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

My A Level Subjects are Politics , Economics , Biology , Maths and German.

Are the fine

Reply 6781

Mr Inquisitive

Original post by -FSH-

My A Level Subjects are Politics , Economics , Biology , Maths and German.

Are the fine

History would be good, but yeah they're fine

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 6782

-FSH-

Original post by Mr Inquisitive

History would be good, but yeah they're fine

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Well , I have done GCSE History. Do you think they will consider that?

Reply 6783

Mr Inquisitive

Original post by -FSH-

Well , I have done GCSE History. Do you think they will consider that?

Not really. They suggest that History and Maths A-Levels are 'helpful', so it's your call really

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 6784

Mouth

12

Going to buy some books today!
Getting the anthology of philosophy in the post above and will probably buy Utilitarianism.

Anyone have any good economics books? Something that's different and interesting (not freakonomics etc :lol:

)

Edit: And I know I've asked this before but I still don't know what to do!
I'm doing Maths, Econ, Politics and History and need to drop one. Should I drop history or politics? I think I would do better in politics and more likely get an A (I got 99% this year) but I know that history is more highly regarded for PPE?

And it worries me when I look at the stalking pages and every single PPE applicant is doing at least 4 A2s. Am I at a disadvantage only doing 3, as much as Unis tell you it makes no difference?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6785

Okay, hi

I was just reading some of the posts about AS results and had a similar query.

I am doing Pre-U History, averaging around a D3 in that at the moment, will probably improve. I got A in AS French, B in AS Biology (2 marks from A, probably get a remark), C in AS Chemistry :frown:

(made me slightly sad) and then got a complete range for Maths. and FM (averaged a B though, resitting some) but I don't get a final grade for that until next August because of Edexcel's swapping-modules-around-for-highest-possible-grades thing.

Bearing those grades in mind, and the fact that I have had extenuating circumstances with severe illness in the family and the onset of an illness myself, is it worth applying? I just feel like if after A2s, I find that my grades are sufficiently good, I will apply for PPE anyway. Currently I'm thinking History/Politics, but I've always been a PPE candidate up until my results threw me.

Advice?

Reply 6786

Original post by loopy786

Okay, hi

I was just reading some of the posts about AS results and had a similar query.

I am doing Pre-U History, averaging around a D3 in that at the moment, will probably improve. I got A in AS French, B in AS Biology (2 marks from A, probably get a remark), C in AS Chemistry :frown:

(made me slightly sad) and then got a complete range for Maths. and FM (averaged a B though, resitting some) but I don't get a final grade for that until next August because of Edexcel's swapping-modules-around-for-highest-possible-grades thing.

Bearing those grades in mind, and the fact that I have had extenuating circumstances with severe illness in the family and the onset of an illness myself, is it worth applying? I just feel like if after A2s, I find that my grades are sufficiently good, I will apply for PPE anyway. Currently I'm thinking History/Politics, but I've always been a PPE candidate up until my results threw me.

Advice?

Your AS marks play only a small part and they will take the extenuating circumstances into account. If you have strong GCSEs and you think you can do well at the TSA, I see no reason why you shouldn't apply.

Reply 6787

SamF1992

Original post by Mouth

Going to buy some books today!
Getting the anthology of philosophy in the post above and will probably buy Utilitarianism.

Anyone have any good economics books? Something that's different and interesting (not freakonomics etc :lol:

)

Edit: And I know I've asked this before but I still don't know what to do!
I'm doing Maths, Econ, Politics and History and need to drop one. Should I drop history or politics? I think I would do better in politics and more likely get an A (I got 99% this year) but I know that history is more highly regarded for PPE?

And it worries me when I look at the stalking pages and every single PPE applicant is doing at least 4 A2s. Am I at a disadvantage only doing 3, as much as Unis tell you it makes no difference?

Only having 3 A2's won't disadvantage you. You sound like you want to carry Politics on in all honesty, so I'd say don't drop it if you want to carry it on

Reply 6788

username537823

14

economics is an essay writing subject, anyone who has done it knows that, especially at A2, and even if u don't have history, hardly matters, because they will see your essay writing abilities in the TSA.

