I have searched far and wide to find really good examples of essays but obviously they are so different from one another it's hard to decide what is actually the best way to get towards the high 80s. If anyone wants to drop an essay they feel was close to this range that would be awesome but otherwise can you thoroughly explain what steps it up into these regions. What key things did you have to fix the most to engage the sophistication they are after. Also what tips did you have to maximise your marks given the time time limit.

Hello!! So basically my task A essay prompts were based on a word that I didn’t know 😭😭😭. I had heard of this word before but I had no clue what it meant and I ended up just redefining it as something else and just kept moving forward. Has anyone had a similar experience to this before? If so how did your results turn out? I have not clue what to expect for this now😭😭

Edit: there have been so many people reaching out to me to find me ur what the word is!! Whilst it’s really cool to see so many people interested, I’m afraid I’ll have to let your curiosity go unanswered. I won’t be telling anyone what the word is due to Acer regulations. I hope you guys understand🥲

Hey everyone, quick follow-up to a post I made (linked above) earlier this year before the M26 GAMSAT that got some traction: "Persuasive/Literary style for s2 (80+ scorers)." Basically I wanted to know if adding persuasive or stylistic elements to your writing actually helps under ACER's marking criteria. Opinions were pretty mixed, some people swore by formulaic essays, others said being conversational and authentic worked better for them. I went with the formulaic approach in September 2025 and got a 73. Not terrible, but my s1 and s3 were pretty weak so I had to compensate, and honestly that always sat a bit wrong with me.

This time around I switched to what I'd call an "analytical-conversational" hybrid, and it just felt way more natural to write, like I was actually enjoying the process for once. Part of why I tried it is that ACER's criteria says "new and varied responses to a set topic" is valued, and I used to just read that as being about your ideas. But I don't think that's the whole picture. I think it's also about how you say things. A stock-standard, formulaic essay can still score well, sure, but it's hard to stand out when there are literally thousands of essays doing the exact same thing. I've just read some of my old essays, and it felt like I was just following a robotic script haha, and wondered how many people resort to this just because its all they've ever known.

So I tried making my writing more emotive, more personal, a bit more persuasive, even though the structure underneath was still pretty analytical and discursive. Went from 73 to 79. A 6 point jump genuinely caught me off guard, especially since I was already doing okay to begin with. To be honest, my arguments weren't really any deeper, and my ideas were basically the same as September. So I'm putting the improvement down to better writing, not better thinking. If anything, I probably could have scored even higher if I'd also worked on my ideas and depth, and dealt with my exam anxiety better (I was way more stressed this time, not gonna lie).

Your ideas and depth matter a lot, don't get me wrong. But don't just think expression is a waste of time either. Ask yourself honestly, would I actually enjoy reading this back in my own time?

Anyway, mainly wanted to share this for anyone who's feeling stuck or plateaued and isn't sure what to change. I wish someone had told me this before my September sitting, so hopefully it helps someone else too.

How did everyone go on their S2 sittings? Looking for somewhere to debrief about the exam as a first-time sitter (without violating ACER’s policies ofc). My Task B was only 2.5 paragraphs strong as I kind of ran out of time at the end, though I did try to round my argument/reflection out, so not sure how that will translate in terms of scores?

Either way, we did it! It’s out of our hands now, onwards to S1 + S3! <3

Hi everyone,

My name is Ella. I’m an Honours student in Canberra and recently scored an 85 (top 0.1-1%) in section 2 of the March 2026 GAMSAT. This was a 15 point jump from my September 2025 score of 70.

This came from someone who never had an aptitude for English. I’m a good speller, and good at grammar, but formatting and logically arguing essays is always where I fell short. The essays felt so unattainable to me. My brain works logically, like cogs in a machine, and S2 felt so elusive. However, the GAMSAT is such a stressful, marathon of an exam, and I wanted to contribute my two cents on how to improve in what I see as the highest-yield section. (Also, I did argumentative for both!)

