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Oxford TSA 2017 Applicants Thread (02.11.2016)

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Original post by patrickwahins
IMG_0440.jpgDoes that make sense? It helps if you visualise it - the top diagram just inputs the data in the passage. Start at a point and then work out what cancels what out. Then draw that in the second diagram and see which option satisfies it.


Yeah that makes sense :smile: thanks!


Also, we should start a facebook group or something for the TSA where we can share/questions and advice on how to answer things we are stuck on... What does everyone think?
No problem.

Yeah - that sounds like a good idea.
Original post by Turtlebunny
Yeah that makes sense :smile: thanks!


Also, we should start a facebook group or something for the TSA where we can share/questions and advice on how to answer things we are stuck on... What does everyone think?


I think FB group to be a great idea - could you create it and add others?
Original post by patrickwahins
No problem.

Yeah - that sounds like a good idea.


Original post by NeXT2530
I think FB group to be a great idea - could you create it and add others?


I've created an Oxford 2017 applicants TSA prep group on facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/988924964567862/

If people can join, and get others who are taking the test (or anything similar) to join, then we can assist each other by posting questions/solutions to TSA questions we come across. Since there are no solutions online, we can help each other to do as well as we can in the TSA.

If the original poster in this thread sees, this, or an admin, could they add it to their post!?
Reply 24
Original post by Turtlebunny
I've created an Oxford 2017 applicants TSA prep group on facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/988924964567862/

If people can join, and get others who are taking the test (or anything similar) to join, then we can assist each other by posting questions/solutions to TSA questions we come across. Since there are no solutions online, we can help each other to do as well as we can in the TSA.

If the original poster in this thread sees, this, or an admin, could they add it to their post!?


Added it :smile:
Original post by scblx
You can find score conversion sheets online :smile:


Hi I found the score conversion sheets, however how do you use them? Because if you add them up then the score is into the hundreds? How do you work out an overall score?
Reply 26
Original post by Betsyyyy1
Hi I found the score conversion sheets, however how do you use them? Because if you add them up then the score is into the hundreds? How do you work out an overall score?


The first number is the number of questions you got right and the one next to it is directly your score :smile:
Oh great thanks for your help :smile:
Original post by patrickwahins
What kind of scores is everybody hitting?

I've read that you need to get above 60 to gain a place for interview under normal circumstances but obviously this varies year to year due to the Rasch statistical technique used



If you are about converted marks - there is a good statistics page at the Oxford Website, at least for my course, on the relationship between the TSA marks people got, whether or not they got an interview and whether or not they got admitted.
It seems like for PPE you start to have chances to get in as soon as you hit 50-60, and as you approach 70-75 you are pretty much in.
My sort of tactics for preparation for this test is to do past papers without timing firstly - just going through each question, looking how is it easiest to work out answers, what are logical traps and such, and then, when the half-term will begin, hit it hard with 2 papers a day under timed conditions, right now I'm sort of somewhere 42/50.Hope this will be of any help to anyone.
Original post by Whasupman
If you are about converted marks - there is a good statistics page at the Oxford Website, at least for my course, on the relationship between the TSA marks people got, whether or not they got an interview and whether or not they got admitted.
It seems like for PPE you start to have chances to get in as soon as you hit 50-60, and as you approach 70-75 you are pretty much in.


Ah thanks dude, that's given me some confidence as I was getting really worried my score would be too low to even be considered.
Could anyone give any advice on the types/parts of maths that are used throughout tests and across different tests?

I havent done maths for about three years so I'm really rusty and cant approach most of the Problem Solving questions, I'm scoring around 5/25 on that section but 23/25 on Critical Thinking.

So far I've managed to work out ratio, fractions, loci, and spatial reasoning/nets come up a lot but any help would be appreciated.
Sorry for the stupid question but just want to check - you get given section 1 for 90 mins, then they take that off you before giving you the essay bit, right?
Original post by patrickwahins
Could anyone give any advice on the types/parts of maths that are used throughout tests and across different tests?

I havent done maths for about three years so I'm really rusty and cant approach most of the Problem Solving questions, I'm scoring around 5/25 on that section but 23/25 on Critical Thinking.

