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The Oxford TSA thread - 2015 applicants - 5th Nov 2014

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Original post by kimiaak
How do other people deal with the time pressure? I can answer all the questions on the paper, I just end up getting to like question 35 with only 15-20 minutes to spare.


I found that the method that works for me is doing all the problem solving questions first-I usually manage to do them within an hour-then I got to the critical thinking section and finish that in twenty minutes. Then I have ten minutes to look over any questions I couldn't answer.

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Hey guys! Getting close to the date now. Could anyone please help with a few questions from 2012?
Paper - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/136633-tsa-oxford-2012-section-1.pdf

Q21,26,39,33,34,36,37,41,44,48. If you can just help with any of them, that would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Original post by Stark95
Hello guys. I really need your help on this one.

This test is destroying my life. It is soul crushing. Oxford has been my dream all my life. I worked all my life for it. I graduated in the top 1% , I got amazing recs and then it came the infamous TSA.
I did everything possible to prepare for it : I bought the Think You Can Think ( and I obviously can't since the results I am getting ) , I did all the past papers , I even bought the GMAT preparations books and read them as it is very similar , hell I even did all of the past BMAT adaptative sections.
And nothing.
I keep making 20-25 mistakes which is obviously too much for a PPE applicant . And the worst thing is that all of my mistakes come from an avoidable lack of capacity of prolonged focus more than a simple inability at performing well at this test , which I believe I am capable to solve to an extent.
I find myself looking at it and thinking that this is just awful. It is awful because I will never have the chance to prove myself at interview , if I keep making these mistakes on test day , all because of a devil made standardized test.
I am having panic attacks.
I need some advice or I am just going to crash and die in my despair , more than I already am.

Besides that I need your help on question 12 ( for some reason my calculations just don't coincide ) , 18 , 36, 37 and 38 on the 2013 paper . I am very grateful to anyone willing to help me.



Q12.

He puts in £50 each month, so in the first year he will put in 50x12 = £600.


He gets 5% interest at the end of each year on the average balance of that year. To find out the average balance, you add together the starting amount and the finishing amount, then divide the total by 2. So you do (£0+£600)/2 = £300. You then have to work out 5% of 300, so you do 300x0.05 which equals 15. Then you add this interest to the £600 which makes £615 in the first year.


In the second year, he starts with £615 and then ends with £615+(£50x12)=£1215. So the average is (£615+£1215)/2 = £915. 5% of £915 is £45.75. So the total at the end of 2 years is £1215+£45.75 = £1260.75.


To the nearest £10 this is £1260.


The answer is B, £1260.

Q18.

It will take Sven 30 minutes to get to Berget.


For the first 2/3 of Helga's journey, she is travelling at 3x the speed of Sven. 2/3 of the journey would take 20 minutes for Sven, because 2/3 of 30 = 20. This means Helga does 2/3 of the journey 3 times faster than 20minutes, so you do 20/3 which equals 6.6 recurring, which is 6 minutes and 40 seconds.


For the final 1/3 of Helga's journey, she is travelling at 1/3 the speed of Sven. 1/3 of the journey would take 10 minutes for Sven, because 1/3 of 30 = 10. This means Helga does 1/3 of the journey 3 times slower than 10minutes, so you do 10x3 which equals 30 minutes.


So altogether the journey will take Helga 6 minutes and 40 seconds + 30 minutes, which is 36 minutes and 40 seconds. Rounding this to the nearest minute, it will take her 37 minutes.


Sven will take 30 minutes, which is 7 minutes faster than Helga, so he will arrive 7 minutes before her.


The answer is C, Sven by 7 minutes.



​I will do the others later if no one else has :smile:
Original post by Stark95
Hello guys. I really need your help on this one.

This test is destroying my life. It is soul crushing. Oxford has been my dream all my life. I worked all my life for it. I graduated in the top 1% , I got amazing recs and then it came the infamous TSA.
I did everything possible to prepare for it : I bought the Think You Can Think ( and I obviously can't since the results I am getting ) , I did all the past papers , I even bought the GMAT preparations books and read them as it is very similar , hell I even did all of the past BMAT adaptative sections.
And nothing.
I keep making 20-25 mistakes which is obviously too much for a PPE applicant . And the worst thing is that all of my mistakes come from an avoidable lack of capacity of prolonged focus more than a simple inability at performing well at this test , which I believe I am capable to solve to an extent.
I find myself looking at it and thinking that this is just awful. It is awful because I will never have the chance to prove myself at interview , if I keep making these mistakes on test day , all because of a devil made standardized test.
I am having panic attacks.
I need some advice or I am just going to crash and die in my despair , more than I already am.

