The Student Room Group
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

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

Scroll to see replies

For me the test was so-so. Logical questions, spatial and texts were quite okay but the mathematical part was a bit of hell :biggrin: As many here I had some time issues but managed to do and at least try to solve all of the 50. Essay was good for me, I wrote it on a question I enjoyed exploring. But the rest of the essay titles I found a bit...well...not so appealing as in the last years. When doing past papers I always thought: "Wow, I'd like to write at least two of these!" But not this time, maybe it was the stress and my brain not working 100% after the first part :smile:
Anyone felt the same?
Reply 721
Avatar for eusebe
eusebe
1
And when we will know whether we have an interview ? Because I live abroad and must buy some planes tickets...
Original post by eusebe
And when we will know whether we have an interview ? Because I live abroad and must buy some planes tickets...


You should receive some sort of notification (probably through email) from your college, near the end of november. I think it's usually 25th november onwards. Or at least that's for PPE candidates.
Original post by eusebe
And when we will know whether we have an interview ? Because I live abroad and must buy some planes tickets...


About a week before the interview, so around the end of this month or the beginning of December :smile:
Original post by eusebe
And when we will know whether we have an interview ? Because I live abroad and must buy some planes tickets...

According to my friend, who is also applying to Ox, they have to let you know in minimum one week's advance (around the 1st December he said)...but I seriously hope if they choose me they let me know earlier than this :biggrin: I have the same problem as you have.
Original post by AKR7
I sat the TSA today and unfortunately ended up being really pressed for time with close to 10 questions left. In past papers I have scored around 28 to 34 out of 50, which is high 50s or low 60s. I would like to know how important the score I achieve will be in terms of being offered an interview. I feel as though my essay went well but am also unaware of where the essay actually comes into the whole selection process? Will a low mark in the multiple choice mean no interview, even with a strong UCAS application and set of achieved grades? Thanks :smile:


1. The score is pretty important since many candidates will have similar grades, references, quality of personal statements etc but it's not the only factor. Especially if you go to a state school the score required will be slightly lower.

2. When I went to the open day one of tutors said that he didn't know why they still bothered with the essay!

You do need a strong score to get an interview but it's not only that which decides it. By the looks of things on here a lot of people seemed to find it hard and were pressed for time so I wouldn't worry too much about having done not so well.
Original post by kaavo
For me the test was so-so. Logical questions, spatial and texts were quite okay but the mathematical part was a bit of hell :biggrin: As many here I had some time issues but managed to do and at least try to solve all of the 50. Essay was good for me, I wrote it on a question I enjoyed exploring. But the rest of the essay titles I found a bit...well...not so appealing as in the last years. When doing past papers I always thought: "Wow, I'd like to write at least two of these!" But not this time, maybe it was the stress and my brain not working 100% after the first part :smile:
Anyone felt the same?


Had the same exact feelings as you had about the essay selection... Some of them were extremelly bland, and definitelly not the type of questions you would expect on an Oxford admissions test... On the other hand, however, they might have been looking to interesting, original and insightful aproaches to those "bland" questions, but anyways. I hope you did well on the one you did.
Man, I don't feel good at all about this. On one hand, I did finish all the questions. Originally, I thought I was pressed for time. However, mistake on my part (clocks had to move forward an hour, so my timing sense was awry). Ended up with around 13 minutes to look at work, especially questions I answered when pressed for time. Those answers were surprisingly accurate, in my opinion. (But who knows.) Essay went poorly. Got a solid intro, good points, lameeee conclusion. That isn't scored, so who knows what factor that plays. Feel pretty bad about the whole thing, but I did everything I could to prepare for this test, and there really is so much I can do.

Also, thank God I am. to the only one who thought the math questions were ridiculous. I mean seriously.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by kurofune
Man, I don't feel good at all about this. On one hand, I did finish all the questions. Originally, I thought I was pressed for time. However, mistake on my part (clocks had to move forward an hour, so my timing sense was awry). Ended up with around 13 minutes to look at work, especially questions I answered when pressed for time. Those answers were surprisingly accurate, in my opinion. (But who knows.) Essay went poorly. Got a solid intro, good points, lameeee conclusion. That isn't scored, so who knows what factor that plays. Feel pretty bad about the whole thing, but I did everything I could to prepare for this test, and there really is so much I can do.

