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

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Original post by Bax-man
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Original post by Norbertnorbert
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Original post by Budgie
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I'm going to go look at the university and the colleges on the open days to get the feel of the places.

Do you know any PPE or politics and economics courses at other reputable universities that give AAB offers?

Also, honestly, how much does it matter which college you apply to? What are New, Pembroke and Oriel Colleges like, if you know?
Original post by OneTimer
I'm going to go look at the university and the colleges on the open days to get the feel of the places.

Do you know any PPE or politics and economics courses at other reputable universities that give AAB offers?

Also, honestly, how much does it matter which college you apply to? What are New, Pembroke and Oriel Colleges like, if you know?


Can only speak for New where I have the offer from. New is a really nice large college. It has all the traditions and quirks of Oxford- amazing buildings, Hogwarts style dining hall, quads and beautiful gardens etc.- but doesn't seem as intimidating as other large colleges and had a nice, relaxed atmosphere. Only spent 3 days there though! College choice really doesn't matter in terms of your chances of getting in, but it's down to personal preference where you want to live for 3 years.
I'm studying Maths, Further Maths, Govt.&Politics and Law in Lower 6th right now, almost certainly going to drop Law for A2. In my Jan Modules I got;
100/100 in Maths C1, 66/100 in Maths M1 (I can retake next yr. if need be), 83/100 in Politics, and 59/80 in Law.
So basically AAAB-because the two maths modules make up two A's overall.
I think the PPE course is perfect for me, and the opportunity to study it at Oxford would be fantastic.
I think I can get AAA in Maths, F.Maths and Politics next year in A2.
I'm going to read the books it recommends for PPE on the Oxford website by the way.

Is there any chance I would be able to get into PPE at Oxford if I can achieve AAA in in these subjects???
I'm studying Maths, Further Maths, Govt.&Politics and Law in Lower 6th right now, almost certainly going to drop Law for A2. In my Jan Modules I got;
100/100 in Maths C1, 66/100 in Maths M1 (I can retake next yr. if need be), 83/100 in Politics, and 59/80 in Law.
So basically AAAB-because the two maths modules make up two A's overall.
I think the PPE course is perfect for me, and the opportunity to study it at Oxford would be fantastic.
I think I can get AAA in Maths, F.Maths and Politics next year in A2.
I'm going to read the books it recommends for PPE on the Oxford website by the way.

Is there any chance I would be able to get into PPE at Oxford if I can achieve AAA in in these subjects???
Reply 6124
Avatar for Bovrick
Bovrick
Original post by GriffoPolitics

Is there any chance I would be able to get into PPE at Oxford if I can achieve AAA in in these subjects???


Yes there is a chance, just like with every other university. Apply, see how you do, the worst that can happen is you don't get in, and you pick from your other 4 options.
Philosophy?
Reply 6126
Avatar for Bax-man
Bax-man
2
I've just received my PPE materials list for over the summer and the first year. The lists for economics and philosophy are sensible enough, but there are about twenty or so more texts for politics. Purchasing all of the texts strikes me as being excessive - can someone suggest which politics books they found particularly useful, either as preparation or during their first year?
if you're desperate read the theory primary texts, but you don't need to read any
Original post by Bax-man
I've just received my PPE materials list for over the summer and the first year. The lists for economics and philosophy are sensible enough, but there are about twenty or so more texts for politics. Purchasing all of the texts strikes me as being excessive - can someone suggest which politics books they found particularly useful, either as preparation or during their first year?


Any possibility you could scan this and send it to me? I haven't received anything, and I'm not really sure what I will receive as an open offer holder. Interested in seeing it/getting on.
I'm in lower sixth and studying Politics, Economics, Maths and History. I'm really stuck about what to drop next year. Oxford recommends but doesn't require history and maths however if I want to study a subject with Politics and Economics in the name its probably a good idea to have them at A2. Maths is definitely my weakest subject and I'm not guaranteed an A even if I put in work - I'm just not a maths kinda guy.

Has anyone got any advice for which to drop?

And I know its probably come up, but has anyone got any economics further reading that isn't something like Freakonomics?
Reply 6130
Avatar for Budgie
Budgie
12
Original post by BRIGGSY.
I'm in lower sixth and studying Politics, Economics, Maths and History. I'm really stuck about what to drop next year. Oxford recommends but doesn't require history and maths however if I want to study a subject with Politics and Economics in the name its probably a good idea to have them at A2. Maths is definitely my weakest subject and I'm not guaranteed an A even if I put in work - I'm just not a maths kinda guy.

Has anyone got any advice for which to drop?

And I know its probably come up, but has anyone got any economics further reading that isn't something like Freakonomics?