Besides that I need your help on question 12 ( for some reason my calculations just don't coincide ) , 18 , 36, 37 and 38 on the 2013 paper . I am very grateful to anyone willing to help me.



Mate, don't worry too much about it. I'm also suffering from the same problem, whereby if I revisit the question after the 1h30mins, I can do it; I just can't bring myself to focus.

Thing for you to do now is to get a good night's sleep, relax, and just really focus for that 2 hours.

Most of the questions can be solved if we are calm.

Q36:

Keep in mind he can run for the maximum of 8 miles a day, so to achieve the minimum number of additional days, he has to do so.

Average mile / day = Total Number of Miles Run / Total Number of Days.

Let the total number of additional days be A.

5= ( Distance Ran on First 16 days (16 x 6) + Distance Ran on Subsequent 9 Days (9 x 2) + Distance Ran on X Days (8 x A)) / (Current number of days (16+9) + Additional Number of days (A))

Solve for A. It should give you 11/3, rounded up to 4.

Answer is B.

Q37.

I think you were a bit careless on this one. Everytime the bird sings, it selects 3 tunes. The shortest ones are 10secs, followed by 15secs and 15 secs.

Therefore, each time the granddaughter activates it, it can be as short as 40 seconds. That's 1.5 times/ min, which adds up to 90 times / hour.

Answer is C.

Q38.

Do not be overwhelmed by this question. The amount of customers on Tuesday is 3/4 of the other days, yet it achieves a higher customer per hour. Logically, its opening hours should be less than 3/4 of the norm (3/4 x 10 hour, 7h 30mins). the amount of customers on Friday is the same as the other days, yet it achieves a higher customer per hour. Likewise, its opening hours should be less than the norm of 10hours.

Only response that satisfies these conditions is B.
Original post by georgie_23
Hi all, I would really appreciate anyone reading and giving feedback on my TSA essay. Handwritten in 23mins ish, excluding planning - please excuse any typos! Thanks!

Should convicted criminals be allowed to vote?

Spoiler



Nice essay! A small suggestion. Try putting in your argument in the beginning with the introduction so that the reader is aware of what the person who has written the essay believes.
Which year's paper did you guys find the hardest?
Hi everyone!!!

I've done all past papers, and today i'm gonna read something from the book by John Butterworth. (which parts do you advice me most??:confused: )

wanted to ask if someone could explain me

From 2008
32, 42, 43, 49 ,


From 2009
20, 37, 38, , 44 , 48, 49


From 2010
7, 12, 41


From 2011
8, 13, 16, 21 , 24, 37, 48


From 2012
14, 31


From 2013
49, 4, 6,



thank you!!!!:smile::smile:
Reply 547
Original post by 789tom789
Can no one answer my question? Really need to know whether or not you write your plan on the two sides or under the notes section.


I would assume it's the blank space provided for notes...that seems to be the very purpose for that section.
Original post by milkman94
Mate, don't worry too much about it. I'm also suffering from the same problem, whereby if I revisit the question after the 1h30mins, I can do it; I just can't bring myself to focus.

Thing for you to do now is to get a good night's sleep, relax, and just really focus for that 2 hours.

Most of the questions can be solved if we are calm.

Q36:

Keep in mind he can run for the maximum of 8 miles a day, so to achieve the minimum number of additional days, he has to do so.

Average mile / day = Total Number of Miles Run / Total Number of Days.

Let the total number of additional days be A.

5= ( Distance Ran on First 16 days (16 x 6) + Distance Ran on Subsequent 9 Days (9 x 2) + Distance Ran on X Days (8 x A)) / (Current number of days (16+9) + Additional Number of days (A))

Solve for A. It should give you 11/3, rounded up to 4.

Answer is B.

Q37.

I think you were a bit careless on this one. Everytime the bird sings, it selects 3 tunes. The shortest ones are 10secs, followed by 15secs and 15 secs.

Therefore, each time the granddaughter activates it, it can be as short as 40 seconds. That's 1.5 times/ min, which adds up to 90 times / hour.

Answer is C.

Q38.

Do not be overwhelmed by this question. The amount of customers on Tuesday is 3/4 of the other days, yet it achieves a higher customer per hour. Logically, its opening hours should be less than 3/4 of the norm (3/4 x 10 hour, 7h 30mins). the amount of customers on Friday is the same as the other days, yet it achieves a higher customer per hour. Likewise, its opening hours should be less than the norm of 10hours.