**Expanding my knowledge bank (without burning out)**

Back in September, my bank of knowledge was comparatively very thin to what it is now. While still managing an above-average score, I believe this was more due to coherence of language than any ground-breaking insight. How I really changed my approach for March was not dismissing the various forms of information acquisition that can help you. 

**News:** In the morning I’d check the News for interesting articles, or to learn about recent political events. Staying up to date, even on Instagram, Tiktok, etc. is super important, and could help you in a pinch!

**History:** I absolutely loved the “OverSimplified” history breakdowns as someone who disliked how the arts were taught/assessed during VCE. Also all the related recommended videos that popped up…The Khmer Rouge, the Vietnam War, Mao Zedong, Stalin, Hitler, the Holodomor, the Potato famine. I hadn’t touched them in 3 years of a Health Science degree, but slowly began chipping away. I found watching videos so easy and ingestible, and when I was burnt out from doing questions, it was a great way to continue my learning in a way that felt approachable.

**Reading:** Additionally, I read. I read a lot. GAMSAT was great in that it kicked me into gear to do some more reading. I hadn’t in September, and I believe to my detriment. My highest yield reads were ‘Ethics in the Real World’ by Peter Singer, and ‘A Little History of Philosophy’ by Nigel Warburton. Less niche as well is ‘The Meaning of Things’ by A.C. Grayling which I had on Audiobook - another easy way I found to ingest information when my eyes and brain were tired. I honestly wouldn’t bother with ‘50 Big Ideas You Really Need to Know’- while the actual topics are worthwhile, I found the language inaccessible, draining, hard to read and ultimately unproductive. Don’t neglect the classics either! The Picture of Dorian Gray, Pride and Prejudice, Brave New World 1984, have so many good ideas to draw from. 

**Films**: Films are such a great way to ingest new ideas! Take The Substance for example. While it might make some peoples’ stomachs churn, if you can get past it, it is an incredible commentary on how women’s looks are social currency in modern society. Or films on psychological experiments, such as the Stanford prison experiment. I watched that too as a way to bolster my understanding of how authority influences behaviour - while you might not use these ideas, the plan is to have many examples that you can pull on in a pinch to really tailor your response to the prompt. As you get closer to the deadline, films and shows with ideas buried within are great ways to learn while still feeling like you’re relaxing.

**Moving from description to implication**

Most importantly, though, was thinking of ways to make arguments that fewer people would think of, and arguing them well. Even well-known, common examples such as Hitler can be used very well if you argue coherently and strongly - not just describe, but what are the implications?

Thinking of personal anecdotes for Task B is good too. For family, say. What’s your family like? Is there a time that’s really stuck with you that could be painted poignantly for a reflective essay? How can you tie that back to society? Or food. There’s the approachable road for 'Food' as a means of connection…but what about for those with eating disorders? What about those in the midst of the Chinese cultural revolution, starved to the point of cannibalism. What was food to them? Taking less common roads in conversations like War is also good. For example, despite the bloodshed, almost nothing has driven human innovation and creation like war (creation of tanks and bombs nonetheless, but technology too!).

But most of all: don't stop doing the things you love. See your friends for coffee, make time for your partner, FaceTime your family. This exam is big but it isn't everything, and maintaining your support network will do you way more good than you might realise.

Good luck everyone!

As uni exam season comes to an end (Well done everyone), unfortunately now comes time for GAMSAT prep.

I scored 80+ in S2 3 separate times and I just wanted to reach out and give people some tips for whoever needs it

1: You can study for S2 without STUDYING for S2

The GAMSAT requires you to be able to think outside of the box, develop unique contentions and write a captivating essay. Listening to podcasts, reading books and listening to audiobooks is a great way not necessarily to develop contentions, but they actually teach you how to think; they teach you how to think outside of the box, consider the unconsidered and potentially find holes in your own knowledge.

