What is a good TSA score?
Hi guys,
I am applying for Oxford PPL this year and I'm doing the TSA a week on Tuesday. Just wondering what a good TSA score would be to get me an interview. I also heard the rumour that if you do well enough on the TSA (80+ ish) that they will let you in even if your interview is a bit subpar. Is this true? Does anyone know any good resources that can help me as well? I tend to struggle with identifying assumptions, flaws, and weakening/strengthening argument questions.
Appreciate the help!
P.s. also does everyone do the same questions in the same year? They only have one paper per year in the past papers online but if that were the case surely there questions would get leaked???
I am applying for Oxford PPL this year and I'm doing the TSA a week on Tuesday. Just wondering what a good TSA score would be to get me an interview. I also heard the rumour that if you do well enough on the TSA (80+ ish) that they will let you in even if your interview is a bit subpar. Is this true? Does anyone know any good resources that can help me as well? I tend to struggle with identifying assumptions, flaws, and weakening/strengthening argument questions.
Appreciate the help!
P.s. also does everyone do the same questions in the same year? They only have one paper per year in the past papers online but if that were the case surely there questions would get leaked???
Reply 1
Original post
by AnonymousHi guys,
I am applying for Oxford PPL this year and I'm doing the TSA a week on Tuesday. Just wondering what a good TSA score would be to get me an interview. I also heard the rumour that if you do well enough on the TSA (80+ ish) that they will let you in even if your interview is a bit subpar. Is this true? Does anyone know any good resources that can help me as well? I tend to struggle with identifying assumptions, flaws, and weakening/strengthening argument questions.
Appreciate the help!
P.s. also does everyone do the same questions in the same year? They only have one paper per year in the past papers online but if that were the case surely there questions would get leaked???
I am applying for Oxford PPL this year and I'm doing the TSA a week on Tuesday. Just wondering what a good TSA score would be to get me an interview. I also heard the rumour that if you do well enough on the TSA (80+ ish) that they will let you in even if your interview is a bit subpar. Is this true? Does anyone know any good resources that can help me as well? I tend to struggle with identifying assumptions, flaws, and weakening/strengthening argument questions.
Appreciate the help!
P.s. also does everyone do the same questions in the same year? They only have one paper per year in the past papers online but if that were the case surely there questions would get leaked???
Hiya,
I've done research on their website and i asked some of the professors on the open day and they said all they want is anything average or above which the average does change every year but most of the time it is (50-60) and most applicants who get 70+ get very good scores (duh) but they dont always want these applicants they could've memorised how to do each question and tricks which sure it's good to know roughly how to do each question but dont try beat the system.
One of the professors who teaches psychology i spoke to said hey mainly want personality and passion for subject and te TSA is weighted differently per college.
I hope this helps, apologies if not
Good luck for your TSA (we'll be doing it the same day)
Reply 2
Original post
by AnonymousHi guys,
I am applying for Oxford PPL this year and I'm doing the TSA a week on Tuesday. Just wondering what a good TSA score would be to get me an interview. I also heard the rumour that if you do well enough on the TSA (80+ ish) that they will let you in even if your interview is a bit subpar. Is this true? Does anyone know any good resources that can help me as well? I tend to struggle with identifying assumptions, flaws, and weakening/strengthening argument questions.
Appreciate the help!
P.s. also does everyone do the same questions in the same year? They only have one paper per year in the past papers online but if that were the case surely there questions would get leaked???
I am applying for Oxford PPL this year and I'm doing the TSA a week on Tuesday. Just wondering what a good TSA score would be to get me an interview. I also heard the rumour that if you do well enough on the TSA (80+ ish) that they will let you in even if your interview is a bit subpar. Is this true? Does anyone know any good resources that can help me as well? I tend to struggle with identifying assumptions, flaws, and weakening/strengthening argument questions.
Appreciate the help!
P.s. also does everyone do the same questions in the same year? They only have one paper per year in the past papers online but if that were the case surely there questions would get leaked???
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ppe_admissions_statistics_2025_2026
Reply 3
Original post
by Carterm0Hiya,
I've done research on their website and i asked some of the professors on the open day and they said all they want is anything average or above which the average does change every year but most of the time it is (50-60) and most applicants who get 70+ get very good scores (duh) but they dont always want these applicants they could've memorised how to do each question and tricks which sure it's good to know roughly how to do each question but dont try beat the system.
One of the professors who teaches psychology i spoke to said hey mainly want personality and passion for subject and te TSA is weighted differently per college.
I hope this helps, apologies if not
Good luck for your TSA (we'll be doing it the same day)
I've done research on their website and i asked some of the professors on the open day and they said all they want is anything average or above which the average does change every year but most of the time it is (50-60) and most applicants who get 70+ get very good scores (duh) but they dont always want these applicants they could've memorised how to do each question and tricks which sure it's good to know roughly how to do each question but dont try beat the system.
One of the professors who teaches psychology i spoke to said hey mainly want personality and passion for subject and te TSA is weighted differently per college.
I hope this helps, apologies if not
Good luck for your TSA (we'll be doing it the same day)
Do you mean that they are less likely to give you an offer if you do really well because they think you might have “cheated the system.” Surely they would have no way of telling if this is the case or the applicant is very gifted at these types of questions. And it would be unfair for those who do get say 80+ but haven’t “cheated the system” so to speak.
Good luck to you as well maybe we’ll see each other at Oxford next year
Reply 4
Original post
by Dolce VitaA very high tsa score still doesn’t guarantee an offer in and of itself but it helps, since there is a correlation between offer likelihood and higher tsa scores (60+). The link below shows the average TSA section 1 score of shortlisted applicants for each college.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ppe_admissions_statistics_2025_2026
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ppe_admissions_statistics_2025_2026
Reply 5
Original post
by AnonymousThanks for the info, do you think there is a threshold score above which I’m guaranteed an interview?
So the bottom line is that you can’t fully second guess the process, other than to do your best and see how it all plays out. Good luck!
(edited 1 month ago)
Reply 6
They don’t mean that they will assume people with very high scores are just cheating the system. Of course doing well is not a disadvantage.
What they mean is that even if you get a very high score, it isn’t a guarantee of a place. If you get a high score but then turn out at interview to be someone who can’t think on their feet and has just learned how to do well in exams, you may lose out compared to someone who scored lower but shows more genuine intellectual engagement and potential at interview.
What they mean is that even if you get a very high score, it isn’t a guarantee of a place. If you get a high score but then turn out at interview to be someone who can’t think on their feet and has just learned how to do well in exams, you may lose out compared to someone who scored lower but shows more genuine intellectual engagement and potential at interview.
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