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

I envy you, no wonder you've an offer from balliol! haha, sorry if i'm coming across as absurdly intrusive, I just can't help but worry, a friend of mine got 8 A* 4 A's at gcse, AABB at AS, but didn't manage to get an interview, all those who did are incredible!

It's fine I always pester people so much for advice, there's this poor boy i kindof know who graduated from balliol ppe 2 yrs ago, around application time I sent him so many emails.

have you decided which college you're going to apply to? i only decided 2 days before I sent it off

Haha, it's decided then, you shall be my first port for pesterence(don't think that word exists )) Wow, two days before, which other colleges were you considering? I'm not too sure yet, really depends what I get in AS..

good luck! But don't worry so much about AS I think TSA performance and predicted grades are far more important! I got AAABC at AS didn't do maths, predicted A*A*A in bio phys hist, 8A* 3A 1B and got an interview somehow but that may be becuz I'm from a standard state school! And at my interview I was asked nothing from my ps it was completely random but fun and terrifying!

good luck! But don't worry so much about AS I think TSA performance and predicted grades are far more important! I got AAABC at AS didn't do maths, predicted A*A*A in bio phys hist, 8A* 3A 1B and got an interview somehow but that may be becuz I'm from a standard state school! And at my interview I was asked nothing from my ps it was completely random but fun and terrifying!

Haha, it's decided then, you shall be my first port for pesterence(don't think that word exists )) Wow, two days before, which other colleges were you considering? I'm not too sure yet, really depends what I get in AS..

I went to the Oriel and Queen's open days, stayed overnight at Queen's, it was gorgeous, decided to apply there after finding out one of my friends was applying to Oriel (for PPE as well). I even carried on Latin after the Queen's philosophy tutor persuaded me (was going to give up up and drop to maths, fmaths, history and economics A2s)... always thought balliol was way too competitive. that boy persuaded me round, i was quite scared, when i went to interview i hadn't even looked round properly before!

Mmm Queen's is thee sex! Balliol, though is the only place to study PPE, thats according to Prof. Bob Hargrave, though he has a vested interest in saying that as he is the Don haha. Wow you are amazing, im doing the edexcel econ unit 1 exemplar or whatever it's called, going okish... OMG, how nervous were you before the interview?!

I was absolutely terrified... could barely sleep the nights before the interviews, awake for hours in the middle of the night thinking "i have to go to sleep!" felt so so sick. shaking so much (one of the interview helpers asked if I was cold). couldn't eat properly the whole time i was there, even after my interviews had finished... weird (it was good in that i got skinnier though!) basically don't worry about being scared, you're a boy though so you'll probably be fine (all of the boys were relatively ok!)... they can obviously see through nerves, another girl and i both burst into tears straight after our first interview, had a good old moan together, we both got in even though we were both wrecks!

i'm really not amazing, this time last year i thought like that of all current ppeists. one thing that i realised during the interviews is that to get in you don't have to reach some sort of mythical "oxford standard". you just have to beat the other people there. good to remember, you're up against other people, people who make mistakes and say silly things etc.

yeah balliol does seem amazing, loads of ppeists, societies like cerebus and balliol philosophy circle.

You had every right to feel nervous, actually no you didn't haha. Most terrifying experience thus far?

Honestly speaking, i'd be happy just to get to interview stage, I may be a boy, but when it comes to matters such as this, i become a girl . Plus im not good at maths you see, teacher thinks if i put in the work I might possibly get an A in AS. Haha, lost weight, is that all girls ever think about (i joke )?! In your opinion, is the TSA a very important factor in securing an interview?

You had every right to feel nervous, actually no you didn't haha. Most terrifying experience thus far?

Honestly speaking, i'd be happy just to get to interview stage, I may be a boy, but when it comes to matters such as this, i become a girl . Plus im not good at maths you see, teacher thinks if i put in the work I might possibly get an A in AS. Haha, lost weight, is that all girls ever think about (i joke )?! In your opinion, is the TSA a very important factor in securing an interview?

Yeah i thinks so...goodness i am pathetic it's mainly because it's such a protracted process, you're there for ages. (3 nights, 4 days for me). you'll definitely need to work on your maths, some colleges asked quite a lot in the interview eg apparently jesus always has a numerical question. balliol didn't ask any though, apparently the head economics tutor isn't a bit fan of maths.

if you get below a certain score on the tsa then you will automatically be rejected before interview, i can't say any more than than re how important it is, since scores haven't been released (can't see correlation). i'd practice a lot for it if i were you, people say it's about how you think etc, can't be prepared for, didn't find this was my experience, i improved so so much (like by 15%) after doing a few papers. the same kinds of questions crop up each time. i should have some extra papers floating around the house, i could send them to you if you like? also for the essay, i found this blog really helpful http://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/, actually used a concept i'd learnt about there in my essay (availability heuristic). or something like that. it would be excellent if you could produce an essay similar to that, logical, concise, interesting ideas.

we don't know as the results are released in 2 weeks, tbh the ox system is far from transparent, some say there is a cutt off some say there isn't, some say tutors put alot on it some don't! Really it varies college to college! Just do ur best and do practise papers u can prep for it, I realised they repeat qs just with diff values etc! And dw bout essay it's fun!

And I'm a guy the inteviews terrified me I got addicted to coffee was shaking befoe my interview etc! Tbh I think it's the main reason I didn't get in I was so nervous I froze and gave silly answers, but I would say when ur there DONT WORK at all! Socialise it's more fun and settles nerves - ppeists tend to be the most sociable we even went out for drinks the last night while scientists/historians sat around lol

Why can't they just be openn about admissions?! As I have said above, you guys have genuinely helped me, whether i get in to oxford or not, I wanna read PPE

because if they were then people could be coached (even more than they are now) and I spose the process would be useless!

That's the attitude! I hate peoe who just ask how to get in, it's a lottery, but not rocket science, basically get good grades work hard and do well at interview! The worst people are the ones who just say they want to do ppe at Oxford it's ridiculus some people are so obsessed with prestige! I want to do ppe (or politics and economics) everywhere, cuz I like the subjects not just cuz it's Oxford! U seem the same, all the best!

Hmm very true, thanks, the best of luck yo you too

I will need it for my remaining 3 choices

I will need it for my remaining 3 choices

Yeah i thinks so...goodness i am pathetic it's mainly because it's such a protracted process, you're there for ages. (3 nights, 4 days for me). you'll definitely need to work on your maths, some colleges asked quite a lot in the interview eg apparently jesus always has a numerical question. balliol didn't ask any though, apparently the head economics tutor isn't a bit fan of maths.

if you get below a certain score on the tsa then you will automatically be rejected before interview, i can't say any more than than re how important it is, since scores haven't been released (can't see correlation). i'd practice a lot for it if i were you, people say it's about how you think etc, can't be prepared for, didn't find this was my experience, i improved so so much (like by 15%) after doing a few papers. the same kinds of questions crop up each time. i should have some extra papers floating around the house, i could send them to you if you like? also for the essay, i found this blog really helpful http://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/, actually used a concept i'd learnt about there in my essay (availability heuristic). or something like that. it would be excellent if you could produce an essay similar to that, logical, concise, interesting ideas.

I'll need it for my remaining 2