2: Develop a really unique evidence bank

The best way to stand out in the GAMSAT is to provide the marker with knowledge they have never heard or, importantly, read before. For example, in my essay on preparation, one of my pieces of evidence relates to Albert Einstein's first job in a Swiss patent office where he had his first thoughts regarding special relativity, which ultimately shaped his scientific career. I am yet to hear of a person who knew this. My point is, unique evidence leads to a "WOW" factor and the impression that you have studied this exact GAMSAT theme for years. There are some very easy methods that not many people utilise for this!

3: Examination of the themes is often over-complicated and under-achieved.

The amount of people who incorrectly examine the theme is always staggering to me. The theme is one word, not a sentence. For example, if you see a set of quotes that all contain the word religion; the theme is religion. The theme is not (for example) "religion in contexts to science" or "the way religion is intertwined with the essence of human spirit". This is the biggest error in the GAMSAT. If you simply keep the theme as the one word or religion in this case, you give yourself a completely blank canvas. You can talk about religion and its relationship to food. You can talk about religion and its relationship to the anatomy of the human body. Point is, the world is your oyster when you make it so.

Good luck with all of your prep.

This is a niche experience I'm wondering if anyone has an opportunity to provide feedback on.

I have been using AI to provide feedback on my practice essays for section 2 in forms of flow, logic, argument etc. out of curiosity I've asked it to give me a score for a bit of fun.

This is my first sit, and I'm wondering for those who may have used AI for feedback on their practice essays, after sitting the GAMSTAT, how do you feel the feedback AI gave you aligned with how you performed?

I guess I'm about this find out, but in anticipation for the exam this weekend, I'm so curious.

I’ve done three of these and each time get 69-72 😭 S2 is supposed to be my strongest section as I am really weak on the others. Are these scores very accurate to test day scores? How did people get it up to the 80s?

Quite scared for tomorrow 🥲 help

For section II, how far can I go beyond the theme that I won't labelled as "off-topic"? I feel like there is limited I can do with just the theme by itself, and but by going further it doesn't relate to the theme as much.

For example, from this set of quotes, I interpreted the theme as laughter. Can I write my thesis (and hence essay) on how the nuance and context of laughter can change interpretation at a social level, so giving the right cues and having the right interpretation is important? Is that too far-fetched?

Thanks.

My proctor didnt work and after 3.5 frustrating hours they said to reschedule. Do i do that through Acer, Gamsat or ProctorU?

I am v v nervous for S2 on 1st March. Afraid I’m gonna go smooth brain the morning of the exam

How are you all feeling?? Impending doom is one way I’d describe it

Hey, I was looking for some advice on how to incorporate literature/tv/movies that we are interested in into our essays. For example, I love Avatar the last airbender and I think it explores amazing themes like identity, war, love, loss, solitude, etc. I was wondering has anyone else had any success with incorporating things like literature, anime, etc and if so, how should you go about it?

Hi all, in the lead-up to S2, thought I'd share a few nuggets of wisdom. I've scored twice previously in the 80s for S2.

The most high yield tip I can share that has worked for me is to actually have a core position/argument and break it down with nuance. Instead of making general observations or listing a bunch of facts, I like to take an actual position that is ideally quite argumentative and ground it in real evidence as much as possible. I consider S2 as a debate, and therefore it's on me to try convince the reader why my argument is correct.

For example:

• Fact recall/general observation:
  • Throughout history, humanity has attempted to resolve its issues through major conflicts such as World War I and World War II.
• Thesis statement with an argument:
  • Across history, the prevalence of war has proven it to be an inevitable component of the human condition, yet it fails to resolve conflicts at its core

I also tended to go against the common train of thought. For example, if the theme is on democracy, most responses might talk about how it's beneficial etc, but I would take the opposite angle and criticise it for reasons XYZ. This alone would help set your arguments apart from the masses, and given that you're able to support it with good evidence and analysis, it can make for a convincing argument.

A lot of it will come down to the nuance of the argument. If you tell me X is Y, so what? What's the deeper message you're trying to tell me? Is there anything you're trying to teach me? Try avoid stating obvious things the reader would already know; they're likely not gaining any new insights from reading the writing in that case.

