Go to LSE or reapply to Oxford (PPE)
So a little context:
Last year I applied to Oxford for PPE. I was consistently getting around 42/50 on the TSA Section 1 and the Section 2 essay was going well. This would have very likely secured me an interview.
Alas, I flunked it on the day of the actual test and only got about 33/50 on section 1 and performed average on the essay section. Hence I wasn’t invited to an interview.
Following this I decided to apply for the 4-year PPE programme at LSE, which I was fortunate enough to be accepted to.
Yet I’ve been thinking seriously about reapplying over the past year, and I need to make a decision very soon.
I’ve done a couple TSA tests in the past couple of weeks and I hit my personal bests on both (45/50 and 46/50).
And results day went very well, which has only persuaded me more to reapply, especially now that I have confirmed grades and not predicted ones.
My grades are: 10 9s at GCSE; and 3 A* at A Level.
Reasons to reapply to Oxford
- The Oxford uni experience really appealed to me. Whether it be the college structure or tutorial system, it was the uni I thought I would enjoy the most and there’s nothing like it (bar Cambridge ofc).
- the LSE PPE course is 4 years. So it would take one more year to complete, on addition to it being very expensive, way more so than Oxford
- I prefer the course structure at Oxford more generally
- I know I could have done a lot better on the admissions test and feel like I would if I decided to reapply
- interview prep last year was going pretty well
- I have confirmed grades now, which adds an advantage
- A large part of me genuinely wants to take a break from intensive study. Sixth form really burnt me out.
Reasons to go to LSE
- I definitely like the university and think I’d enjoy it there, especially since it’s a specialised school and offers the types of modules you don’t find elsewhere
- it’s a really good offer from a highly-regarded uni. In terms of graduate outcomes, it’s nearly equivalent to Oxford
- it’s the safe option, no risk involved in terms of reapplying
I appreciate I’m in a very fortunate position, I don’t take that for granted.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? Especially someone who is in/has been in this situation themselves
Note: if I did take a year out, I’d apply to LSE again, but just to a 3 year course (like Politics and Econ)
Sorry for the long post as well
Last year I applied to Oxford for PPE. I was consistently getting around 42/50 on the TSA Section 1 and the Section 2 essay was going well. This would have very likely secured me an interview.
Alas, I flunked it on the day of the actual test and only got about 33/50 on section 1 and performed average on the essay section. Hence I wasn’t invited to an interview.
Following this I decided to apply for the 4-year PPE programme at LSE, which I was fortunate enough to be accepted to.
Yet I’ve been thinking seriously about reapplying over the past year, and I need to make a decision very soon.
I’ve done a couple TSA tests in the past couple of weeks and I hit my personal bests on both (45/50 and 46/50).
And results day went very well, which has only persuaded me more to reapply, especially now that I have confirmed grades and not predicted ones.
My grades are: 10 9s at GCSE; and 3 A* at A Level.
Reasons to reapply to Oxford
- The Oxford uni experience really appealed to me. Whether it be the college structure or tutorial system, it was the uni I thought I would enjoy the most and there’s nothing like it (bar Cambridge ofc).
- the LSE PPE course is 4 years. So it would take one more year to complete, on addition to it being very expensive, way more so than Oxford
- I prefer the course structure at Oxford more generally
- I know I could have done a lot better on the admissions test and feel like I would if I decided to reapply
- interview prep last year was going pretty well
- I have confirmed grades now, which adds an advantage
- A large part of me genuinely wants to take a break from intensive study. Sixth form really burnt me out.
Reasons to go to LSE
- I definitely like the university and think I’d enjoy it there, especially since it’s a specialised school and offers the types of modules you don’t find elsewhere
- it’s a really good offer from a highly-regarded uni. In terms of graduate outcomes, it’s nearly equivalent to Oxford
- it’s the safe option, no risk involved in terms of reapplying
I appreciate I’m in a very fortunate position, I don’t take that for granted.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? Especially someone who is in/has been in this situation themselves
Note: if I did take a year out, I’d apply to LSE again, but just to a 3 year course (like Politics and Econ)
Sorry for the long post as well
Reply 1
It sounds like you're ready to re-apply to Oxford and LSE, UCL, KCL and Warwick? 🙂
Graduate outcomes at LSE are going to be the same as for Oxford, not "nearly the same". I would not consider this a point to differentiate the two on.
LSE is also undeniably much stronger on the economics front and you have the opportunity to do much more mathematically sophisticated economics there (if that's your thing). I believe the philosophy offerings might be a little narrower however compared to Oxford.
Note however at Oxford typically students only continue doing 2/3 of the subjects after first year, whereas at LSE you do all 3 throughout the course.
I wouldn't worry about the additional year in terms of tuition fee funding if you're a home fees student (that's all covered by SFE and it gets written off after 40 years anyway), but an extra year of London rent costs is significant - if you're not getting near the full maintenance loan and/or any bursaries from LSE it might be challenging (granted Oxford is not that cheap either).
