Oxford PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) Students and Applicants
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See what Balliol (
) has to say:
The main oxford website:
Why don't you go along to an open day? http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/open_days/college_open_days.html has the full listing of college open days, PPE doesn't have a specific subject one. They're really helpful - you get tours of colleges, go to talks about admissions, meet tutors etc (and you get to stay overnight if you book - I had the most gorgeous room at Queen's, overlooking the front quad, completely free!)
) has to say:Does it matter which school I have attended?
No. Balliol accepts students from a very wide range of state and independent schools both in Britain and abroad. We do not operate either a quota system or any form of positive or negative discrimination. We seek only to choose the students with the most potential for the courses for which they are applying, irrespective of the kind of school or college they have attended.
No. Balliol accepts students from a very wide range of state and independent schools both in Britain and abroad. We do not operate either a quota system or any form of positive or negative discrimination. We seek only to choose the students with the most potential for the courses for which they are applying, irrespective of the kind of school or college they have attended.
The main oxford website:
How important are extra-curricular activities in making an application?
Extra-curricular activities will not form part of the selection process except in so far as they may help you to demonstrate the selection criteria for your subject. Tutors select candidates based on their academic achievements and potential.
Extra-curricular activities will not form part of the selection process except in so far as they may help you to demonstrate the selection criteria for your subject. Tutors select candidates based on their academic achievements and potential.
Why don't you go along to an open day? http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/open_days/college_open_days.html has the full listing of college open days, PPE doesn't have a specific subject one. They're really helpful - you get tours of colleges, go to talks about admissions, meet tutors etc (and you get to stay overnight if you book - I had the most gorgeous room at Queen's, overlooking the front quad, completely free!)
Don't let your teacher or classmates hold you down, give it a shot!
To adress some issues:
- GCSE's don't matter that much. Yours won't count against you, they're good enough for them to stop caring about them.
- The location and type of your school is irrelevant. Actually, it might even count for you instead of against, they compare your grades to what is usual at your school, so if your school usually performs badly, your grades are even more impressive.
- They won't particularly like the B in AS Maths, so maybe be able to explain them why if they'd ask in the interview, and be sure you have an A prediction for A2, or A* if possible.
- Drop the B A-level, not worth the time and effort, they only care about A's.
- In some schools, you can influence your teachers predictions by just talking to them and asking them to predict you a high grade. If that's possible for you, try getting A* predictions next year, wouldn't hurt.
- EC's don't matter that much. If you'd have them, they were relevant and you could explain what you learned from them, sure, it's always nice. But it'll never be the thing the decision is based on. Don't stress about work experience, it's far less relevant for PPE.
- In PPE, the TSA test everyone has to sit early november is very very important. They use it to cut off a large number of people pre-interview and I'm 99% sure my very high score made up for my pathetic excuse of an interview. Make all the practice tests you can find and maybe read a book on critical thinking.
- Go crazy obsessive over your PS. Start writing it right after AS-exams (before that, you'll need to spend all your time studying) and just improve it every week. You'll keep getting new ideas and small changes that make it better. Then when the school year starts again, ask teachers, parents and people here on TSR to proof-read for you and give you tips.
In conclusion: make sure you do everything you need for your application the best you can and just go for it. Trying never hurts.
To adress some issues:
- GCSE's don't matter that much. Yours won't count against you, they're good enough for them to stop caring about them.
- The location and type of your school is irrelevant. Actually, it might even count for you instead of against, they compare your grades to what is usual at your school, so if your school usually performs badly, your grades are even more impressive.
- They won't particularly like the B in AS Maths, so maybe be able to explain them why if they'd ask in the interview, and be sure you have an A prediction for A2, or A* if possible.
- Drop the B A-level, not worth the time and effort, they only care about A's.
- In some schools, you can influence your teachers predictions by just talking to them and asking them to predict you a high grade. If that's possible for you, try getting A* predictions next year, wouldn't hurt.
- EC's don't matter that much. If you'd have them, they were relevant and you could explain what you learned from them, sure, it's always nice. But it'll never be the thing the decision is based on. Don't stress about work experience, it's far less relevant for PPE.