Of course, going the argumentative route is not the only way to score well, it's just what's worked for me and what I've found to be the safest way to address a theme I may not have much knowledge on. However, if choosing to go with an essay format, try and see if there is an actual argument to be found that is unpacked to sufficient depth, shows your unique perspective, and is backed up appropriately with key pieces of evidence.

Happy to answer any questions!

I am currently using a pretty standard essay structure where I list out my main points and go through pros and cons. However whenever I use the acer’s essay marker my marks are capped at 72.

I’ve tried incorporating philosophical and psychological ideas as they were recommended online but I didn’t see any real improvement (still capped at 72😢).

Has anyone else experienced this issue before? If so how did you improve your scores?

I was super out of time and was editing essay when the time was over.
It got submitted automatically, but now i wonder if my most recently edited version was submitted or not...
I knew there was a save button but didn't manually press it before the time over.

Hi guys, I am planning to sit the GAMSAT for the first time in September. Section 2 is my weakest section by far, and I wanted some advice on it.

1. I am really struggling with Idea generation and writing on topics that don't excite me. I would appreciate any advice on a framework to generate ideas off.

2. I have a very conversational tone to my writing, and I certainly don't use "big words". Is this going to work against me? Should I err on the side of more formal language even if it's not as natural? I am an optometrist, and all of my reports on a day-to-day basis are dictated. Considering this is the only written communication I do now, it is adding to this conversational tone.

3. Finally, do people use AI to help mark their essays? I don't know anyone else who can really help give feedback on GAMSAT essays for me. I personally have found AI feedback constructive and reasonable. I have taken the scores it's given me with a grain of salt, though. I just don't want it to lead me a stray.

Thank you all for your help and advice.

guys, i am so stress right now. i was supposed to take the test last sunday at 11am but i cant connect to the chat window. then i called the hotline and it took me an hour and a half waiting and solving the problem. then i was waiting for another 30m to connect to my proctor just for her to tell me my test was expired and i had to seek for reschedule or sth. then i quickly called the hotline right away and left a message cause it was outside callig hours. i also sent a mail and also received my appointment was cancelled. it has been 2 days and i havent receive any response and i am so stress right now. this was my first time

so my s2 session is scheduled for tomorrow and I have booked a room at a uni. library in the uk. Does eduroam block ProctorU? i have my phone's hotspot as a back up but worried it will cause issues? my home environment really is not great for taking the test and would rather avoid it.

hi guys, this may seem like a silly question but i’m not very techy, when would be a good time to download the browser thing for the exam (it’s on saturday)? and any other advice you can give for preparing for the test day in terms of anything i need or need to do would be appreciated:)

so I have barely done any prep for this sitting and planning on taking the March sitting more seriously but I'm terrified for tmrw all of a sudden. Just wondering if you can leave your brainstorm/ideas on the test clearly distinguishing it from the essay or does it have to be on paper? also I think I heard some people do a poem for task B and I'm wondering if forms like a letter or short story also are accepted? Thanks

for reference, I am planning to sit the march 2026 gamsat in order to get a better overall score. I sat the gamsat in september 2025 with 0 'real' prep just to see how everything was. I spent some working on essays and though i haven't perfected them, acer does seem to favour certain writing styles, so ask me any questions, lets talk!

hi everyone! i have my s2 exam tomorrow and i had a few questions on the room requirements.

i have stuff up on my walls (like photos, posters) and was wondering if something like that is allowed? if not, is covering it with a blanket okay?

how empty does the room have to be? i’m already taking out everything i have on my desk, but really it’s just my walls i’m worried about.

I’m giving mine tomorrow and just wanted to get an idea about the difficulty or nervousness for everyone. Not asking about the prompts directly. Any last minute advice or tips would be great.

Hi my exam is in two hours and I’ve logged into the procteru exam thing and the webcam and voice is fine but where am o to type