How to Start Studying for the GAMSAT (From Zero)

If you're starting the GAMSAT without a clear plan, you're in good company. Most students feel overwhelmed, not because the exam is impossible, but because they don't know what actually matters.

This guide only covers Section 1 and Section 2. I don't teach Section 3 and I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert in it. Everything below is how I approached the GAMSAT myself, how I improved my own score, and how I now teach Sections 1 and 2 in my free content and paid courses.

First, understand what the GAMSAT is testing

The GAMSAT isn't a memorisation exam. For Sections 1 and 2, it's a reasoning and communication exam.

A lot of students go wrong by:

• studying content instead of skills
• chasing model answers
• memorising quotes, vocab lists or essay templates

Undoing these habits is a big part of what I do in my teaching.

Before you study anything, you need to understand how the exam thinks. Please, please, please read the GAMSAT Information Booklet. It's full of useful information that most students skip.

Section 1: Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences

What Section 1 tests

Section 1 tests whether you can:

• interpret meaning
• pick up on tone and attitude
• follow an argument
• notice what's implied, emphasised or left out

It doesn't test:

• what you already know about philosophy, history or literature
• vocab lists
• speed-reading tricks

That's why in my YouTube videos I spend so much time on single words, sentence structure and framing. That's where marks are won and lost.

How to start Section 1 from zero

If you're a beginner, don't worry about speed yet. Focus on accuracy and understanding.

Start with:

• short passages
• untimed practice
• writing down why each wrong answer is wrong

Then work through questions the way I do in my walkthroughs:

• figure out what the question is really asking
• put abstract wording into plain English
• back up your answer with the text, not your instinct

If you can clearly explain your answer, you're doing it right. Don't pick an answer based on vibes or a gut feeling.

Section 2: Written Communication

What Section 2 is (and isn't)

Section 2 isn't about:

• fancy language
• memorised quotes
• "impressive" ideas

It is about:

• clear thinking
• logical structure
• developing one idea properly
• communicating under time pressure

The section is called Written Communication for a reason. It's testing whether you can communicate clearly, not how well you can write an essay.

How to start Section 2 from zero

Get your structure right before you worry about style.

I'd start with:

• a clear introduction that responds to the theme and sets out your point
• one idea per paragraph, each with a clear topic sentence
• the PEAL structure for each paragraph
• simple examples you understand well

In my Section 2 resources I deliberately stay away from:

• quote banks
• rigid templates
• overly academic language

If your marker gets your argument straight away, you're on the right track.

The best resources to start with (in this order)

1. ACER practice papers

These are a must. Don't use any other practice questions, including mine, until you've done all the official ACER material and understand it properly. ACER writes the GAMSAT, so their questions set the logic, difficulty and style of the exam. Plenty of students have scored in the 80s and got into medicine using only the ACER papers.

2. My YouTube channel

I've made detailed, step-by-step worked solutions for the ACER Section 1 practice questions. They explain not just what the answer is, but why it's right and why the others are wrong. If a question still doesn't make sense after watching, email me at hello@gamsattutorials.org and I'll do my best to help.

3. My free Section 2 marking

I really believe good GAMSAT prep should be available to everyone, whatever their budget. I'll mark one Section 2 essay for free, using the same criteria and detail as my paid marking. Please don't buy a Section 2 course or essay marking until you've used it. A lot of students improve their Section 2 score just by applying the feedback from this one free essay. If you'd like more structured or ongoing feedback, I also offer paid essay marking and a Section 2 course.

4. My free weekly email

Every week I send a short email with a Section 1 practice question and a Section 2 writing exercise. You can reply with your answers and I'll give you personal feedback. Lots of students use it as their main source of practice and accountability between study sessions.

5. Des O'Neill questions

Once you've worked through all the ACER papers, the Des O'Neill questions are good for extra practice. Treat them as extra material, not a replacement for ACER. I'm also working on worked solutions for these.

Final advice for starting from zero

You don't need:

• a perfect background
• an English or humanities degree
• dozens of resources

You do need:

• a clear understanding of how Sections 1 and 2 are marked
• to be willing to slow down
• feedback, and time to reflect on it

If you can learn to think clearly and explain your thinking, your GAMSAT score will follow.

As always, email me if you have any questions or worries at hello@gamsattutorials.org.

Dr Lizzie 🩺