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Original post by Smithy-Smiths
Thank you so much! You've put my mind at ease! For this evening at least! Yes, as a matter of fact my 3 and a half draft has been distributed amongst three teachers; my former History teacher who has just completed her Masters at Oxford, a former practicing solicitor turned Law teacher and the Teacher in charge of Oxbridge applications; although I hadn't wanted her to read that draft as I realised it may not be up to her exacting standards.


Sounds like you're doing the right thing then! Listen to their feedback and I'm sure they will be able to tell you how you're coming across. And I wouldn't worry about the teacher in charge of Oxbridge applications, the person in my school oversaw my PS right from the start (when it was dreadful) to the end.
Original post by Plagioclase
Sounds like you're doing the right thing then! Listen to their feedback and I'm sure they will be able to tell you how you're coming across. And I wouldn't worry about the teacher in charge of Oxbridge applications, the person in my school oversaw my PS right from the start (when it was dreadful) to the end.


Okay! Thank you so much for responding so quickly!
For Engineering Science, are PAT scores used to make or break the decision to give an applicant an interview? Like, is it impossible to even be considered for an interview if you get a particularly low score, even if your GCSEs, predicted grades and personal statement stand out?
Original post by tanyapotter
For Engineering Science, are PAT scores used to make or break the decision to give an applicant an interview? Like, is it impossible to even be considered for an interview if you get a particularly low score, even if your GCSEs, predicted grades and personal statement stand out?


According to this page, the department firstly compiles a shortlist of people they want to interview purely on the basis of their UCAS application (i.e. GCSE and AS grades, their personal statement and reference). The department will then look at PAT test results for people not on the shortlist to see if there's anyone else they want to interview (e.g. people who might not have great exam results but a great PAT result). They do not see the PAT result for people shortlisted on the basis of their UCAS application prior to the interview. So basically, for interview selection, the PAT is only used constructively. It does not appear as if they have a strict threshold like the Physics department does. A low PAT score will only be bad for you (prior to interview) if they wouldn't have chosen you on the basis of your UCAS application.

After the interview, colleges make an assessment based on the application as a whole.

That sounds quite nice actually, a lot less scary than the Physics department's "Score above X marks or else" policy!
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by iball
all other things being equal, what has the greater weighting in regards to gaining an interview - gcses or the tsa?


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tsa > gcse
Original post by Plagioclase
According to this page, the department firstly compiles a shortlist of people they want to interview purely on the basis of their UCAS application (i.e. GCSE and AS grades, their personal statement and reference). The department will then look at PAT test results for people not on the shortlist to see if there's anyone else they want to interview (e.g. people who might not have great exam results but a great PAT result). They do not see the PAT result for people shortlisted on the basis of their UCAS application prior to the interview. So basically, for interview selection, the PAT is only used constructively. It does not appear as if they have a strict threshold like the Physics department does. A low PAT score will only be bad for you (prior to interview) if they wouldn't have chosen you on the basis of your UCAS application.

After the interview, colleges make an assessment based on the application as a whole.

That sounds quite nice actually, a lot less scary than the Physics department's "Score above X marks or else" policy!


This has seriously put my mind at ease. Thank you so much. About a minute ago I had decided I wouldn't be applying to Oxford because I wouldn't get an interview in the first place without around 70% in the PAT but it's nice to know I may actually have a realistic shot. I do think my UCAS application is rather good :smile:
Woohoo! My module website for my OU modules has just opened, and as I casually open the Learner Guide for my Chinese module, I am both excited and terrified to find out the external assessor (so, the person assessing my final assignment) is actually Jing Feng, one of the Chinese tutors at Oxford.

Please god, let me do well... :O #NoPressure
Original post by Plagioclase
According to this page, the department firstly compiles a shortlist of people they want to interview purely on the basis of their UCAS application (i.e. GCSE and AS grades, their personal statement and reference). The department will then look at PAT test results for people not on the shortlist to see if there's anyone else they want to interview (e.g. people who might not have great exam results but a great PAT result). They do not see the PAT result for people shortlisted on the basis of their UCAS application prior to the interview. So basically, for interview selection, the PAT is only used constructively. It does not appear as if they have a strict threshold like the Physics department does. A low PAT score will only be bad for you (prior to interview) if they wouldn't have chosen you on the basis of your UCAS application.

After the interview, colleges make an assessment based on the application as a whole.

That sounds quite nice actually, a lot less scary than the Physics department's "Score above X marks or else" policy!


Do you happen to know if the same thing applies also to the TSA? Specifically for ppe :wink: thanks

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Original post by Alice M.
Do you happen to know if the same thing applies also to the TSA? Specifically for ppe :wink: thanks

Posted from TSR Mobile


Sorry, I don't know! They've written a bit on how the TSA is used here but there's not a lot of detail. There's nothing here about a particular threshold so if I were forced to guess, I'd say they probably view the application as a whole when deciding who to invite but I honestly don't know!