- In PPE, the TSA test everyone has to sit early november is very very important. They use it to cut off a large number of people pre-interview and I'm 99% sure my very high score made up for my pathetic excuse of an interview. Make all the practice tests you can find and maybe read a book on critical thinking.
- Go crazy obsessive over your PS. Start writing it right after AS-exams (before that, you'll need to spend all your time studying) and just improve it every week. You'll keep getting new ideas and small changes that make it better. Then when the school year starts again, ask teachers, parents and people here on TSR to proof-read for you and give you tips.
In conclusion: make sure you do everything you need for your application the best you can and just go for it. Trying never hurts.
yorkshiregirl93
I also want to do PPE at Oxford but I don't take A Level Maths.
I have an average grade of A at GCSE and I take Philosophy, History, English Literature, Music and German, predicted all As.
I do lots of extra cirricular activities, will it make a huge difference that I don't do maths?
I hope being at a comprehensive, inner city school isn't a problem either :s
I have an average grade of A at GCSE and I take Philosophy, History, English Literature, Music and German, predicted all As.
I do lots of extra cirricular activities, will it make a huge difference that I don't do maths?
I hope being at a comprehensive, inner city school isn't a problem either :s
Hello. I believe it will be a big impairment to you that you didn't maths, as this will hinder you on the economics side of the course.
Looking at your A-Levels though PPS (politics, philosophy and sociology at Cambridge may suit you better?!)
elieshout
I'm 99% sure my very high score made up for my pathetic excuse of an interview.
Same for me! I really have no idea what Balliol could have seen in my first interview....
elieshout
Start writing it right after AS-exams (before that, you'll need to spend all your time studying
Hmmm perhaps slight overkill there. I did it right at the end of the summer, though I'd been thinking and reading a lot before then. And no-one does that much revisions for ASs (though make sure you do as well as you can!)
I was led to believe that PPS isn't as useful as PPE in the long run but I may be wrong?
There's a PPE open day on the 6th May by the way. It's for St. Anne's college, ask your school to book you a place
There's a PPE open day on the 6th May by the way. It's for St. Anne's college, ask your school to book you a place
Musha
Hello,
I am a sixth form student in London hoping to study PPE at Oxford, however my teacher pointed out as a student from an inner city school and a lack of extracurricular i would be doomed. She also kindly pointed out that my GCSEs would not cut it. A lot of my classmates have laughed at me ever since i said that i wanted to go to Oxford.
I Got 4A*s,2As and 2Bs
I also did early entry A/S Philosophy where i got an average of 90% and achieved grade A
I did early entry A/S Maths and achieved a B
I am currently studying A/S Politics, History, English Literature and Latin
A2 Maths and A2 Philosophy
I am predicted A*AAAAB
I possess no extracurricular activities or work experience which puts me at a considerable disadvantage
Essentially i am asking am i good enough for Oxford or am i wasting my time on an unachievable dream?
Thank you
I am a sixth form student in London hoping to study PPE at Oxford, however my teacher pointed out as a student from an inner city school and a lack of extracurricular i would be doomed. She also kindly pointed out that my GCSEs would not cut it. A lot of my classmates have laughed at me ever since i said that i wanted to go to Oxford.
I Got 4A*s,2As and 2Bs
I also did early entry A/S Philosophy where i got an average of 90% and achieved grade A
I did early entry A/S Maths and achieved a B
I am currently studying A/S Politics, History, English Literature and Latin
A2 Maths and A2 Philosophy
I am predicted A*AAAAB
I possess no extracurricular activities or work experience which puts me at a considerable disadvantage
Essentially i am asking am i good enough for Oxford or am i wasting my time on an unachievable dream?
Thank you
one of my homies: (from a grammar school)
GCSES: 8 A*s 2 As
AS Levels: AAAAA (most modules being 90+ and some even 100)
A Level Prediction: A*A*A*
Extra Curricular: plays rugby and cricket for the school, is a prefect, involved musically etc
Also he got a TSA score in the top 5%
Applied for PPE at Balliol and was automatically reallocated to St Hildas (a fairly modest Oxford college) and didnt get in. I dont mean to scare you but just showing you how competitive it is and how hard you have to work.