Only response that satisfies these conditions is B.


Thank you :smile:
Could you help me on one more question?
The 13 of 2012 :P
Hey guys! Getting close to the date now. Could anyone please help with a few questions from 2012?
Paper - http://www.admissionstestingservice....-section-1.pdf

Q21,26,39,33,34,36,37,41,44,48. If you can just help with any of them, that would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Original post by Stark95
Thank you :smile:
Could you help me on one more question?
The 13 of 2012 :P


Hey, no problem. I think it'll be good for you to solve the problem on your own to gain some confidence.

Trick to this question is to compare the ratio of what we have to what is required to construct 1 board set. E.g. we have 98 boards, we could construct 98 board games if the other components are at least 98 times of the required amount.

Therefore focus on the smallest ratio, which will be your limit.

Cheers!
The roads on Bolandia all run either north - south or east - west and are laid out on a 5kmgrid. Ahmed and Wayne are delivery drivers. One morning, Ahmed starts at Abbeytownand drives 5km west then 15km south to reach Barneyville. He then drives 5km east toCarloston. Wayne started at Barneyville, drove 5km south to Denburgh then 10km eastand 15km north to Easterby. Ahmed then rings Wayne to arrange to meet for lunch.
If one of them stays where he is, what is the minimum distance the other must drive tomeet him?





10 km15 km25 km30 km35 km





The answer to this should be 10km, isn't it?
Original post by vito97
Hi everyone!!!

I've done all past papers, and today i'm gonna read something from the book by John Butterworth. (which parts do you advice me most??:confused: )

wanted to ask if someone could explain me

From 2008
32, 42, 43, 49 ,


From 2009
20, 37, 38, , 44 , 48, 49


From 2010
7, 12, 41


From 2011
8, 13, 16, 21 , 24, 37, 48


From 2012
14, 31


From 2013
49, 4, 6,



thank you!!!!:smile::smile:


Hey quick question as I've noticed you've done all the papers.. Did you find 2013 a lot harder than the others or at least quite hard timing wise (I found the first half of the paper to take much longer than usual) or is that just me?.

All the best
Original post by milkman94
Hey, no problem. I think it'll be good for you to solve the problem on your own to gain some confidence.

Trick to this question is to compare the ratio of what we have to what is required to construct 1 board set. E.g. we have 98 boards, we could construct 98 board games if the other components are at least 98 times of the required amount.

Therefore focus on the smallest ratio, which will be your limit.

Cheers!


That's the way I had approached the question :smile: However the smallest ratio I keep getting is 83,3 and the answer is 10 apparently ._.
May I ask you how many mistakes do you usually do in your mock papers ? :smile:
Original post by Stark95
That's the way I had approached the question :smile: However the smallest ratio I keep getting is 83,3 and the answer is 10 apparently ._.
May I ask you how many mistakes do you usually do in your mock papers ? :smile:


dude you gotta chill out. you have to divide that number with 8 cos the company sends them out in packages of 8......

Well, I make anything from 3 to 20... it really depends on my focus. haha
Original post by milkman94
dude you gotta chill out. you have to divide that number with 8 cos the company sends them out in packages of 8......

Well, I make anything from 3 to 20... it really depends on my focus. haha


Oh hahaha yep I am definetly too tired :P I think you are right , I need to take a day break :smile:
Thanks for the help mate!
I did two past papers, I probably won't be able to do all of them in time. I have done the 2008/09. Which other two should I do, because I don't think I will be able to do more than two today (don't really want to either tbh). Two of the hardest past papers?
Original post by Logolept
I did two past papers, I probably won't be able to do all of them in time. I have done the 2008/09. Which other two should I do, because I don't think I will be able to do more than two today (don't really want to either tbh). Two of the hardest past papers?


I'd recommend do 2012 and 2013 to get the idea of how TSA papers of the last two years have been.
Original post by Logolept
I did two past papers, I probably won't be able to do all of them in time. I have done the 2008/09. Which other two should I do, because I don't think I will be able to do more than two today (don't really want to either tbh). Two of the hardest past papers?


I'd say 2012/2013 or 2010/2013 and watch the TSA specification video as it is pretty useful :smile:
Original post by Logolept
I did two past papers, I probably won't be able to do all of them in time. I have done the 2008/09. Which other two should I do, because I don't think I will be able to do more than two today (don't really want to either tbh). Two of the hardest past papers?


I found 2008 and 2013 the hardest.

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