PPE Oxford - Anyone Doing It?

If you choose to emphasise on Economics, what is the level of Maths Content? I will not have A2 Maths if I apply. AS is possible. ( I have additional maths FSMQ).

Do you have to have a good grasp of politics before you get there?

Can you take some of the emphasis away from the philosophy side?

What grades did you get to get in? What do they expect for interview?

How many successful applicants?

Which college did you apply to?

Tom

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Reply 1

defec8ing

tomlegge

Tom just drop it, lets face it you're a reject!

Reply 2

tomlegge

lol very funny mate.

I really regret not taking maths now though. fed up of shitty english. ah well, nothing i can do now, but PPE looks good if I can get the grades.

besides, you should be off studying your latin mr b predicted.

ubi caritas, et amour, ubi caritas.....deius ibi est

Tom

Reply 3

TheWolf

tomlegge

realistically if you dont do maths your chance of getting into ppe is very small. It is one of the most competitive courses in oxford, and that is very competitive

Reply 4

hildabeast

TheWolf

realistically if you dont do maths your chance of getting into ppe is very small. It is one of the most competitive courses in oxford, and that is very competitive

Not true. I know a few people who don't have maths A level who are now doing PPE. It's not as competitive as people might at first think.

Reply 5

TheWolf

hildabeast

Not true. I know a few people who don't have maths A level who are now doing PPE. It's not as competitive as people might at first think.

LOL

under 30% of applications are given offers

Reply 6

llama boy

TheWolf

LOL

under 30% of applications are given offers

yeah, and the hardness depends on the quality of those applicants.

what is your source on the "maths is vital" thing as well? two PPE tutors told me the exact opposite.

Reply 7

TheWolf

llama boy

yeah, and the hardness depends on the quality of those applicants.

what is your source on the "maths is vital" thing as well? two PPE tutors told me the exact opposite.

i think it is hard even for the BEST students. You have to obviously love Philosophy, politics and Economics. The admission tutors know that Economics and Management is currently the most competitive course, and many people choose PPE as an alternative. These people won't get in.

Though, on a positive side there are a lot of places available for ppe, around 300 places, but it is important to keep in mind that so many people apply for this cause, which makes the amount of places irrelevant.

Reply 8

fishpaste

TheWolf

LOL

under 30% of applications are given offers

Some people would have you believe it was half that.

Reply 9

hildabeast

TheWolf

LOL

under 30% of applications are given offers

Under 30% of applicants to my course in my year got offers and yet it's certainly not seen as especially competitive in Oxford terms.

Reply 10

sixthirtythree

hildabeast

Under 30% of applicants to my course in my year got offers and yet it's certainly not seen as especially competitive in Oxford terms.

A 2nd year law student friend of mine stared at the figures for PPE and then declared "PPE? Well, that's obviously not very competitive. Now for a course that actually is competitive...just look at law!"

Reply 11

TheWolf

deianra

The Law (II) % of successful applicants is the same as PPE! Both just under 30%!

Reply 12

hildabeast

TheWolf

The Law (II) % of successful applicants is the same as PPE! Both just under 30%!

Where are you getting your figures from?? The ones in the prospectus are really inaccurate.

Reply 13

sixthirtythree

hildabeast

Where are you getting your figures from?? The ones in the prospectus are really inaccurate.

If the ones in the prospectus are inaccurate - who are we meant to believe? I was told by St Anne's College today that E&M is really 7:1. Prospectus says 3.1:1

TheWolf

The Law (II) % of successful applicants is the same as PPE! Both just under 30%!

Exactly - that's why I found his comment so amusing. In his opinion, there can simply not be a more competitive course than Law...

Reply 14

username9816

tomlegge

Since when do you need Maths for PPE? :confused:

Reply 15

sixthirtythree

bono

Since when do you need Maths for PPE? :confused:

Try visiting: http://users.ox.ac.uk/%7Esant1033/teaching/maths.htm

Especially if you want to focus on Economics. Granted, Economics at Oxford is still taught quite essay-ish but you still need a bit of Maths!

Reply 16

TheWolf

bono

Since when do you need Maths for PPE? :confused:

if you do ppe, they expect you to be as excellent in philosophy, politics and economics as those who study them as single subjects, and economics we all know is alot of maths and statistics, ok it says that it is only 'recommended' that you do maths a-level. This indicates that it will be maths based! This means that if you do maths at a-level you do get a great advantage. It is only put in the recommended column not the essential column as they dont want other genius who havent done maths alevel not apply for this cause.

Reply 17

scanner

TheWolf

That's generally true. Maths is very useful for PPE and a lot of PPEists have it. I'd say that the extent to which the tutors believe it's needed varies slightly between colleges. If you haven't got Maths at A2 then you probably need to be seen as someone who would have been capable of doing it - very good grade at GCSE but had other interests so did subject x and y instead etc etc. There are quite a few people with more humanities type profiles and no maths.

Whilst you do have to show that you could cope with any of the three as a single subject, in reality all but a few have a weaker subject or a bias towards one of the three.

PPE is competitive at admissions but like all subjects it varies from college to college and from year to year.

Reply 18

hildabeast

Check this out for admissions statistics for last year. The prospectus is there to encourage people to apply so they tend to give quite generous figures.

http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/2003-4/supps/entry.pdf

Reply 19

llama boy

TheWolf

if you do ppe, they expect you to be as excellent in philosophy, politics and economics as those who study them as single subjects

again, can i ask your source on this?