[PNEJOE]

I visited the Oxford open day today, firstly at St. Annes for lectures and tours and then 4 hours of wondering round Oxford. I found it easy to rationally reject some colleges but not possible to rationally pick one college, so in the end I am going with my gut and my gut likes trinity!

Me:

GCSE: 2 A*, 9.5 A, B in art, C in german

AS: R.S. 100% in both exams, History 100% in one exam, Maths A, Further Maths average A and Physics A

A2: Critical thinking A with some 100%s, doing R.S. history maths and further maths and predicted A*A*AA

extra curricular: local club and school rugby, can play piano, spent alot of past school holidays volunteering in local lib dem office writing press statements to newspapers. Read guardian, private eye, monacle, economist all the usual!

My reference should be very good because theres a few teachers who really love me for some odd reason. I go to a grammar school and live in BB post code (one of the poorest in the country) in lancashire.

My questions if anyone could please take time to answer:

Where am I in terms of the average applicant, do i need to do well on my TSA to get an interview or will doing averagely get me one, i heard 60% of PPEists get interviews?

They tell you it doesnt help, but is there tactically any way to increase your oxford chances? I doubt it but if Trinitys a potential minefield to apply for I would like a heads up!

Im applying for Politics and philosophy and just philosophy at other unis (and PPE at durham) so I have just written about philosophy and politics linking it to political philosophy in my personal statement no economics. Do I really need to write about economics a little bit as well like a 3rd year PPEist at St annes told me today?

Basically the general trend is, I dont really know where I am compared to average PPE applicant, am I anywhere near getting an application, whats needed on my TSA?

Thanks alot to any answers!!!

[MSB]

Trinity is known for gastrointestinal attractiveness.

[moreiniho]

I'm willing to stake a large amount of money that you've got ginger hair.

The guy at Oriel said that they interview 3x the amount of places they've got going. He also indicated that, in most circumstances, they use the TSA as only part of the admissions process. So it doesn't mark as a finality. Obviously the better you do...

At St.Annes, did you get a chance to speak to a PPE tutor?

[izinku]

You sound about average.

[crazyferret]

Originally Posted by MSB

Trinity is known for gastrointestinal attractiveness.

Surely you mean gastronomic?

[running from demons]

Originally Posted by PNEJOE

Im applying for Politics and philosophy and just philosophy at other unis (and PPE at durham) so I have just written about philosophy and politics linking it to political philosophy in my personal statement no economics. Do I really need to write about economics a little bit as well like a 3rd year PPEist at St annes told me today?
Thanks alot to any answers!!!

Yes, of course you should write about economics. You're applying to PPE.

[PNEJOE]

Originally Posted by moreiniho

I'm willing to stake a large amount of money that you've got ginger hair.

The guy at Oriel said that they interview 3x the amount of places they've got going. He also indicated that, in most circumstances, they use the TSA as only part of the admissions process. So it doesn't mark as a finality. Obviously the better you do...

At St.Annes, did you get a chance to speak to a PPE tutor?

Either you saw me or theirs a propensity for PPE prospective students to have ginger hair.

Nah I did not but I did at Edmund hall as he was just walking past as i walked inand saw my badge with PPE on it

[moreiniho]

Originally Posted by PNEJOE

Either you saw me or theirs a propensity for PPE prospective students to have ginger hair.

Nah I did not but I did at Edmund hall as he was just walking past as i walked inand saw my badge with PPE on it

I was waiting right by you as you were talking to that St. Annes 3rd year at the end of their open day. I had black hair, black t-shirt and skinnyish blue jeans on.

[PNEJOE]

Originally Posted by moreiniho

I was waiting right by you as you were talking to that St. Annes 3rd year at the end of their open day. I had black hair, black t-shirt and skinnyish blue jeans on.

haha yer i was hogging him sorry, my minibus was about to leave though and I hadnt got a chance to talk to him before

[moreiniho]

Originally Posted by PNEJOE

haha yer i was hogging him sorry, my minibus was about to leave though and I hadnt got a chance to talk to him before

lol, no it's ok.

[~Ollie~]

Originally Posted by running from demons

Yes, of course you should write about economics. You're applying to PPE.

I didn't write about Philosophy in my personal statement. As long as it's good it may well not matter too much - potentially a bit risky though

[pinkpenguin]

Originally Posted by PNEJOE

I visited the Oxford open day today, firstly at St. Annes for lectures and tours and then 4 hours of wondering round Oxford. I found it easy to rationally reject some colleges but not possible to rationally pick one college, so in the end I am going with my gut and my gut likes trinity!

Me:

GCSE: 2 A*, 9.5 A, B in art, C in german

AS: R.S. 100% in both exams, History 100% in one exam, Maths A, Further Maths average A and Physics A

A2: Critical thinking A with some 100%s, doing R.S. history maths and further maths and predicted A*A*AA

extra curricular: local club and school rugby, can play piano, spent alot of past school holidays volunteering in local lib dem office writing press statements to newspapers. Read guardian, private eye, monacle, economist all the usual!

My reference should be very good because theres a few teachers who really love me for some odd reason. I go to a grammar school and live in BB post code (one of the poorest in the country) in lancashire.

My questions if anyone could please take time to answer:

Where am I in terms of the average applicant, do i need to do well on my TSA to get an interview or will doing averagely get me one, i heard 60% of PPEists get interviews?

You seem to be in good shape. Obviously try and score as well as you can on the TSA, though. It's hard to tell the official line on how much weighting it has for interviews as opposed to the BMAT and medicine, for example.

They tell you it doesnt help, but is there tactically any way to increase your oxford chances? I doubt it but if Trinitys a potential minefield to apply for I would like a heads up!

Not particularly. Just be prepared for interview if you get one - see if your school will give you a mock interview. Brush up on your PS and be prepared to make an absolute prat of yourself in front of really, really smart people!

Im applying for Politics and philosophy and just philosophy at other unis (and PPE at durham) so I have just written about philosophy and politics linking it to political philosophy in my personal statement no economics. Do I really need to write about economics a little bit as well like a 3rd year PPEist at St annes told me today?

Yes, yes, yes. You can probably just relate how philosophy has influenced economic policy, almost as a part of political philosophy. The tutors will see through you if you don't at least mention the 3rd subject.

Basically the general trend is, I dont really know where I am compared to average PPE applicant, am I anywhere near getting an application, whats needed on my TSA?

Thanks alot to any answers!!!

You seem in good shape at the moment, but remember every other applicant is going to be similar to you.

Just concentrate on getting a good TSA score and hope for an interview. It's the interview stage where offers are won and lost.