PS if anything being an 'inner city student' (+ getting the great grades you've already got) should only work in your advantage
PPS politics psychology and sociology
areyoucool/symmetrical?
one of my homies: (from a grammar school)
GCSES: 8 A*s 2 As
AS Levels: AAAAA (most modules being 90+ and some even 100)
A Level Prediction: A*A*A*
Extra Curricular: plays rugby and cricket for the school, is a prefect, involved musically etc
Also he got a TSA score in the top 5%
Applied for PPE at Balliol and was automatically reallocated to St Hildas (a fairly modest Oxford college) and didnt get in. I dont mean to scare you but just showing you how competitive it is and how hard you have to work.
PS if anything being an 'inner city student' (+ getting the great grades you've already got) should only work in your advantage
PPS politics psychology and sociology
GCSES: 8 A*s 2 As
AS Levels: AAAAA (most modules being 90+ and some even 100)
A Level Prediction: A*A*A*
Extra Curricular: plays rugby and cricket for the school, is a prefect, involved musically etc
Also he got a TSA score in the top 5%
Applied for PPE at Balliol and was automatically reallocated to St Hildas (a fairly modest Oxford college) and didnt get in. I dont mean to scare you but just showing you how competitive it is and how hard you have to work.
PS if anything being an 'inner city student' (+ getting the great grades you've already got) should only work in your advantage
PPS politics psychology and sociology
Stories like this aren't terribly useful because we don't know how naturally clever this person was (some people I know got GCSEs like that through working all day every day for months before the exams, though not being particularly clever) + how interested they were in PPE.
The TSA is also a big part of your application so do well on that and you'll get an interview, then impress at interview and you could get in. If tutors meet you and like you, that can outweigh having "not quite oxbridge gcses" so don't worry and don't let other people put you off, if you want to apply then do it.
Ilyusha
Stories like this aren't terribly useful because we don't know how naturally clever this person was (some people I know got GCSEs like that through working all day every day for months before the exams, though not being particularly clever) + how interested they were in PPE.
hes my best mate and ive known him for 7 years
in a really good grammar school out of 180 or so in 6th form hes easily in the top 10 of cleverest people (+ with the grades to boot which aint often the case)
dont get a boner
areyoucool/symmetrical?
one of my homies: (from a grammar school)
GCSES: 8 A*s 2 As
AS Levels: AAAAA (most modules being 90+ and some even 100)
A Level Prediction: A*A*A*
Extra Curricular: plays rugby and cricket for the school, is a prefect, involved musically etc
Also he got a TSA score in the top 5%
Applied for PPE at Balliol and was automatically reallocated to St Hildas (a fairly modest Oxford college) and didnt get in. I dont mean to scare you but just showing you how competitive it is and how hard you have to work.
PS if anything being an 'inner city student' (+ getting the great grades you've already got) should only work in your advantage
PPS politics psychology and sociology
GCSES: 8 A*s 2 As
AS Levels: AAAAA (most modules being 90+ and some even 100)
A Level Prediction: A*A*A*
Extra Curricular: plays rugby and cricket for the school, is a prefect, involved musically etc
Also he got a TSA score in the top 5%
Applied for PPE at Balliol and was automatically reallocated to St Hildas (a fairly modest Oxford college) and didnt get in. I dont mean to scare you but just showing you how competitive it is and how hard you have to work.
PS if anything being an 'inner city student' (+ getting the great grades you've already got) should only work in your advantage
PPS politics psychology and sociology
Sure, there are a lot of stories like those. And then there are people like me with normalish grades, no really special EC's who just really love their subject and do the best they can and get in. There's much more to the process than just that kind of info. Weird stuff happens.
Musha
Hello,
I am a sixth form student in London hoping to study PPE at Oxford, however my teacher pointed out as a student from an inner city school and a lack of extracurricular i would be doomed. She also kindly pointed out that my GCSEs would not cut it. A lot of my classmates have laughed at me ever since i said that i wanted to go to Oxford.
