PPE Advice

I'm in year 12 and currently studying A levels in Maths, Politics, Philosophy and Economics plus a personal finance diploma from the LiBF.
I'm looking to study PPE at either Oxford or the LSE, so far my grades have been predicted to be around 3 A stars and an A in philosophy, what are my chances/ any tips for applying to study PPE at these Unis?
thanks

Reply 1

dulladulla

9

Based on your predicted grades, it looks like you have a good chance of getting into PPE at either Oxford or the LSE. These are both highly competitive programs, so it's important to make sure you have a strong application and put your best foot forward.

Here are a few tips for applying to PPE at these universities:

-Research the programs and make sure you understand what each one offers and what sets them apart. This will help you tailor your application and show why you're a good fit for the program.

-Focus on your personal statement and make sure it showcases your passion for PPE and your unique perspective and experiences. This is your chance to really sell yourself and make a case for why you should be accepted.

-Consider applying for scholarships or other funding opportunities. These can help offset the cost of tuition and make it easier for you to focus on your studies.

-Reach out to current students or alumni to get their perspectives on the program and advice for applying. They can provide valuable insights and advice that you might not find elsewhere.

Good luck with your application!

Reply 2

Cant.be.asked

14

You need minimum AAA for oxford and A*AA for LSE. Getting predictions that are grades higher than the requirements definitely increases your chance most likely for LSE but for Oxford they also take into account the TSA, interview(s) and GCSEs. It would be quite difficult to tell now as your grades will most definitely fluctuate as the year goes on as content gets more challenging. But I would definitely say you have a good starting chance at the moment! Bear in mind, a lot of students who meet the requirements are rejected purely due to the competitiveness so grades are just the basis. The fact that you know what you want to study this early on - and your A Level combination is very suited - I'd say you stand a great chance sya you do get predicted A*A*A*A or A*A*A

~ currently an Oxford PPE applicant

Reply 3

sfp04

9

I’ve just finished my first term of PPE at Oxford. The single most important factor in terms of deciding who gets invited to interview is the TSA - really, I cannot stress the importance of getting as good a score as possible enough. FWIW, I started working through past papers in September, so around two months before I sat the test.

Seeing as you’re still only at the beginning of year 12, you really don’t have to be doing anything yet, but I’ll give you this advice for further down the line/if you really want to start early. Read around the three subjects, especially areas and subfields that particularly interest you (but really there’s no need to read loads! Certainly never let it distract from your schoolwork). The three subjects are really very different (and by all accounts much more interesting!) at uni compared to at A level (I didn’t actually study any of them), so stretch yourself beyond the confines of the syllabus to get an idea of what studying them at uni will be like. In addition, the best thing you can do to prepare for the interview is to get used to verbally expressing your ideas and arguments, so try to discuss the subjects with anyone you know who’s willing to.

Regarding the personal statement specifically, Oxford barely care about it (it only ever came up as an icebreaker in one of my interviews), but LSE really do.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 4

augpoivre

1

Original post by sfp04

I’ve just finished my first term of PPE at Oxford. The single most important factor in terms of deciding who gets invited to interview is the TSA - really, I cannot stress the importance of getting as good a score as possible enough. FWIW, I started working through past papers in September, so around two months before I sat the test.

Seeing as you’re still only at the beginning of year 12, you really don’t have to be doing anything yet, but I’ll give you this advice for further down the line/if you really want to start early. Read around the three subjects, especially areas and subfields that particularly interest you (but really there’s no need to read loads! Certainly never let it distract from your schoolwork). The three subjects are really very different (and by all accounts much more interesting!) at uni compared to at A level (I didn’t actually study any of them), so stretch yourself beyond the confines of the syllabus to get an idea of what studying them at uni will be like. In addition, the best thing you can do to prepare for the interview is to get used to verbally expressing your ideas and arguments, so try to discuss the subjects with anyone you know who’s willing to.

Regarding the personal statement specifically, Oxford barely care about it (it only ever came up as an icebreaker in one of my interviews), but LSE really do.

Hi! I just got an interview for Oxford PPE, would you have any tips for interview preparation? Thank you so much!

Reply 5

Castherius

4

Original post by nissany350

I'm in year 12 and currently studying A levels in Maths, Politics, Philosophy and Economics plus a personal finance diploma from the LiBF.
I'm looking to study PPE at either Oxford or the LSE, so far my grades have been predicted to be around 3 A stars and an A in philosophy, what are my chances/ any tips for applying to study PPE at these Unis?
thanks

I'm a Y13 and I became an Oxford PPE reject just a few days ago. The main recommendation would be to have an active interest around all of the disciplines involved and to show supra-curricular inquiries that you've done on your own - wider reading is the main thing. (that would go in your personal statement). You seem to be on track grade-wise; what really makes the difference for these two is your personal statement and, even more importantly, your performance in the admissions tests. Please make sure your college/sixth form knows about your ambition, and ask them for help as much as you can. My college didn't help me prepare for the admissions tests in any capacity and I didn't bother them enough after they didn't; don't make the same mistake. (I just realised the original thread was posted 11 months ago, but I suppose my response might still be useful to others so I'll leave it here)

(edited 5 months ago)

Reply 6

sfp04

9

Original post by augpoivre

Hi! I just got an interview for Oxford PPE, would you have any tips for interview preparation? Thank you so much!

You’ve probably heard this before, but the main thing is the generic advice of thinking out loud in the interview, considering different angles and sides to the issue or question at hand, and anticipating various objections and replies to the position that you’re setting out. The last two points apply particularly to politics and philosophy, for which it’s also quite common that you get given an extract to read and discuss; if that happens, try and think about the subtexts and implicit assumptions in the text. For econ, it’s more likely that you’ll have to work through some problems — stay calm and make all the steps of your working clear to the interviewer. Oh, and make sure you can explain everything you’ve put in your personal statement; it’s unlikely you’ll spend much time discussing it, but it’s possible they ask you about it as an ‘easy’ icebreaker, and you absolutely do not want to be floundering on a topic you’ve said you’re passionate about, or a book you’ve said you enjoyed.

Reply 7

nissany350

OP

3

Original post by sfp04

I’ve just finished my first term of PPE at Oxford. The single most important factor in terms of deciding who gets invited to interview is the TSA - really, I cannot stress the importance of getting as good a score as possible enough. FWIW, I started working through past papers in September, so around two months before I sat the test.

Seeing as you’re still only at the beginning of year 12, you really don’t have to be doing anything yet, but I’ll give you this advice for further down the line/if you really want to start early. Read around the three subjects, especially areas and subfields that particularly interest you (but really there’s no need to read loads! Certainly never let it distract from your schoolwork). The three subjects are really very different (and by all accounts much more interesting!) at uni compared to at A level (I didn’t actually study any of them), so stretch yourself beyond the confines of the syllabus to get an idea of what studying them at uni will be like. In addition, the best thing you can do to prepare for the interview is to get used to verbally expressing your ideas and arguments, so try to discuss the subjects with anyone you know who’s willing to.

Regarding the personal statement specifically, Oxford barely care about it (it only ever came up as an icebreaker in one of my interviews), but LSE really do.