Thanks! And how do you register for the TSA…is that when you apply on the UCAS as well?
And can you explain what you mean by the test being a pain to organize (ie do you mean travel, working it out at my school, etc.)?
I’m also wondering if Oxford also looks at Group A vs. Group B AP exams, because I read on the requirements that it’s the exams that most pertain to the subject you are applying for.
Here is the link to the TSA:
There are a handful of US test centres, but if you can’t get to them you have to get your school to register, which can be difficult. Be aware that if you go the UK route you will have to take on more responsibility for your college process: they don’t do hand-holding the way the US does.
As to meeting requirement: to be clear: none of us is an Oxford tutor. None of us can say categorically that Oxford will- or won’t- take AP Psych, a B subject, as your 3rd score b/c it relates to the subject that you are applying to study. What we can say is that:
-
there are subjects for which there are no, or few APs, and you are still expected to have 3; in those cases you take APs that require similar kinds of thinking or work.
-
getting into Oxford is very competitive and they are looking for focused, achiever type students; it is possible to get in with the minimum requirements- but the people who succeed at that usually have something else up their sleeve. I know somebody who got in for Math with 3 SAT II subject tests, which seems crazy until you find out that he blew the MAT out of the water, had done well in some very strong international math competitions (whose dates conflicted with the APs, which is why he didn’t take them), and nailed the interview.
That may be you- nobody here can know that. But, trying to parse what’s the minimum you have to do is not- imo- the path to success. It makes sense to do what you can to put the strongest possible application forward. Offer conditions can be extremely specific. Here’s a detailed example of a student applying for a joint history course. Applied with 5s on the following APs: World Hx, US Gov, Lit, and Lang (plus some assorted SAT subject tests that mostly duplicated the APs): so, 1.5 directly relevant and 2 related type exams. Scheduled to sit Euro, US History, Comp Gov and Latin. Offer conditions were: 5’s on 3 of the 4 exams, to include Euro or US History (he met the conditions, btw).
Thanks! I think I found a test centre near me, but how does registration work? Do we submit our test centre on the UCAS app or do we have to register as soon as UCAS opens by calling the centre?
And I’m also planning on taking the SAT II for psych, macroeconomics, and biology in June (I might as well because we can take up to 3 in one day I believe), so hopefully that adds some leverage.
Another question: how do I prepare for the TSA? I see some links on the website and I’ll definitely be using those, but are there prep books too? It seems sort of similar to the SAT…
Does Oxford send out acceptances in August too? Because the apps are submitted rather early, but I can also imagine the flood of applicants that they deal with every year.
@Alcibiades had a daughter go through the process and currently in one of Oxbridge.
I just realized that SAT II doesn’t include subjects like macro and psych…I might go for bio in June and Math II in November, so I can submit that on UCAS after I get the results (does this work?).
Another quick question: if I apply for normal economics, am I also allowed to apply for the PPE program? I always liked the idea of PPE but I know it’s even more competitive, but I feel like I’m willing to work hard enough to give it a go.
You register directly with the test center. There are no test books for the TSA, but the papers for the last 5 or 6 years are online.
Application deadline is 15 October, tests are 4 November. Sometime in late November interview offers go out, and interviews are in early December. Formal responses go out in January (yes, yes with conditions, no). Once you have ‘firmed’ that you accept an offer you won’t hear much more until the UK results come out in August.
You can only apply to one course at Oxford. It has happened that somebody applying for A+B has been asked if they would be interested in just A or just B; it absolutely never happens that somebody applying for A or B is asked if they want to add the other. I have never heard of PPE applicants being offered just econ or just philosophy (there is no just politics)- that does not mean that it has never ever happened, just that I haven’t heard of it.
Those are just as helpful, so I’ll be sure to use those to prep!
When’s the best time to call the test centre? Would it be ASAP or just when the UCAS opens?
And say you firm your offer, does that mean you’re officially set to go there and you just won’t get a formal letter until August? And when do you start uni? Is it September or October?
No, your conditional offer becomes firm in August.
Oh okay, so you’re basically saying yes to an offer with conditions right?
Yes. Then you must meet your conditions :).in your case you’ll have depoait d at a us college on may1st so you’d be fine either way.
So say I get accepted to Oxford or LSE, I can remove my deposit and transfer right?
No, you will lose your deposit. You just inform your us college you won’t be attending after all. And you don’t transfer unless you were already taking college classes in the us.
I mean, if I get into either Oxford or LSE, I’d be happy to go so the $100 isn’t a big issue.
Do you know how we sign up for the TSA?
ok, @polarbear143, it’s time for a reality check & some tough love 
First, reality check: if you are going to go university in the UK you will discover that you don’t get US-style handholding: you are expected to figure things out for yourself.
Then, tough love: you have been given the link for the TSA website. On the first page there is a button labelled “How to Register”. If you can’t follow that process through on your own Oxford may not be the right place for you…
I understand. In my mind, if the education is worth it, I’m willing to take the leap!
And I opened the link on my phone so I didn’t see “How to Register” button, but I found it now, so I’ll use the instructions
let us know how you get on
Will do! I had another question about the tariff table though: are the points there for the schools to evaluate how you did in comparison to other applicants, or is there a certain number of points you need to get to even be considered?
Oh, and are recommendation letters required for the UCAS (and how many)? Because if they are, I’m thinking of asking for them by the end of June before school lets out, so it doesn’t feel too strained by the time the applications open up (especially since Oxford’s is due October 15).
They’re the points you need to have if you want to have a shot. There’s a table that converts AP scores per subject (some are worth more than others).
You only need one letter of recommendation and you cannot submit your application until it’s uploaded, so the recommendation letter needs to be uploaded before October 14th. In addition, it’s different from American LORs in that it needs to focus very specifically on your curriculum and intellectual prowess, with actual examples).