applying for PPE in oxford

I don't think there's any harm in applying, since whatever happens, it'll only take up one of your five options. However, realistically, having predicted grades below AAA (even if it's a theoretically 'equivalent' prediction like A*AB) will hurt your chances quite significantly. You should contact the university directly for more information, but if you do end up with predicted grades lower than you think you can achieve, then it might be worth thinking about taking a gap year and applying once you have your actual results.

I dont think I will ever get a B for my predicted grade. But I am worrying if Art is a weak subject compare to subjects such as politics, Furthermaths, etc.

I dont think I will ever get a B for my predicted grade. But I am worrying if Art is a weak subject compare to subjects such as politics, Furthermaths, etc.

Oh, right. In that case, no, you'll be fine. As long as you've got any subject they specifically ask for as a requirement (and, ideally, any they recommend), they won't care what your other subject(s) is/are, as long as you're predicted at least an A. The only exceptions to that rule are General Studies and Critical Thinking, which Oxford basically don't count as a third subject (they're okay as a fourth, though).

Hi all, I am planning to apply for PPE in Oxford, and their entry requirement is AAA ( Maths as a recommended sub) and I am currently taking Art , Maths, Economics for my Alevel, and finished English literature for my As. I am hoping to receive A*AA for my predicted grade, but I am afraid if Art drags me down to a weak candidate to apply, and I have just a few experiences I can put in my personal statement (only MUN debate, prefect, ran a fundrasing, etc) which really discourage me. Is it worth to apply for oxford?

I would bare in mind there will be hundreds of people applying with an A* prediction in maths, quite a lot of those will also be taking further maths at AS or A2.

Although art is a decent subject in its own right, it's not the most relevant A-level you could be taking. A2 English literature would have been better to flesh out your application and show you are interested in and capable of writing essays, which will be a large part of the degree. The writing required for A-level economics is nowhere near the depth of breadth of English literature. You technically meet the requirements but when you take into account there will be hundreds of other applicants with more relevant subjects than you with higher predictions, you will be one of the weaker candidates. By all means apply as it's only one choice but don't get your hopes up.

I would bare in mind there will be hundreds of people applying with an A* prediction in maths, a good amount of those will also be taking further maths at AS or A2.

Although art is a decent subject in its own right, it's not the most relevant A-level you could be taking. A2 English literature would have been better to flesh out your application and show you are interested in and capable of writing essays, which will be a large part of the degree. The writing required for A-level economics is nowhere near the depth of breadth of English literature. You technically meet the requirements but when you take into account there will be hundreds of other applicants with more relevant subjects than you with higher predictions, you will be one of the weaker candidates. By all means apply as it's only one choice but don't get your hopes up.

Thank you for your reply, one more thing to ask, do you have any ideas to improve TSA scores? PPE course requires me to take this test, and I have 2 months to prepare. I've tried some of the questions from the website, but really struggled to finish in time.

Do you have any stats or other evidence to suggest that students taking particular subjects not specified as required or recommended by the faculty actually have a higher chance of getting offers? I highly doubt that, if OP performed well in the TSA and at interview, they would be held back purely by the fact that they chose Art over English Lit.

It's the getting to the the interview stage in the first place that's the problem. Hundreds of applicants will perform very well at the TSA so there has to be another discriminator. Only 39% of people made it to interview in 2015-17 on the basis of their entire application, and only 13% were successful.

When you can choose the cream of the applicants, hundreds of whom meet and exceed the entry requirements and are taking subjects listed as 'useful' like history, you will have to have another way of weeding out weaker applicants. While there are no official statistics in terms of subject choices and grade predictions, it's only common sense to realise people with subjects listed as helpful on the admission pages and (generally) those with higher predictions than the required grades for key subjects (maths in this case) will have the edge.

The OP has already stated that they are taking the subject which PPE admissions lists as helpful (Maths). Assertions that viewing other, unmentioned subjects as useful is "common sense" is useless without evidence to support it. Anecdotally, at least (from talking to tutors and other people in my college), the impression I get is that, when only one or two subjects are listed as important, the most helpful route is to choose second and/or third subjects which will maximise your predicted grades, rather than try to second guess what individual tutors might have a preference for. It's not like the TSA is the only measure which admissions tutors have prior to interview. Students and teachers don't just write personal statements and references for fun.

History is listed as useful on the PPE admissions page. If you have X spaces for interviews and Y people did very well on the TSA, with Y being greater than X, subject choices and predictions will be used to decide who to interview and who to reject, which is common sense.

History is listed as useful on the PPE admissions page. If you have X spaces for interviews and Y people did very well on the TSA, with Y being greater than X, subject choices and predictions will be used to decide who to interview and who to reject, which is common sense.