Desperately seeking UMAT advice (2 Viewers)

[Mozaic]

Hey guys,

I just found out from a friend that there r such things as UMAT prep courses! I did a bit of research and I was a having a hard time deciding between them. I was tossing up between AMEPP, Dallas and Medentry.

Can anyone whose done the prep courses last yr tell me which ones the best one and why?

are prep courses necessary if say i was aiming for a 250+ score in the UMAt? (i got 190 last yr)

Thanks

 

[velox]

I found the nie materials pretty good. Although im not going to any courses, just reading notes.

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

*shrug*
none will guarantee..
it appears to be a placebo effect..

id say for every person that got 250+ with a prep course.. some1 got 100 ..

dun believe all the hype..

 

[velox]

did u do a prep course point dexter?

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

yeah but i didnt pay attention.. and the material was different from wat i feel was in the exam..

ACER seems to change the exam every yr.. and i think it a confidence effect for me..

 

[gordo]

i did a prep course,
solely for the reason that if i didn;t do it and didn't get in, then i would say if only i had done a prep course.

u probz feel the same,
but in hindsight, it does shit all, other than giving u an idea of wat will be in umat, if u have no idea.

once u know wats in it though, a prep course won;t help u at all in doing well in those questions, they are inherrent in your characteristics.

 

[velox]

Like, im not doing a prep course. But just reading notes from various institutions that offer the prep courses. So i guess thats similar? I dont really have the money to fork out on the prep course and my parents aren't too keen on it either. Everyone is doing prep courses =/

 

[NichNich]

I did a prep course in 2003. I didn't get into med in 2004.
I did no prep course in 2004, I got into med in 2005.

Coincidence? I'm not sure. I don't know what it is, you decide. But if you are going to choose a prep course, don't do Dallas. Dallas is an a**hole. And I am willing to back up this claim.

If you have money to burn, then by all means do a prep course. I mean, there's no harm in doing one, and you might as well get an experience or two. The prices have more than quadrupled from 2003 to 2004, not sure what prices are now.

Hope that helps.

 

[velox]

Well do the notes tell all of what they say or is there important stuff that isnt in the notes?

 

[nit]

I attended the Dallas course and I thought it was not a bad thing to do - I liked the condescending manner in which he went over things as it kind of instilled in me the fact that I needed to do a bit of practise on stuff like the shapes and the section 2-type stuff. However, as can already be seen from this thread (and numerous others all over the place), this issue of Dallas and the way he runs his course is highly debatable. So, instead of recommending the course based on these seeming virtues in my opinion, instead, the one major, glaring reason to opt for the Dallas course (and this applies mainly to NSW'ers) is because he understands the process of getting students into UNSW medicine - ie he knows every single question that can be asked at the interview and has had a great deal of experience in this respect. Personally I got into UNSW med, and I'm fairly sure Dallas' course played at least a tiny part in that.

 

[shafqat]

i think umat prep is ok, i mean it may not help significantly but it does make you familiar with the types of questions. if u really want to do med, i mean why not?

i did nie, which was good, the top UMATer from our school did the same.

and velox, no they dont really do much other than go through the material. but they do make you sit a practice UMAT which i found really helpful.

 

[nit]

who was the top umater from school?

 

[velox]

Yeah, however its debatable whether the top umatter would have benefitted from it anyway. I think ill get more materials from ppl who've done dallas, and combined with nie shapes, hopefully itll be enough.

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

do all of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

u can either do well or not.. wat is the price of a med place?

 

[velox]

yeah but u cant give what u dont have. Anyway im getting some more stuff in 2 weeks. Bah i got exams soon, i should be concentrating on them first. Need a decent uai first =/

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

not realli.. 1st pass the mark in newcastle and adel.. aim 95 +

 

[velox]

yeh but not applying for uncle. Hopefully my principal will circle a good uai on my unsw form. Like if they circle <97 does that mean u have no chance for unsw? Cos we have only had maths/english assesments to date and my prelim marks were shit, however my hsc marks are decent.

 

[Lexicographer]

If they circle <97 then you have no chance for a first round interview at UNSW.

Why aren't you applying to UNCLE?

 

[velox]

Cos of reasons i cbf to explain. So to get a first round interview would it be >=98 ? Cos im not sure how it works. Wouldnt principals jack up the estimated uai's for the students benefit?

 

[Bob.J]

depends on whether your principal is a bitch/dickhead or a good bloke

my principal was a bitch

so yeah, late round interview