Oxford TSA prep 2019

Hi guys,

I am due to take the TSA ( Thinking Skills Assessment) on 30th October. I have been preparing and I was wondering wether any former successful oxford applicant could give me any tips that would help me smash the TSA Section 1 and 2.

Also I was wondering what score I would have to get in order to have a good chance of getting an interview ( I am applying for Economics and Management with 3 A* predicted grades).

Reply 1

username3634800

I’m a 2020 applicant (for History and Econ) rather than a current student, so take my advice with a pinch of salt.

The main tip I have is for the questions which require you to identify the “main conclusion” of an argument. An argument is a set of sentences, where one of them is the conclusion, and the others are reasons for believing the conclusion. Applying this has been very helpful for me in completing past papers.

In terms of the required score for an interview, you’re likely to need a minimum of around 65, depending on your GCSEs, PS etc.
Most successful E&M applicants score over 70. Honestly, your predicted grades are virtually irrelevant because everyone else will have 3A*s, although they are of course impressive!

Good luck :smile: