The Student Room Logo
Applying to Uni for 2024? Find your Uni here and chat with others! >>
Applying to Uni for 2024? Find your Uni here and chat with others! >>
Applying to Uni for 2024? Find your Uni here and chat with others! >>

Oxford PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) Students and Applicants

Scroll to see replies

rosa.s.
Don't worry!

You could always mention a book on your PS if it's relevant but you haven't quite finished it and just make sure you have done before interview. You still have plenty of time to read for interview, they want a broad knowledge and interest, not for you to recite books at them! You have over a month til you need to send your PS anyway, which doesn't need to be crammed with books - i think i only mentioned two books in mine (if you'd like me to send you it feel free to PM me)


im currently reading round and its very stressful lol times running out! only going to mention 2 or 3 books tops! still drafting my ps, could you please send me yours? itd be really useful to read a successful ppe ps :smile:

and you did 8 a levels!!! thats amazing lol!
trollman
im currently reading round and its very stressful lol times running out! only going to mention 2 or 3 books tops! still drafting my ps, could you please send me yours? itd be really useful to read a successful ppe ps :smile:

and you did 8 a levels!!! thats amazing lol!



Just PMed you :smile: and thank you, but it's really not amazing!
rosa.s.
GCSE: 12A*, 2A, 1D (i am very protective of my D- it's a passing grade!)

A levels: Maths, Economics, English Literature, Philosophy and Ethics, Politics, Psychology, Sociology and General Studies.
AS(2008): AAAAAAAA
A2(2009): AAAAAAAB

Off to Oxford (Christ Church) for PPE starting in 2009


You
are
God.
KiiNGofLONDON
You
are
God.


she really is lol! :yep: although now we sound like freaks :woo:
Reply 4544
Avatar for shb01
shb01
im very very confused.
i would love ot study ppe or history the same amount and my alevels kinda cater to them both anyway. but id also really love to go to oxford for personal reasons. So which subject is it harder to get into for? And why?

Also im really torn so if i realise that i want to swap later on, would it be possible
KiiNGofLONDON
You
are
God.


HA! I'm flattered, but sadly i'm not. Or if i am, i have some serious bone picking to do with myself..!
shb01
im very very confused.
i would love ot study ppe or history the same amount and my alevels kinda cater to them both anyway. but id also really love to go to oxford for personal reasons. So which subject is it harder to get into for? And why?

Also im really torn so if i realise that i want to swap later on, would it be possible

You should apply instead for the one you are most interested in studying
First time I've popped into this thread since, well the interview I think all those months ago. Good luck to anyone and everyone thinking of applying this year or indeed in the future, don't be intimidated in any way to not apply, the worst thing that can happen is that you get turned down. There are people on here with ridiculously good grades (8 A levels Rosa???:p:) and a ludicrous amount of Extra-Curricular stuff but trust me when I say that this is not necessary to get in. Of course evey bit you do will help but what will decide whether or not you get in will be being able to meet the offer if you're made one, enthusiasm for your course, and an impressive interview. If you can write a good PS, get predicted AAA, do the TSA reasonably well and impress at interview you will stand a great chance. None of that requires more than 3 A levels or very basic extra-Curricular things.
TsarinaMeg
I didn't know I wanted to do PPE til June this year?? :s-smilie:
This may be a disadvantage... I was looking around for econ/international relations related degrees and my teacher told me about PPE at Oxford. Googled it and found TSR. Spoke to people about it. Looked through the Oxford Course guide/syllabus. Fell in love with it. I've always been doing LOADS of ECs... debating/MUN etc are a part of them. Worked at an NGO/Legal Aid project simply cos I wanted to, not because of Uni... BUT I HAVEN'T READ ANYTHING!! I read the papers and the Economist. But I just have. not. READ. Which freaks me out, but MY STUPID LIBRARY WAS CLOSED OVER THE SUMMER!! And I signed up for another... but they're TRASH. So I've just asked my teachers to lend me some books so I can read them quickly, I guess? Would this seriously affect my PS?


