Free GAMSAT Study Schedule: Plan for Success

The Gold Standard 3-month GAMSAT Study Schedule starts with a careful review of the most recent GAMSAT Information Booklet published by ACER and one of their abbreviated practice tests, ACER's ‘GAMSAT Practice Questions’ eBook (a.k.a. the Red Booklet), which is included when you register for GAMSAT. Starting at Week 7, your GAMSAT review will consist of reviewing daily and full-length testing every 3 days. Be sure to take the necessary time with the post-test analyses to begin consolidating your reasoning skills.

If you do not own any of our Gold Standard materials, don't worry! This study schedule will remain helpful as each day specifies the subject and topics which should be your main focus. You can use that information as your guide regardless of which prep material you're using.

Important note: Our study schedule only serves as a guide and should not be mistaken as a 'bible' that you have to rigidly follow.

Make sure to also read our GAMSAT study tips for creating personal notes. Keeping study notes (Gold Notes) and reviewing them on a daily basis is quite important. It is always best to allot one full day of consolidation of your Gold Notes weekly.

The path is clear to optimise your GAMSAT score: Let’s get started!

If you have always been an avid reader of novels and newspapers, who picks up new information in class quickly (irrespective of your actual grades) and you have or are completing a science degree, you might be one of the rare students who study for 1 - 3 weeks - or not at all - and still end up with a great GAMSAT score!

For the great majority of students, an average study time or GAMSAT revision timetable would be 3 to 6 hours/day for 3 to 6 months. If you have absolutely no science background (not even in high school) then you will likely need at least the equivalence of 3 more months of full-time studies to learn the basics. Whatever your background, be sure to spend at least half of your study time sitting and carefully reviewing practice exams (post-test analysis) covering all 3 GAMSAT sections.

Let's underline the essential components: Study, practice questions followed by exams, and finally, careful post-test analysis. These make up your formula for a smart GAMSAT study schedule.

The first step to an effective study preparation is to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Would Physics be your strongest, followed by Biology, then General Chemistry with Organic Chemistry and Humanities as the weakest? Do you even need some guidance in the Section 2 writing tasks?

Now remember that the basis of your assessment should be GAMSAT-specific and there are three ways for you to find out:

1. Consider your undergraduate background. If you have a science background, starting with Section 1 review (Reasoning in Humanities and the Social Sciences) could be your best move. On the other hand, candidates with a non-science background are recommended to prioritise their science review. As we always say at the Gold Standard, "If you are wondering which subject to revise first, start with the subject you 'hate' most (or know least about)!"

2. Get to know the GAMSAT. We have always emphasised the importance of understanding the skills being tested and the level of knowledge required in the GAMSAT. In this recorded session with Dr. Brett Ferdinand, the author of the Gold Standard GAMSAT textbooks, he explains the exam's content, scoring and which approach would be efficient to prepare for the exam: Overview of GAMSAT

   Of course, your best source remains to be ACER's practice materials. As soon as the GAMSAT Information Booklet is available, download it and carefully read the details. Alternatively, you can get an overview of the GAMSAT, how it is scored, and the testing locations on our What is the GAMSAT page.

3. Sit a diagnostic test. ACER offers five practice tests, one is free with registration and 4 are available for purchase. When you register for the GAMSAT, you will get one of the ACER GAMSAT booklets for free. Another free alternative is the Gold Standard Free GAMSAT Practice Test.

Your GAMSAT revision timetable must include post-test analysis. Ideally, you would revise the explanations for each question, thoroughly understanding why you got certain answers wrong. For ACER's GAMSAT Sample Questions ('blue booklet'), GAMSAT Practice Questions ('red booklet'), Practice Test 1 ('green booklet'), Practice Test 2 ('purple booklet') and Practice Test 3 ('pink booklet'), Gold Standard has uploaded more than 20 hours of worked solutions to YouTube covering 500⁺ multiple-choice Section 3 questions for free: Gold Standard GAMSAT YouTube Channel. However, before sitting full-length practice GAMSAT tests, you should complete your content review so that you can use practice tests as trial runs. We have constructed an additional 15 full-length simulated exams should you require the extra practice.

After assessing your strengths and weaknesses using the three methods described above, you may now rank the subjects according to how you deem each in terms of difficulty. You can then determine how often in a week you would need to study your weakest subject (ranked as number 1, i.e., your top priority) down to your strongest (ranked as number 5).

Our recommendation is that you study your most and second most difficult subjects, as well as your easiest subject, twice a week.

As to the number of hours per day that you need for revision, an average of 3-6 hours would be ideal. Nevertheless, this should be realistically determined relevant to your university classes and/or working hours.

Your academic grades also spell a difference. GAMSAT prep can take as long as 4 to 6 months if you averaged a C or if you have not taken two or more of the science courses at the undergraduate level. Granting you have taken all science sections and averaged an A, three months or less may be all you need.

Gold Standard's GAMSAT Guide

To help you prepare for the exam, Gold Standard GAMSAT has assembled comprehensive information on GAMSAT scores, topics covered, preparation advice, free GAMSAT sample questions and other study resources.

• What is the GAMSAT? - GAMSAT-prep.com's detailed guide about the GAMSAT
• GAMSAT Scores - A complete resource that explains how the GAMSAT is scored and other questions relating to GAMSAT scoring
• Free GAMSAT Resources - A comprehensive guide on preparing for each section of the GAMSAT with links to relevant study resources
• Australian Medical Schools Admission Requirements - A comprehensive list of GAMSAT scores and GPA scores for graduate entry medicine (GEM) programmes in Australia and Australasia
• Free GAMSAT Study Schedule - Even if you don't own any of the Gold Standard GAMSAT materials, this study schedule remains helpful as it details the subjects covered for review and practice on a daily basis.
• GAMSAT Study Tips on Efficient Note-taking - One of our popular resources! Read tips on how to consolidate your review by creating brief notes a.k.a. Gold Notes that will be vital in your daily review in the lead up to the real exam.
• Free Monthly GAMSAT Webinars - Take advantage of our free monthly online seminars (webinars) using a problem-based learning approach on the different topics in the GAMSAT and get a chance to win a GAMSAT giveaway.
• Non-science Background GAMSAT Preparation - Dr Ferdinand (author of The Gold Standard GAMSAT books) outlines the 70/30 formula to get a high score. Also includes a link to advice on related topics.

Free GAMSAT practice:

• Free GAMSAT Practice Test - This abbreviated, timed practice test includes all three sections with instant scaled scores and helpful worked solutions.
• GAMSAT Practice Question of the Day - Develop your GAMSAT reasoning skills with daily practice, one subject at a time
• GAMSAT Physics Sample Questions - 15 free GAMSAT Physics sample questions with answers and worked solutions to hone your basic problem-solving skills and understanding of Section 3 material