I Got 4A*s,2As and 2Bs
I also did early entry A/S Philosophy where i got an average of 90% and achieved grade A
I did early entry A/S Maths and achieved a B
I am currently studying A/S Politics, History, English Literature and Latin
A2 Maths and A2 Philosophy
I am predicted A*AAAAB
I possess no extracurricular activities or work experience which puts me at a considerable disadvantage
Essentially i am asking am i good enough for Oxford or am i wasting my time on an unachievable dream?
Thank you
I love politics my Extended project is based upon the lack of representation of women in Politics and the representative nature of the political sysytem
I have read C. Wright Mill’s 'The Power Elite'
Classical Elite theorists including Pareto ‘The Mind and Society' and Mosca's 'The Ruling Class' in my spare time. Also i have looked at feminists with views in politics such as Dr Sarah Childs ‘New Labour's Women MP's: Women Representing Women’ and the work of Dr Mona Lena Krook.
Outside of school i have read the work of J.S Mill's 'On Liberty' and Descartes 'Meditations', because of the interest created when looking at Utilitarianism and the Ontological argument. I truly enjoy philosophy and politics. Maths i am supposesd to be quite strong at in my C3 module at A2 i got an A and this is the first part my maths teacher does not predict As he says that students must prove themselves.
I am a sixth form student in London hoping to study PPE at Oxford, however my teacher pointed out as a student from an inner city school and a lack of extracurricular i would be doomed. She also kindly pointed out that my GCSEs would not cut it. A lot of my classmates have laughed at me ever since i said that i wanted to go to Oxford.
I Got 4A*s,2As and 2Bs
I also did early entry A/S Philosophy where i got an average of 90% and achieved grade A
I did early entry A/S Maths and achieved a B
I am currently studying A/S Politics, History, English Literature and Latin
A2 Maths and A2 Philosophy
I am predicted A*AAAAB
I possess no extracurricular activities or work experience which puts me at a considerable disadvantage
Essentially i am asking am i good enough for Oxford or am i wasting my time on an unachievable dream?
Thank you
I love politics my Extended project is based upon the lack of representation of women in Politics and the representative nature of the political sysytem
I have read C. Wright Mill’s 'The Power Elite'
Classical Elite theorists including Pareto ‘The Mind and Society' and Mosca's 'The Ruling Class' in my spare time. Also i have looked at feminists with views in politics such as Dr Sarah Childs ‘New Labour's Women MP's: Women Representing Women’ and the work of Dr Mona Lena Krook.
Outside of school i have read the work of J.S Mill's 'On Liberty' and Descartes 'Meditations', because of the interest created when looking at Utilitarianism and the Ontological argument. I truly enjoy philosophy and politics. Maths i am supposesd to be quite strong at in my C3 module at A2 i got an A and this is the first part my maths teacher does not predict As he says that students must prove themselves.
you're gcses are fine you numpty. plus i have two friends who got aabb and aaac at AS (the former attaining ONE a* at gcse) who got in for ppe
oxford put a LOT of weight on the interviews, they're looking for someone they could see teaching for three years, so basically let your enthusiasm for the subject shine through.
extra curriculars aren't necessary, but i'd advise you to pick something up, just to give you an extra asset and make sure you get an interview.
absolutey go for it, good luck
one of my homies: (from a grammar school)
GCSES: 8 A*s 2 As
AS Levels: AAAAA (most modules being 90+ and some even 100)
A Level Prediction: A*A*A*
Extra Curricular: plays rugby and cricket for the school, is a prefect, involved musically etc
Also he got a TSA score in the top 5%
Applied for PPE at Balliol and was automatically reallocated to St Hildas (a fairly modest Oxford college) and didnt get in. I dont mean to scare you but just showing you how competitive it is and how hard you have to work.
you haven't shown how "how competitive it is" or "how hard you have to work". your friend was certainly unlucky, but his story, on its own, does not tell us much about the overall quality of applicants.
lol_wut
your friend was certainly unlucky,
Not really.
BJack
Not really.
with his TSA, i would say that he was.
lol_wut
with his TSA, i would say that he was.
either that or just not a nice person to talk to.
lol_wut
with his TSA, i would say that he was.
