Ep 12: The Best S1/S3 Study In The Last Couple Weeks

Tom Forfa (00:16) Welcome back to the Nurses Doing GAMSAT podcast by ThankFlip GAMSAT. I’m Dr Tom, founder and CEO of ThankFlip GAMSAT. This week, I’m doing a solo episode—Mare is off doing other things, but she’ll be back next week.

Today, we’re talking about Sections 1 and 3. If you’re sitting the GAMSAT in a few weeks, this episode is for you. Whether you’re scoring well and looking for final refinements, or you’ve been studying for a while and feel stuck, we’ll help you. Maybe you’ve just started and you’re freaking out because there isn’t much time left. Whatever your situation, we’ll talk about what’s possible in the time you have left and what difference you can make in these last few weeks.

We’ll go through what scores you should be aiming for at this stage, how the practice test scores translate to the actual GAMSAT, and the best ways to study right now, no matter where you’re at. We’ll also cover common mistakes people make in Sections 1 and 3 at this point in their preparation. And, of course, there’ll be some tips, resources, and inspiration for you as well.

If you’re one of our Bootcamp members, you’re welcome to listen, but I’d recommend using the Bootcamp resources instead—you’ll get more value from them. Before we dive in, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss anything. I’ll also be sharing a bunch of resources, which you can find in the show notes at thankflipgamsat.com/episode12.

Tom Forfa (05:12) The best way to gauge your progress is by doing a practice test under exam conditions. But not just any practice test—there’s a lot of rubbish out there. The only ones I recommend are the official ACER papers and our own ThankFlip Bootcamp papers.

If you’re using ACER papers, make sure it’s one you haven’t done before. I’ve had students come to me excited about a great score, only to realise they had done that test before! That doesn’t count. Do the test under strict timing—taking your time gives you a false sense of ability. Once you’ve done that, here’s how to interpret your scores:

If you’re scoring 80% or more on ACER papers under exam conditions, you’re likely to get 70+ on the GAMSAT. If you’re scoring between 60–80%, your GAMSAT score is probably going to be in the 50–70 range. If you’re scoring below 60%, you’re likely looking at below 50 in the actual exam. This isn’t an exact science—scores depend on the difficulty of the test and what happens on the day—but it gives you a general idea of where you stand.

If you haven’t done a practice test yet, head to the show notes. We’ve got free online Section 1 and 3 practice tests with full explanations and skill breakdowns.

Tom Forfa (10:34) If you’re already scoring 80% or more, keep doing what you’re doing, but refine it. Focus on timed practice tests, analysing your mistakes, checking your correct answers to make sure you got them right for the right reasons, and optimising your timing and approach.

If you’re scoring below 80%, doing more practice questions alone won’t help. Practice questions test your skills; they don’t develop them. If you’re below 80%, you need to build your skills.

For Section 3, memorising science content won’t help. Half the questions are on unfamiliar topics, like fish gills or platypus body temperature. Instead, focus on understanding how to analyse and apply stimulus material. Develop a systematic approach to solving questions.

For Section 1, ACER tells you to “read widely.” But that’s vague and unhelpful. You need strategies for analysing passages efficiently and deeply. Check out the GAMSAT Science Advantage training in the show notes for a deeper dive.

Tom Forfa (18:15) Common mistakes in Section 1 include relying on prior knowledge instead of focusing only on what’s in the passage, only understanding the surface meaning without looking deeper, and spending too much time worrying about poetry, which is a low-yield question type.

In Section 3, common mistakes include getting stuck on a single question, working through the test in order rather than jumping to easier questions first, and not practising with the online system beforehand. Another big mistake is ignoring the whiteboard option—our tutors love it because it saves time compared to crossing out paper notes.

Tom Forfa (24:50) If you’re only starting now, the truth is, you don’t have much time. Most people need months of prep. But don’t just write this attempt off—use it to learn as much as possible for next time.

Work as hard as you can now—every bit helps. Recognise that procrastination may stem from self-doubt. GAMSAT is a mindset test as much as a skills test. If you need help with that, listen to Episode 2: You Are Smart Enough for strategies on overcoming self-doubt.

Tom Forfa (30:12) If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember: you can do this. GAMSAT is a skills game, not a knowledge game. Play it right, and you’ll succeed.

Go to the show notes for resources to help you. If you found this useful, share it with a mate, hit subscribe, and I’ll see you next time. Good luck with your exam!