Reply 6789

Is a score of 71.3 (converted score) in section 1 of the TSA good? Or perhaps the question I really want the answer to- is it good enough?

Thanks. :smile:

Reply 6790

Original post by loopy786

Is a score of 71.3 (converted score) in section 1 of the TSA good? Or perhaps the question I really want the answer to- is it good enough?

Thanks. :smile:

It's well off the cut-off point for interview, which hangs at around 63 to 65. Last year, the top mark was only 84ish, so it's around the middle of the stronger applicants. Start getting into the mid-70s and you have a genuinely strong score right there.

Reply 6791

Original post by TopHat

It's well off the cut-off point for interview, which hangs at around 63 to 65. Last year, the top mark was only 84ish, so it's around the middle of the stronger applicants. Start getting into the mid-70s and you have a genuinely strong score right there.

Oh okay, that was an unexpected response considering that was my first ever TSA, so maybe if I practice, I can get it to be a stronger score. Thanks. :biggrin:

Reply 6792

Original post by loopy786

Oh okay, that was an unexpected response considering that was my first ever TSA, so maybe if I practice, I can get it to be a stronger score. Thanks. :biggrin:

I had a pretty similar pattern - started at around the low 70s, made it to the high 70s through practice, then managed an 80+ in the real thing. Practice really does make a big difference!

Reply 6793

Original post by katiescarlett03

I'm about to go into year 12 and am thinking of studying PPE. Hopefully I'll apply to oxford and also Durham/Warwick/York! I just want to check whether I have okay A level choices and also ok gcse grades! It's so competitive so I don't want to waste time applying!

My A levels are Physics, Maths, History, Politics and then Religious Philosophy
In my Gcse's I got eight a* and two a's
Also I'm not taking economics even though my school offers it, will that harm my application. Ive also never studied economics so I dont know if I would enjoy it/be good at it? Any books I can read to begin to familiarize myself?

Sorry for writing loads!
Thanks :smile:

Hello. Your A-levels are a very strong range. Politics and Religious Philosophy are perhaps a little weaker than the others, but there's not much I'd recommend over them, especially if you enjoy them. Your GCSEs are the average for a successful applicant (compared to about 7 A*s for the average applicant).

Not taking Economics won't hurt your application. AS and A2 Economics is not really that challenging as a subject, and what you learn at uni will extremely rapidly supersede what you've learnt at AS. If you do want to read some good books, then:

Jeffrey Sachs Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet
Paul Krugman The Return of Depression Economics
Paul Krugman The Accidental Theorist and other Dispatches from the Dismal Science
Paul Krugman The Great Unravelling: Losing our Way in the New Century
Christopher Huhne and James Forder Both Sides of the Coin
William Easterly The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good
Paul Collier The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It
Jeffrey Sachs The End of Poverty

are books all recommended on the Balliol Reading list.

Reply 6794

SamF1992

Yeah don't worry about not studying Economics, the A level holds no relevance to the degree subject, most people haven't studied all of the three disciplines prior to applying, and you only have to do it for a year anyway.

Reply 6795

katiescarlett03

Thank you so much! I better get down to the library :smile:

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 6796

Original post by TopHat

I had a pretty similar pattern - started at around the low 70s, made it to the high 70s through practice, then managed an 80+ in the real thing. Practice really does make a big difference!

Do you think, in that case, that a score like 80+ could make up for my AS grades even though I had extenuating circumstances? I just want to get an interview and then hope for the best. :tongue:

Reply 6797

tooambitious

Original post by loopy786

Do you think, in that case, that a score like 80+ could make up for my AS grades even though I had extenuating circumstances? I just want to get an interview and then hope for the best. :tongue:

It could, perhaps, but depending on the questions you get wrong that could mean getting like 47+/50 which may be fine when youre at home, but in exam conditions I imagine it's much harder, with you ASs and extenuated circumstances explained, 70/5+ could be enough for interview

Reply 6798

Mouth

12

Was does 70 equate to (usually) /50 on the first part?
Haven't even thought about the essay yet... and I'm not the best essay writer.

Reply 6799

tooambitious