No, skim a couple of books, maybe read one or two chapters of each even just so you can get a decent point to make and then put it in your PS. If you want to then you can read the books all the way through before your interview but I don't think many people were asked detailed questions about their PS, mine wasn't even mentioned at interview. Reading loads of books simply doesn't help, writing something like "I read a lot outside of my school work, some of the books I've read are ***, ***, ***, ***, etc..." is going to make for a rubbish PS. You need to weave a couple of titles in smoothly if and only if they add to the point you are making, and remember your PS is VERY short indeed so all the things you write in it need to be concise and to the point.
Are there any colleges that are particularly maths-centric in economics?
Hi, I'm from the States, and I'm planning on applying to PPE at Oxford. I'm taking competitive classes that my school offers, and have done well on the SAT and SAT 2 Subject tests (our standardized testing system) but I have no idea what A levels, etc are, and I have a feeling that English personal statements are much different than American ones. I was wondering if anyone could provide some general information on what I should expect/do to prepare with regards to the TSA, the personal statement, and the interview. Thanks a lot.
CalifornianandCurious
Hi, I'm from the States, and I'm planning on applying to PPE at Oxford. I'm taking competitive classes that my school offers, and have done well on the SAT and SAT 2 Subject tests (our standardized testing system) but I have no idea what A levels, etc are, and I have a feeling that English personal statements are much different than American ones. I was wondering if anyone could provide some general information on what I should expect/do to prepare with regards to the TSA, the personal statement, and the interview. Thanks a lot.


If you haven't already read the guide on the first page of this thread.:smile:
CalifornianandCurious
Hi, I'm from the States, and I'm planning on applying to PPE at Oxford. I'm taking competitive classes that my school offers, and have done well on the SAT and SAT 2 Subject tests (our standardized testing system) but I have no idea what A levels, etc are, and I have a feeling that English personal statements are much different than American ones. I was wondering if anyone could provide some general information on what I should expect/do to prepare with regards to the TSA, the personal statement, and the interview. Thanks a lot.


Are you taking loads of AP classes? What were your SAT/SAT II scores?

That's really funny, I want to go to Stanford and you want to come over here. I want to go to Oxford for PPE too, but Stanford is my top choice.
What extra content does maths B cover over maths A? (Rider: roughly what does A level FM cover?)

TIA. :smile:
Reply 4554
Avatar for Eye
Eye
InVinoVeritas
Thank you. I do think physics is a bit of a pipe dream anyways, and as most of it in IA is apparently classical (from what I've seen on the website) which I find boring I doubt that's a realistic choice.


Most of it is and unless they've changed it significantly the first year bits of quantum are very unsatisfying. The second year quantum course is much better.
TheUnbeliever
What extra content does maths B cover over maths A? (Rider: roughly what does A level FM cover?)

TIA. :smile:


Maths B does further integration (differentiating over integral)
More analysis
More vector calculus
Partial differential Equations
and more of other things I cant remember, these are some major ones, also the depth to which things are proved in lectures tends to be more significant.
I think the syllabus is available on the cam maths website.
qwerty5102
and more of other things I cant remember, these are some major ones, also the depth to which things are proved in lectures tends to be more significant.
I think the syllabus is available on the cam maths website.


Thanks very much :smile:
Hey, currently holding an offer for October, but having trouble deciding options - as I am sure are many others, come to think of it. :confused:

Just wondering if I'd be able to cope with the level of maths in Maths A and Physics with just the core maths 1-4, S1 and D1 modules. If it's important, my score in maths was 582 and in physics 590, which I'd imagine are probably below average for Cambridge students. :s-smilie:

Okay, thanks if anyone can help or has an opinion! :smile:
Could anyone advise me if doing Maths A over Quantitative Biology would actually be a disadvantage for studying Biological sciences, and how mathematical QB is? I really liked maths last year and it would be a shame to drop all pureish maths, though I don't want to do Maths A and actually not learn a lot of relevant stuff. Thank you.

Also, to the guy above...
escondido
maths was 582 and in physics 590, which I'd imagine are probably below average for Cambridge students.
Please tell me that's false modesty...

phil.
Reply 4559
Avatar for sTucker
sTucker
escondido
Hey, currently holding an offer for October, but having trouble deciding options - as I am sure are many others, come to think of it. :confused:

Just wondering if I'd be able to cope with the level of maths in Maths A and Physics with just the core maths 1-4, S1 and D1 modules. If it's important, my score in maths was 582 and in physics 590, which I'd imagine are probably below average for Cambridge students. :s-smilie:

Okay, thanks if anyone can help or has an opinion! :smile:


Um, out of 600 right? I think you'll probably be fine. Unless you mean Maths B, the harder one, in which case you might want to reconsider. But I'll assume you meant Maths A in which case you'll be FINE. They probably won't even let you take one of the other maths courses because they're for people who haven't done maths since GCSE aren't they?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Trending

Latest