Tens of thousands of students sit the GAMSAT every year. Yet, only a few can make it through. A massive chunk of students who sit the GAMSAT end up needing to retake the test. If you’ve also faced this setback, don’t give up. Remember, most successful students experienced getting a disappointing result on their first attempt.
If your GAMSAT score was not exactly what you had hoped for, the best thing to do is to reflect on your performance and approach the GAMSAT with a fresh mind, using the following tips.
1. Evaluate Your Performance
The first step in reflection is knowing where you went wrong. Instead of brooding over the final score, focus on the three sections individually.
- Section 1 covers Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences. A poor score in this indicates you need to practice interpreting complicated text in a limited time.
- Section 2 covers Written Communication. A low score here highlights that your sentences are not structured enough and may lack insight. It’s important to practice writing essays routinely and get feedback from other people.
- Section 3 includes Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences. Weak performance in this one reflects a need to brush up on foundations in science, as well as doing practice questions, so that you can build up your reasoning skills.
Identify which areas you’re lacking the most so you can plan better.
2. Analyse Original Study Plan
Your plan of preparation is another major factor behind your GAMSAT result. So, look back at your study plan and judge whether it was truly enough to crack the exam.
- Check if your study materials are up-to-date and comprehensive. If you followed only a single resource, chances are you only practised a set of standard questions, leading to poor results.
- Ask yourself if you followed a regular study schedule. Inconsistent routines are ineffective for such challenging exams.
- Recall your methods. If you were relying on passive study, such as reading from notes repeatedly, that’s a no-go. You must take enough time to solve mock questions and practice your reasoning skills.
- Lastly, consider if you were healthy on the exam day. Poor physical and mental well-being on exam day often impacts results, no matter how good your preparation was.
Identify which areas need adjustment and work towards improving them.
3. Get Professional Guidance and Feedback
Since the last strategy didn’t work out, it’s a good idea to connect with a reliable GAMSAT prep course provider that offers a comprehensive and personalised curriculum. Professional tutors can guide you based on your exact weaknesses. You will get regular feedback, knowing exactly where to put more effort. Such proper guidance will ensure you achieve the best GAMSAT results in your next attempt.
You can also connect with students who have already passed the GAMSAT, both in person and online, to improve your strategy.
4. Improve Your Strategy
Once you recognise your weaknesses, it’s time to develop a fresh study plan.
For starters, set a realistic goal. Don’t expect to be able to solve a full-length question paper on the first day. Instead, aim to improve slowly but steadily.
- Invest in a range of different sources. If you enrol in an online course, you will get materials such as a study guide, textbook, and videos. Once you complete them, you can get additional materials, such as question banks and practice papers.
- Follow a consistent study routine. Read for an hour without any distractions and then write down what you learned. This will help you retain information better.
- Practise past test papers regularly and try to complete them within the given time limit. This can help you get over exam fright and get used to sitting these exams.
- Do mock exams and check where you made mistakes once the results turn up. Lastly, take enough breaks, eat on time, and get plenty of sleep. Remember, your brain needs enough rest to perform at its best,
5. Stay Optimistic
After getting disappointed in your first GAMSAT results, it’s normal to lose confidence. However, you need to stay positive and put everything you’ve got into the next attempt.
If you let negativity cloud your thoughts, you will lose motivation, repeating the past. Instead, take the setback as a learning opportunity and improve yourself. If anyone around you tries to demotivate you, don’t listen to them. Set strict boundaries so you can focus better. Whenever you feel anxious, overthink, or can’t focus, practice breathing exercises and meditation.
Statistics show that 41.5% of Australians, including many students, practise mindfulness to calm their wandering mind. Many students practice mindfulness on exam day and even write before the exam begins to calm their nerves and give their best. You, too, can adopt these practices to keep your head in the right place throughout your preparation.
Closing Thoughts
GAMSAT preparation is not easy, and a disappointing result should never be the end of your dreams. Even if the result didn’t go in your favour, don’t get discouraged, keep working. Consistent extra efforts, and perhaps some professional guidance, are all you need to overcome this setback and achieve your goal.