Edit: Here, they say they use "past and predicted exam results, school reports, personal statements and the pre-interview test" when deciding who to interview, so it's not just the TSA that's used. I don't know the relative importance though.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Plagioclase
Sorry, I don't know! They've written a bit on how the TSA is used here but there's not a lot of detail. There's nothing here about a particular threshold so if I were forced to guess, I'd say they probably view the application as a whole when deciding who to invite but I honestly don't know!

Edit: Here, they say they use "past and predicted exam results, school reports, personal statements and the pre-interview test" when deciding who to interview, so it's not just the TSA that's used. I don't know the relative importance though.


Thank you again...guess it is pretty important, but as you said they'll probably look at the application as a whole.

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Original post by BrasenoseAdm
We think we've posted this previously but here are the stats again:

TSA scores for Brasenose applicants (E&M) invited to interview at Oxford

problem solving min 41.6, max 78.7 median 62
critical thinking min 47.6 max 79.4 median 65,3
overall min 49.5 max 74.5 median 62.7

The mean overall TSA result across the University for E&M shortlisted candidates was 67.1 so we think our scores must be representative.

GCSE A*s for interviewees for E&M last year: min 4, max 11, median 10.

As we've commented before, if you think you can get test scores in this ball-park and did well at GCSEs, make sure you don't miss the deadlines for a UCAS application and test registration: 6pm 15th October 2015 (test day itself is 4 November)


Can you please post the same for experimental psychology?


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Original post by Alice M.
Thank you again...guess it is pretty important, but as you said they'll probably look at the application as a whole.

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For PPE, TSA is considered *very* important
Original post by rvas
Applying for Experimental Psychology! Am at South Island atm, taking the IB. What about you?


Very nice! I'm going for Classical Arch & Ancient History myself.
I study under the Alberta curriculum at CAIS, have you heard of it?
Original post by n.safar4
Yes I have checked and they say it's available however when I went today to check they said they don't offer this test


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British Council offices usually offer it.

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Original post by Azzer11
TSR offer a personal statement review service at a hefty price of £60. There is also an Oxford graduate that has helped over 250,000 Oxbridge applicants with applying and he offers a better service, as he improves grammar and spelling etc, at the cheaper price of £40. I'd go for that to be honest if you do want a review, Google Jamie Miles.

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£10 million, earned by one person for reading PSs? Not bad. Not bad at all...

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Original post by iBall
All other things being equal, what has the greater weighting in regards to gaining an interview - GCSEs or the TSA?


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If candidates take the MAT or PAT, this is very important. The position with TSA, LNAT, HAT, and MLAT is more nuanced - selectors seek to interview as many applicants as possible. In marginal cases, the test score is typically very close to the threshold and the GCSE profile is above the median taking into account any contextual adjustments.
Reply 2136
Original post by somnacin
Very nice! I'm going for Classical Arch & Ancient History myself.
I study under the Alberta curriculum at CAIS, have you heard of it?


Hmm I don't believe I have! What college are you applying to? Best of luck :-)
I finished my A2's this year and currently on a gap year. I got 4A's (Maths, Physics, Economics, Native language) and an EPQ A*.
I was considering applying to Oxford for physics. I'm doing further maths this year and re-sitting maths to attempt the A*. Since my A2 grades were weak, and don't meet the standard A*AA offer, is there any hope that they would accept a resit in maths and an extra subject in further maths? I self taught the whole maths course from AS to A2 because I was in an extremely weak and slow class, which barely finished the course before the exams started. I think I was the only person in that class to get an A. I also sat AS further maths (in my A2 year), but only got a B due to a poor S3 performance ( 54 UMS). Again, I self taught everything. This year, I'm planning to do FM with the guidance of a tutor.
Now I'm wondering, do I have any kind of slim chance? I'd have to put in a lot of extra work right now just to apply to Oxford, so I'm curious if my application would be strong enough for it to be worthwhile.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by rvas
Hmm I don't believe I have! What college are you applying to? Best of luck :-)


Thank you! I'm thinking of Brasenose— supposedly has best food and a very pretty quad, plus the fact one of the profs co-authored one of my most favorite books on Emperor Hadrian. How about you?

(p.s. lol yes, CAIS is just a blip in the int' school circuit. I've heard from others that IB is a soul-sucking monster, your thoughts?)
Original post by n.safar4
Can you please post the same for experimental psychology?


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GCSE A*s min 1 max 11 median 10

TSA
problem solving min 41.6 max 72.5 median 58.5
critical thinking min 47.6 max 76.4 median 63.5
overall min 48.4 max 73.2 median 60