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Oxford Chemistry Applicants 2018

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What subjects are you taking at A-Level?
Biology, Chemistry, Maths
What are your GCSE grades?
9 A*s
What are your AS grades or your predicted grades?
Maths AS - A
Predicted: 3 A*s
Why did you choose Chemistry at Oxford over NatSci at Cambridge?
Want to focus purely on chemistry
Have you done any Chemistry/Maths extracurricular to further improve your application?
Mainly extra reading
What other Universities are you thinking of applying to?
York, Durham, Imperial, Manchester
Have you chosen which College you'd like to apply for?
St John's
hey i was wondering if anyone knew what kind of scores to aim for in the TSA? From my understanding it's not as big a deal as it is for people going for thing like PPE, but still, any ideas?
Original post by kitty129
hey i was wondering if anyone knew what kind of scores to aim for in the TSA? From my understanding it's not as big a deal as it is for people going for thing like PPE, but still, any ideas?

Anywhere above 60 is fine.
Anyone applying to New College?
According to a freedom of information request,
the average TSA score of a chem applicant that was interviewed in 2017 was 62.6
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/question_regarding_tsa_chemistry

Oxford have said the TSA isn't used in this cycle to reject anyone. If anything, it seems like more people than the 88% average may be interviewed. It's essentially used for people who wouldn't normally be invited to interview based off of their achieved grades.

If you have good GCSEs but a bad TSA, you'll get interviewed. If you have, say, no A* at GCSE, but a 68 TSA score, you have a good chance of interview too.
What subjects are you taking at A-level?

Maths biology chemistry

What are your GCSE grades?
1 A^ 6A* 4A
What are your AS grades or your predicted grades?
AAAA at AS (dropped sociology) average of 97 UMS in maths
predicted 3A*s
Why did you choose Chemistry at Oxford over NatSci at Cambridge?
Biology is currently my least favourite subject and I have little interest in doing anything that is not purely chem. I just love chem
Have you done any Chemistry/Maths extracurricular to further improve your application?
I spoke a lot about my outside of A level interests in my personal statement and I also self-taught year 13 maths over the summer
What other Universities are you thinking of applying to?
I've applied to St Andrews Durham York and Leeds. Already have interviews for York and Leeds which come with an offer guarantee
Have you chosen which College you'd like to apply for?
Worcester. I visited on a school trip and it is my school's 'link' college at Oxford. Also I'm glad to hear Worcester focuses more on physical chem as I wrote about it loads in personal statement , its my fave part and i also love maths

Feeling really nervous about the TSA but I feel better after reading that it won't be used to decide who gets intereviews ( i hope that's true anyway). I feel like my application is quite strong and I also come from a poorish state school. Although everyone on here appears to be amazing applicants ! I've been doing TSA papers loads recently and I've been getting around 25-32 marks. Hoping I can get 30+ in the real thing. I'm praying they won't consider it greatly.
Good luck everyone!
Original post by ErinMei
What subjects are you taking at A-level?

Maths biology chemistry

What are your GCSE grades?
1 A^ 6A* 4A
What are your AS grades or your predicted grades?
AAAA at AS (dropped sociology) average of 97 UMS in maths
predicted 3A*s
Why did you choose Chemistry at Oxford over NatSci at Cambridge?
Biology is currently my least favourite subject and I have little interest in doing anything that is not purely chem. I just love chem
Have you done any Chemistry/Maths extracurricular to further improve your application?
I spoke a lot about my outside of A level interests in my personal statement and I also self-taught year 13 maths over the summer
What other Universities are you thinking of applying to?
I've applied to St Andrews Durham York and Leeds. Already have interviews for York and Leeds which come with an offer guarantee
Have you chosen which College you'd like to apply for?
Worcester. I visited on a school trip and it is my school's 'link' college at Oxford. Also I'm glad to hear Worcester focuses more on physical chem as I wrote about it loads in personal statement , its my fave part and i also love maths

Feeling really nervous about the TSA but I feel better after reading that it won't be used to decide who gets intereviews ( i hope that's true anyway). I feel like my application is quite strong and I also come from a poorish state school. Although everyone on here appears to be amazing applicants ! I've been doing TSA papers loads recently and I've been getting around 25-32 marks. Hoping I can get 30+ in the real thing. I'm praying they won't consider it greatly.
Good luck everyone!