Also, thank God I am. to the only one who thought the math questions were ridiculous. I mean seriously.


Agreed! There was only a few 'nice' maths questions, the rest were horrendous:frown:
Original post by albany-geography
Agreed! There was only a few 'nice' maths questions, the rest were horrendous:frown:


I agree some of the maths questions were horrible! I liked a few of them, but I remember distinctly there being one maths question which had me totally stumped...:confused:
Original post by eusebe
Hi everyone !
I'm french and I would ask you whether (according to you) this session was easier or more difficult than the last years ?
Thank you very much


I sat the exam last year and today as well and I think it was either the same or perhaps slightly harder.
Original post by vito97
hi!!!
do anyone of you know when the results will be accessible online on the site of results.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/candidates ??? wheeeen??:confused: :confused:

anyways good luck to all!
at least we survived today!!!!:wink::biggrin::biggrin:


Same as last year I presume! (Jan 15th)
Original post by AKR7
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif">I sat the TSA today and unfortunately ended up being really pressed for time with close to 10 questions left. In past papers I have scored around 28 to 34 out of 50, which is high 50s or low 60s. I would like to know how important the score I achieve will be in terms of being offered an interview. I feel as though my essay went well but am also unaware of where the essay actually comes into the whole selection process? Will a low mark in the multiple choice mean no interview, even with a strong UCAS application and set of achieved grades? Thanks <img src="images/smilies/smile.png" border="0" alt="" title=":smile:" smilieid="1" class="inlineimg"></span>
<br>
<br>

Original post by eusebe
Is the TSA very important ? or is it only one part of the selection process ?<br>
Indeed, I'm french and don't know everything about Oxford admission... <img src="images/smilies/frown.png" border="0" alt="" title=":frown:" smilieid="11" class="inlineimg">
<br><br>It's important to a point. There is a cut off (usually around 61) whereby you won't be interviewed if you score less (bar extenuating circumstances).<br><br>Of course, though, it is just one piece of the jigsaw.<br>
<br>
Original post by Dprince
Anyone else get X seconds for the traffic light side road question? :wink:

Just gonna stir the pot here and cause hysteria hahaha




srsly though, I'm bricking it
(edited 9 years ago)
nzA8XNm.jpg76.1KB
Original post by khaifuj
Wasn't the answer 51? Or am I thinking of the wrong question...


Might be thinking of the wrong question!
Original post by Seezman


srsly though, I'm bricking it


I thought I f***'d up last year, ended up getting like 63.1 which isn't too bad. Didn't even finish the paper so don't worry, all isn't lost!
Reply 736
Avatar for khaifuj
khaifuj
When can we start discussing the questions in earnest?
Original post by Dprince
I thought I f***'d up last year, ended up getting like 63.1 which isn't too bad. Didn't even finish the paper so don't worry, all isn't lost!


Is section 2 even worth anything? Some people said it doesn't contribute to the interview, and I thought that might give me some leverage, but if it's not... :s-smilie:
Original post by Teddysmith123
Oh yh that was what it was! I did something similar to that I think :s-smilie: I cannot believe I have forgotten the questions and answers to the TSA already! Seriously it's like I remember vaguely but hopefully we all don't have to wait too long before we find out if we've got an interview or not. I'm already anxious and we only sat the test this morning...


Haha the adrenalin rush has made you lose all recollection!

Original post by khaifuj
When can we start discussing the questions in earnest?


17:00pm tomorrow!

Original post by Seezman
Is section 2 even worth anything? Some people said it doesn't contribute to the interview, and I thought that might give me some leverage, but if it's not... :s-smilie:


They use it as further evidence of how you can structure arguments etc. Hence the wide range of subject matter in the questions! :smile:

Sorry guys just realised we're not allowed to discuss it yet so I deleted all my posts with any info in. Can you delete all yours that quote me too :smile: It's in our interests to not give int'l students a heads up :wink:
Original post by khaifuj
When can we start discussing the questions in earnest?



Have people still not sat the exam today because I think I read earlier on this forum that some people were taking it tomorrow but I'm not entirely sure if that is correct :confused:

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you