Firstly, there's a reason Oxford recommend History and Maths and not any of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; it's that they are more useful. So it's a better idea to keep both of them than to go for Politics and Economics just based on their name. Based on the fact that History and Maths are recommended, my anecdotal experience that of those two Maths is the more important, and the fact that Politics is seen as a weaker A level than Economics, I would say from a pure admissions point of view, ceteris paribus:

History, Maths, Economics > History, Maths, Politics > Maths, Politics, Economics > History, Politics, Economics

Also, do keep in mind that if you're "not a maths kind of guy" it's very unlikely that you will to enjoy economics at university level, unless you have a change of heart. You can, of course, drop it after first year, but be aware that economics at university is unlike economics at A-level; there is a lot of calculus. Additionally, first year Logic is said by some to appeal to mathematical brains. Maths is seen as important enough by admissions tutors that I know a PPEist who in addition to her standard 3 A offer had to also get an A in AS Maths which she was taking in upper sixth.

Without recommending a textbook it's hard to recommend books other than those like Freakonomics and The Undercover Economist as preparatory reading. You don't have the technical knowledge necessary to read academic papers yet, and while you could read something like Keynes' The General Theory, it would be much harder to talk about competently in interview. Perhaps as a 'step up' from the ultra pop books you could read something like Krugman's The Return of Depression Economics; but that's still pretty pop.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 6131
Avatar for Budgie
Budgie
12
Original post by BRIGGSY.
Thanks for the quick reply.
I am genuinely interested in economics and I don't think (wow this is going to make me sound big-headed) it's a lack of capability in Maths but I just don't have as strong an interest in it as I do for my other subjects.
I know it's probably available on the website but you seem to know a fair bit; is there much pure maths for the economics part of the course or is it mainly, for lack of a better word, 'useful' in relation to economics?


A lot of first year economics is about maximising or minimising functions subject to constraints; for example maximising a utility function subject to a budget constraint if you are a consumer, or minimising costs subject to holding production at a certain level if you are a firm. For this, you use tools which are found in A-level maths, plus some extra. So, for example, you use the product, quotient, and chain rules, implicit differentiation etc. You also learn additional techniques, such as Lagrange multipliers for constrained optimisation. It's not pure maths insofar as you're solving applied questions, but you're still using the techniques. If anything you have to know them better to apply them outside a pure maths context.

It's not that hard but you need to be good at it. It's not just being able to solve the maths though; a lot of the reading is mathematical and graphical demonstrations in textbooks which use these techniques. You need to be comfortable reading and taking in quantitative material.

If you take economics past first year, you do the Quantitative Economics paper. The first third of this paper is basically A level S1 and S2. The rest of it builds on this and you learn about regressions etc; all highly quantitative. If you were to choose papers such as Econometrics, Microeconomic Theory or Mathematical Methods in Economics you would use more advanced mathematical techniqeus.
Reply 6132
Avatar for Bax-man
Bax-man
2
Original post by Philosopher-of-sorts
Any possibility you could scan this and send it to me? I haven't received anything, and I'm not really sure what I will receive as an open offer holder. Interested in seeing it/getting on.


Sure. I'll do that tomorrow and put the link on your Facebook Wall tomorrow, Mr. B.
Original post by Bax-man
Sure. I'll do that tomorrow and put the link on your Facebook Wall tomorrow, Mr. B.


Cheers, that'd be great.
Original post by Philosopher-of-sorts
Cheers, that'd be great.


Any chance you could put it on the group thingo?
Reply 6135
Avatar for Bax-man
Bax-man
2
Original post by m-rob
Any chance you could put it on the group thingo?



Original post by Philosopher-of-sorts
Cheers, that'd be great.


Done and done.
Reply 6136
Avatar for Bezzler
Bezzler
1
Original post by student48
I'm currently in lower 6th, about to take my AS's in Politics, maths, economics and history, and it is looking like i should (hopefully) get 4 A's. I want to apply to Oxford for PPE, but my GCSE's were a massive dissapointment - 2 A*'s, 7A's, 1B; (A*'s were in IGCSE maths and philosophy + ethics. is there any point in applying with those gcse's?? also, how many places are there, and is PPE more competitive than straight economics?
Thanks.


You can't do straight economics. You can do economics and management, which I think is the most competitive undergrad course (certainly one of the most, I'm pretty sure it used to be the most) there is. Your GCSEs won't rule you out, but you'll have to get a slightly more impressive score on the TSA to make up for them.
Original post by Bax-man
Done and done.


What secret facebook group page have you posted it on, if I may ask? Is there a group for 2011 freshers / PPEists? Not that it would be very surprising, but my previous search didn't yield anything... So unless my not finding it on my own disqualifies me from becoming a member due to not meeting the cleverness threshold, I'd love to get a hint how to find those... :colondollar:
Original post by Yaw-Bruni
What secret facebook group page have you posted it on, if I may ask? Is there a group for 2011 freshers / PPEists? Not that it would be very surprising, but my previous search didn't yield anything... So unless my not finding it on my own disqualifies me from becoming a member due to not meeting the cleverness threshold, I'd love to get a hint how to find those... :colondollar:


Link here
Original post by Philosopher-of-sorts


excellent! thanks a lot :smile:

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