "easy" ones, where "hard" and "easy" are determined by the number of people who get those questions right or wrong.

It thus strikes me that out of biology, inorganic and physical chemistry, organic chemistry and biology, studying a little harder for the section which the fewest people do well in would have a greater impact on my marks than the same effort on a section which generally everyone gets right.

I would guess that biology might be a section which a lot of people get right as many people sitting GAMSAT have a biology or health sciences background. Or maybe I'm wrong. I'm aware that biology makes up the most questions and will therefore be important, but in terms of "easy marks" I'd like to make sure I do a few questions which get high scores so I can then plough my way through biology...

Out of the major sciences tested in GAMSAT, which one is the LEAST well done? Physics?

GAMSAT Tutor · Regular Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 12 Location: Sydney

Hi Mokusatsu,

You are quite right in noting that most candidates would be well prepared for the biology questions given their backgrounds.

The science subject that candidates generally find the most challenging is chemistry, especially organic chemistry. It is by far the most important component in the science section of the GAMSAT; it is the one subject that can truly make or break your score.

Having been a university tutor, a private tutor and a lecturer over the years, I know that most people struggle in this area simply because the first year chemistry courses offered at major universities fail to prepare them adequately for the kind of thinking that is required for the GAMSAT - too great an emphasis is placed on pure memorisation and involved calculations rather than on conceptual understanding, and there is a lack of coverage of certain topics to a sufficient depth, especially in organic chemistry.

So to gain an edge in the science section of the GAMSAT, you would be well rewarded for your time and effort if you work smartly (not hard) on chemistry.

Hope that helps.

Best regards,
GAMSAT Tutor