LSE is also undeniably much stronger on the economics front and you have the opportunity to do much more mathematically sophisticated economics there (if that's your thing). I believe the philosophy offerings might be a little narrower however compared to Oxford.
Note however at Oxford typically students only continue doing 2/3 of the subjects after first year, whereas at LSE you do all 3 throughout the course.
I wouldn't worry about the additional year in terms of tuition fee funding if you're a home fees student (that's all covered by SFE and it gets written off after 40 years anyway), but an extra year of London rent costs is significant - if you're not getting near the full maintenance loan and/or any bursaries from LSE it might be challenging (granted Oxford is not that cheap either).
Reply 3
Original post
by Ben PSo a little context:
Last year I applied to Oxford for PPE. I was consistently getting around 42/50 on the TSA Section 1 and the Section 2 essay was going well. This would have very likely secured me an interview.
Alas, I flunked it on the day of the actual test and only got about 33/50 on section 1 and performed average on the essay section. Hence I wasn’t invited to an interview.
Following this I decided to apply for the 4-year PPE programme at LSE, which I was fortunate enough to be accepted to.
Yet I’ve been thinking seriously about reapplying over the past year, and I need to make a decision very soon.
I’ve done a couple TSA tests in the past couple of weeks and I hit my personal bests on both (45/50 and 46/50).
And results day went very well, which has only persuaded me more to reapply, especially now that I have confirmed grades and not predicted ones.
My grades are: 10 9s at GCSE; and 3 A* at A Level.
Reasons to reapply to Oxford
- The Oxford uni experience really appealed to me. Whether it be the college structure or tutorial system, it was the uni I thought I would enjoy the most and there’s nothing like it (bar Cambridge ofc).
- the LSE PPE course is 4 years. So it would take one more year to complete, on addition to it being very expensive, way more so than Oxford
- I prefer the course structure at Oxford more generally
- I know I could have done a lot better on the admissions test and feel like I would if I decided to reapply
- interview prep last year was going pretty well
- I have confirmed grades now, which adds an advantage
- A large part of me genuinely wants to take a break from intensive study. Sixth form really burnt me out.
Reasons to go to LSE
- I definitely like the university and think I’d enjoy it there, especially since it’s a specialised school and offers the types of modules you don’t find elsewhere
- it’s a really good offer from a highly-regarded uni. In terms of graduate outcomes, it’s nearly equivalent to Oxford
- it’s the safe option, no risk involved in terms of reapplying
I appreciate I’m in a very fortunate position, I don’t take that for granted.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? Especially someone who is in/has been in this situation themselves
Note: if I did take a year out, I’d apply to LSE again, but just to a 3 year course (like Politics and Econ)
Sorry for the long post as well
Last year I applied to Oxford for PPE. I was consistently getting around 42/50 on the TSA Section 1 and the Section 2 essay was going well. This would have very likely secured me an interview.
Alas, I flunked it on the day of the actual test and only got about 33/50 on section 1 and performed average on the essay section. Hence I wasn’t invited to an interview.
Following this I decided to apply for the 4-year PPE programme at LSE, which I was fortunate enough to be accepted to.
Yet I’ve been thinking seriously about reapplying over the past year, and I need to make a decision very soon.
I’ve done a couple TSA tests in the past couple of weeks and I hit my personal bests on both (45/50 and 46/50).
And results day went very well, which has only persuaded me more to reapply, especially now that I have confirmed grades and not predicted ones.
My grades are: 10 9s at GCSE; and 3 A* at A Level.
Reasons to reapply to Oxford
- The Oxford uni experience really appealed to me. Whether it be the college structure or tutorial system, it was the uni I thought I would enjoy the most and there’s nothing like it (bar Cambridge ofc).
- the LSE PPE course is 4 years. So it would take one more year to complete, on addition to it being very expensive, way more so than Oxford
- I prefer the course structure at Oxford more generally
- I know I could have done a lot better on the admissions test and feel like I would if I decided to reapply
- interview prep last year was going pretty well
- I have confirmed grades now, which adds an advantage
- A large part of me genuinely wants to take a break from intensive study. Sixth form really burnt me out.
Reasons to go to LSE
- I definitely like the university and think I’d enjoy it there, especially since it’s a specialised school and offers the types of modules you don’t find elsewhere
- it’s a really good offer from a highly-regarded uni. In terms of graduate outcomes, it’s nearly equivalent to Oxford
- it’s the safe option, no risk involved in terms of reapplying
I appreciate I’m in a very fortunate position, I don’t take that for granted.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? Especially someone who is in/has been in this situation themselves
Note: if I did take a year out, I’d apply to LSE again, but just to a 3 year course (like Politics and Econ)
Sorry for the long post as well
Hello,
I am currently in the exact same position and would love to discuss this with you further please to get some advice!
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