I was talking to a tutor from Oxford and he confirmed that for chemistry more emphasis will be placed on personal statement/predicted grades/qualifications rather than TSA score. He also said last year the chemistry tutors didn't get to see the TSA scores. But good luck :smile:
if anyone in treated In chem resource that I used for any a* pm me
Original post by emilykateex
I was talking to a tutor from Oxford and he confirmed that for chemistry more emphasis will be placed on personal statement/predicted grades/qualifications rather than TSA score. He also said last year the chemistry tutors didn't get to see the TSA scores. But good luck :smile:


Thats great phew :smile: ! I may have a chance then lol

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Reply 69
Dude, I think 62.6 is the overall average TSA score, not average score for chemistry applicants.
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
According to a freedom of information request,
the average TSA score of a chem applicant that was interviewed in 2017 was 62.6
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/question_regarding_tsa_chemistry

Oxford have said the TSA isn't used in this cycle to reject anyone. If anything, it seems like more people than the 88% average may be interviewed. It's essentially used for people who wouldn't normally be invited to interview based off of their achieved grades.

If you have good GCSEs but a bad TSA, you'll get interviewed. If you have, say, no A* at GCSE, but a 68 TSA score, you have a good chance of interview too.


Original post by GradeA*UnderA
According to a freedom of information request,
the average TSA score of a chem applicant that was interviewed in 2017 was 62.6
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/question_regarding_tsa_chemistry

Oxford have said the TSA isn't used in this cycle to reject anyone. If anything, it seems like more people than the 88% average may be interviewed. It's essentially used for people who wouldn't normally be invited to interview based off of their achieved grades.

If you have good GCSEs but a bad TSA, you'll get interviewed. If you have, say, no A* at GCSE, but a 68 TSA score, you have a good chance of interview too.
Original post by BLi2016
Dude, I think 62.6 is the overall average TSA score, not average score for chemistry applicants.


The TSA is used as a cutoff for other courses at Oxford, so I doubt it's general if it's mentioned that it's not used that way in the email.

Regardless, the average for every department is pretty similar, they're all around 61-64ish
So bearing in mind Oxford’s response from above, do you think that our TSA scores will be looked at at and after the interview stage?
Original post by bakΕ‚aΕΌan
So bearing in mind Oxford’s response from above, do you think that our TSA scores will be looked at at and after the interview stage?


I highly doubt it; from conversations with my tutors I really think it is the least important part of the application (interview being the most important).

Nevertheless, bear in mind that after interview, there will be a few definite yeses and nos and then the tutors will spend a significant amount of time splitting hairs between candidates who had similar interviews. It is then when differences in grades/TSA/references could come into play.
Original post by bakΕ‚aΕΌan
So bearing in mind Oxford’s response from above, do you think that our TSA scores will be looked at at and after the interview stage?


I don't think they're considered AFTER interview. Seems like they're used to invite people (key word: invite, not reject), who wouldn't have the GCSE/achieved grades sufficient to be invited in the first place.

Seems like from past threads that if you have 4A*+ you get invited, others got invited with lower GCSE grades too. I really do think Interview has by far the biggest weighting
Reply 74
What subjects are you taking at A-Level?
Maths, Chemistry, Physics, and Further Maths AS
What are your GCSE grades?
8A*, 1A
What are your AS grades or your predicted grades?
AS: Maths A, Further Maths A. A-Level Predicted: Chemistry A*, Maths A*, Physics A.
Why did you choose Chemistry at Oxford over NatSci at Cambridge?
Wanted the pure Chemistry course.
Have you done any Chemistry/Maths extracurricular to further improve your application?
Work experience in the Chemistry department of an engineering firm.
What other Universities are you thinking of applying to?
Durham, York, St Andrews, Warwick.
Have you chosen which College you'd like to apply for?
St Hilda's.
Reply 75
Can anyone help with this one? I got C, but the correct answer is D.
Attachment not found
Original post by gera279
Can anyone help with this one? I got C, but the correct answer is D.
Attachment not found


for c, you can see the five small buttons in the front. Then behind you can see two low buttons that go in between the first second and third front buttons, these are the lower two of the four big buttons up the remote. then behind those again you can see two taller buttons, these are the higher big buttons, so you can see this remote works.
It's D because the front row of the buttons doesn't have a gap between the first and second button which it has to have for the remote to be the same.

I hope this makes sense, not sure if it does but let me know! :smile:
I take IB but I am still willing to give my information here
Predicted: 42/45 with 777 in Maths, Physics and Chemistry HL. Extended Essay: Maths (A)
Reason to choose Oxford: Oxford provides pure chemistry!!!
Awards:
Au in c3l6 2016 and Gold in BChO 2017
Silver in BPhO
Rg in c3l6 2017 (Top 20)
Good luck for my TSA... (Hope it is not as critical as it is for PPE)
Other universities: IC UCL KCL Edinburgh.
(edited 6 years ago)
Good luck with TSA test guys!
Hope everyone's TSA went well.

I was wondering, did anyone`s invigilator make them put down their details AFTER the test started, instead of before? Believe we lost a minute because of it. :/

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