So far I've managed to work out ratio, fractions, loci, and spatial reasoning/nets come up a lot but any help would be appreciated.


This is my problem as well! I've found that speed/distance/time problems keep coming up so its probably worth revising that, and also ones to do with calculating combinations eg if there are 7 different coloured sweets in a bag how many different colour combinations could there be.
Hope that helps:smile:
Original post by patrickwahins
Could anyone give any advice on the types/parts of maths that are used throughout tests and across different tests?

I havent done maths for about three years so I'm really rusty and cant approach most of the Problem Solving questions, I'm scoring around 5/25 on that section but 23/25 on Critical Thinking.

So far I've managed to work out ratio, fractions, loci, and spatial reasoning/nets come up a lot but any help would be appreciated.


Your critical thinking score is amazing! For problem solving something that works for me is to draw very basic diagrams showing relationships between variables. Also, sometimes the questions seem really confusing so I also write the key equation in terms of x down. For each practice, I end up using 2 A4 pages worth of scribbles and I've been getting 70s in converted scores. I hope this works for you too!
Original post by mdowling
This is my problem as well! I've found that speed/distance/time problems keep coming up so its probably worth revising that, and also ones to do with calculating combinations eg if there are 7 different coloured sweets in a bag how many different colour combinations could there be.
Hope that helps:smile:


Ah yeah - I couldnt remember the name of the SDT thing. Thank-you that's really useful.
Original post by karpenoktem
Your critical thinking score is amazing! For problem solving something that works for me is to draw very basic diagrams showing relationships between variables. Also, sometimes the questions seem really confusing so I also write the key equation in terms of x down. For each practice, I end up using 2 A4 pages worth of scribbles and I've been getting 70s in converted scores. I hope this works for you too!


Cheers, it really improved after I read The Ultimate TSA Guide, I can send it you if you want.

Thank-you for the advice, I think that's a really good tactic, like helping to visualise it.
If anyone is interested i found this about the TSA:
The Mathematical Knowledge and Skill Needed

Number Concepts
simple fractions
place value (for example, knowing that the "5" in "7654" indicates "50")
ideas about percentages (for example, the idea that 1% could be thought of as "1 in every 100", and that if 20% of a group of adults are men, 80% must be women)

Numerical Operations
the four rules of number (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
percentage operations (for example, if something was sold at £10, and is now advertised at "20% off", how much would the customer pay?)
calculations in everyday contexts (complex calculations with fractions and decimals are not required)

Quantities
time and the calendar
money
length
weight
area
volume
Knowledge of the following relationships is also required:
1 km = 1000 m
1 m = 100 cm
1 cm = 10 mm
1kg = 1000 g

Also required is knowledge of the terms for measurements which are used informally in daily life (e.g. feet, miles), but numerical relationships for these measures (e.g. 12 inches = 1 foot) are not required.

Space and Spatial Reasoning
area (including the calculation of the area of a rectangle)
perimeter (including calculation)
volume (including the calculation of the volume of a box)
reflections (in mirrors) and rotations of simple shapes two-dimensional (2D) representations of three-dimensional (3D) shapes (for example being able to interpret a "bird's eye view" of a house)

Generalisation
recognition that some operations are generalisable, for example that converting 24 to 3 and 40 to 5 both involve division by 8 (formal algebra is not required)

Tables and Graphs
extracting information from graphs
extracting information from tables
Reply 38
Original post by patrickwahins
Cheers, it really improved after I read The Ultimate TSA Guide, I can send it you if you want.

Thank-you for the advice, I think that's a really good tactic, like helping to visualise it.


Hiya,
I am also sitting the TSA on the 2nd November, and currently really struggling with revision. Do you mind sending me the guide please?
Original post by _K_
Hiya,
I am also sitting the TSA on the 2nd November, and currently really struggling with revision. Do you mind sending me the guide please?


I just tried to but they have some sort of encryption that prevents it from being downloaded. Sorry. Its available on amazon for about £15. Its worth it if you are struggling on the critical thinking section but not the problem solving part.

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