Oxford HAT Test 2023

I took the HAT (History Admissions Test) online yesterday (20 October 2023) in America and was pleased with my response (I wrote 750 words in one hour). My writing was excellent but I ran out of time to edit, and saw approximately 6 typos with 5 seconds left to submit and realized I used the same transition “Also,” two paragraphs in a row. In addition, it suddenly dawned upon me that I clearly misunderstood the nature of the source to be a historical piece versus a “mythological piece that inspired a historical piece” even though I answered the question directly. Okay, so how bad will my HAT score be? Will I get any points for being a great writer or am I automatically doomed with my approximately 6 typos and that I failed to identify the true nature of the source? For the record, I practiced and nailed the past 4 HAT practice papers but this source threw me off by mentioning a mythological figure which rarely (if ever) shows up in American history classes. So, will Oxford recognize my potential and see that I can nail this if only I was given more time or should I adjust my expectations and give up my hope of getting shortlisted? Does everyone finish the HAT with a perfect, proofread essay? Was it supposed to be a perfect, polished essay or a writing sample? I applied for History & Politics. I am not applying to colleges in the USA. Thanks.

this is late, but just wanted to reassure that they probably won't penalise you (and if they do it will be VERY VERY minor) for typos. it's probably expected since many aren't used to typing essays (esp in the uk where every exam is handwritten unless you have a problem which prevents you from writing quickly or clearly).

i sat the HAT this year too and had similar problems!! ran out of time and didnt get the chance to proofread my last paragraph (and given the fact there were a couple typos in my other paras, it would be safe to assume that one had some too). didnt think to mention the mythological aspect either ☹️ hope it isnt too much of a dealbreaker. i think that as long as your other points were perceptive and nuanced theyll focus on that more than what you missed. good luck!!