The TSA is still only one aspect of the application & decision process. You could say he was unlucky if he was inconspicuously ill at interview time and drastically underperformed as a result, but to assert that somebody's unlucky just because one part of their application is very strong is, I would say, a bit silly.
P.S. I apologize for my nit-picking.
As has been said your GCSEs are fine and you don't need extra-curricular activities.
I do think your maths could be a problem though. PPE puts a lot of emphasis onto maths and getting a B at AS is definitely a problem. You might be better off applying for History and Politics at Oxford or PPS at Cambridge (I think that one has been suggested already). They're both very respectable courses with interesting content and a lack of hardcore maths.
(ex-PPEist)
I do think your maths could be a problem though. PPE puts a lot of emphasis onto maths and getting a B at AS is definitely a problem. You might be better off applying for History and Politics at Oxford or PPS at Cambridge (I think that one has been suggested already). They're both very respectable courses with interesting content and a lack of hardcore maths.
(ex-PPEist)
Hiyer,
I am in year 12 at the moment and am considering a degree in PPE at Oxford. I am really unsure whether i am good enough or do the correct subjects.
I got 7A*s and 4 As at GCSE and chose A levels without any degree in mind. I study Music, Politics, Religious Studies and English Lit. My predicted grades are AAAA. Does not studying economics matter and if so what does anyone advise? I have currently started reading Freakonomics but would appreciate any other useful background reading suggestions.
Thanks
I am in year 12 at the moment and am considering a degree in PPE at Oxford. I am really unsure whether i am good enough or do the correct subjects.
I got 7A*s and 4 As at GCSE and chose A levels without any degree in mind. I study Music, Politics, Religious Studies and English Lit. My predicted grades are AAAA. Does not studying economics matter and if so what does anyone advise? I have currently started reading Freakonomics but would appreciate any other useful background reading suggestions.
Thanks
economics_girl
It's no problem, anytime
My school doesn't offer Politics A level so I'm afraid I don't know very much about it. History perhaps has a stronger academic reputation; I expect Politics A level would be quite different to the study of it at Oxford so you probably won't get that much benefit from doing it. If it was me I would go for History as I think they're looking for skills rather than knowledge if that makes sense. However, it has to be what you would enjoy the most and also do best in!
In terms of languages vs English, there's probably not that much in it really. Don't think you even necessarily have to do either; doing 4AS subjects is enough, and it'll give you more time to focus on each one. Getting 4As looks a lot better than 5Bs (my rationale for only doing 4!). Again, do the one you enjoy and think you'll do best in. As neither is more relevant than the other to PPE, for admissions tutors I doubt it'll make any difference. If you want to go into International Relations, French would probably be more useful than Spanish. But that's all I can say really.
Sorry if that's all a bit vague, but ultimately you need to do something you're going to enjoy as your going to have to sit through a lot of lessons in them for the next two years!
My school doesn't offer Politics A level so I'm afraid I don't know very much about it. History perhaps has a stronger academic reputation; I expect Politics A level would be quite different to the study of it at Oxford so you probably won't get that much benefit from doing it. If it was me I would go for History as I think they're looking for skills rather than knowledge if that makes sense. However, it has to be what you would enjoy the most and also do best in!
In terms of languages vs English, there's probably not that much in it really. Don't think you even necessarily have to do either; doing 4AS subjects is enough, and it'll give you more time to focus on each one. Getting 4As looks a lot better than 5Bs (my rationale for only doing 4!). Again, do the one you enjoy and think you'll do best in. As neither is more relevant than the other to PPE, for admissions tutors I doubt it'll make any difference. If you want to go into International Relations, French would probably be more useful than Spanish. But that's all I can say really.
Sorry if that's all a bit vague, but ultimately you need to do something you're going to enjoy as your going to have to sit through a lot of lessons in them for the next two years!
Ahh, thank you so much.
I really appreciate all your help. Unfortunately, the school I'm going to next year can't allow me to do History, which is rather disappointing because I really had my heart set on it but I can take Politics instead, so it's fine.
I think I will change English Lit. to French
Thank you again!
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