Applying for PPE at Oxford University

Readers Question: Basically I wanted to ask you about the PPE course, as you have obviously studied it. I’d really appreciate it if you could advise me on my AS subjects, whether they’d be suitable for PPE: English Literature, History, Politics & Economics. I’m particularly worried about not having Maths as a subject. I did phone the Oxford Admissions department and was told it shouldn’t matter if I haven’t studied Maths at AS, but I should be wary there is a of Maths involved in the Economics side. The thing is I’m just “okay” at Maths, I expect an A at (i)Gcse when I get my results, but I just can’t imagine being good enough to study it at university, yet I’m sure PPE is the course for me!

The first year, you do all three subjects. The first year economics, is based on A Level economics. There is not any significant maths apart from GCSE style maths. After the first year, you need to choose 8 options (you can drop one subject or do all 3). I choose 3 Economics and 5 Politics. The economics I chose were

• Micro economics
• Macro Economics
• Development Economics

Again in these 3 choices there was no really complex maths. I don’t remember ever having to use calculus or anything like that. I’m sure there were economic choices that did involve a lot of maths, but, you can avoid them. At least that was the case 10 years ago. I doubt they have changed their syllabus.

Basically, I never used A Level maths in studying PPE. If the admissions people say it is nothing to worry about that is good.

It is much more of an advantage to have A Level economics than A Level Maths. If you have done A Level economics it definitely makes the first year a lot easier. Your A Level textbook will be useful, so definitely take it with you.

I found logic (part of philosophy) very difficult. It’s kind of mathematical but not the maths you study at A Level. I dropped logic at the first opportunity. ( See interview link at bottom)

Also I’d appreciate if you could advise me on anything at all that I can do from now, to increase my chances of getting into Oxford to study PPE.

Develop a knowledge of current economic issues e.g.

• the credit crunch

Try to see issues from a non standard perspective. Develop opinions on subjects and practise articulating them. This is what the interview will be focusing on e.g.

• Can a recession really be good?

Read more from around the subject.

• You don’t need to read complex and tedious books like Das Capital by Marx and wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Read short introductions to people like Keynes, Friedman, Marx. If it was me preparing, I’d read something like ‘Marx for Dummies’ to grasp the essentials of his thought.

Get Alot of Interview Practise.

The interview counts for a lot. Many can get 3 As so it is the interview where they select canditates. I do many ‘mock interviews’ and am often shocked at the low standard of potential applicants in interviews. Join a debating society or something like that.

• Preparing for Economics interview