Official PPE Applicants Thread 2025

Wow, still absolute silence on this thread?

I'll post details when there's nothing to do but wait for results, but in the meanwhile I have a question about the TSA. I currently experience a lot of variation between my scores in past papers, even under seemingly similar conditions with respect to tiredness, time of day, etc. Anyone have any tips on consistently getting scores in the upper parts of one's range?

It might be better to ask this question on the Oxford forum.

Does anyone know if the TSA essay should be persuasive, analytical, or critical? Surely persuasive?

Hi there,
Applying for: PPE BA (Some are BA/Bsc but I am sure I want to specialise)
Universities: Leeds, KCL, Warwick, York and Oxford
Studying: Maths, RS, Politics. Predicted A*A*A* with A* in EPQ.
Questions: How many people on here are Economics students wanting to diversify in the social sciences and how many are humanities students wanting to sprinkle in some social science?
Also how do you feel about the varied flexibility of the courses you are applying for? Is it a bit factor?

Predicted 3 A* in Maths, French and Econ, with an A in AS Further predicted (picked up this year).
Worried as I only got 8 GCSEs (4 8s, 4 9s) and 1 distinction, which might not be enough, but otherwise feeling okay.
Applying Warwick (PPE + Econ and French), Ox (Merton) LSE (Pol+Econ), Notts (Offer Received).
what do you guys think my chances are and how do you feel for the TSA?

How are people feeling after the TSA?

I thought the MCQ's were alright, the maths questions felt on average, harder, than those in the past papers I've done, the essay however seemed easier than past ones I've practiced with (I did the question on circumstances where politicians ought to lie). Also, maybe fortunately, a fire alarm went off in the test centre, about 70 minutes into my test, and we were only outside for about 5 minutes but were afforded an extra 10 minutes, and given a card to apply for special consideration, so bittersweet really. All in all I think it went ok, I do have to say though, when I recieved a message from St Hughs the next morning, I mistakenly thought it was an Interview, turns out it was just a notification that I was being considered, which everyone got, haha. How about you?

Ah, the fire drill seems to have been a lucky (or unlucky?) appearance. My testing centre didn't give us enough writing sheets and then there were no invigilators to ask for more. You'd have to leave the room and go outside to haggle for more, which probably wasn't worth it really.
Otherwise, critical thinking was alright but problem solving was annoying. Ended up guessing quite a few from the latter. The essay was decent - I did a question about political education.

By writing sheets do you mean the terrible little laminated paper. They were the bane of my existence, the whiteboard pens just didn't rub off. I only managed to use 9 of the 10 pages though.