- Some Neoliberals say that poor people are poor because they are too lazy to work, what are your thoughts?
- Does the welfare state trap people into poverty?
- A new country is formed in Africa. …
- Does a balance of trade deficit matter?
- Why do you believe what your teachers tell you?
There are many myths surrounding the interview process so this will hopefully clear some of them up and reassure anyone that is feeling nervous (which is completely normal).
I applied to read PPE at Christ Church. Interviews are held by the college you applied to, although some people get moved to another college pre interviews and if you made an open application, you will be assigned a college. There is no meaning behind if you get moved to another college when you get invited to interview!
I was scheduled to have two interviews, I was one of the few who had both scheduled for the first day of interviews. I dreaded having them both in the same day but it also turned out to be a good thing as I had time to explore Oxford stress-free! You are told to wait around for a few days even after interviews as there is a chance that you might get asked to do an interview at another college. Again, there is no need to be worried if this happens to you! I know a friend who was interviewed at three different colleges and she got a place! I also know a friend who was only interviewed at the college she applied to and then got a place at another college. All colleges are lovely so do not stress out if this happens!
My first interview was a philosophy one and this lasted half an hour. I was given a thought experiment to respond to. I was not asked anything technical, as will often be the case with humanities as having studied philosophy is not a prerequisite for PPE. I was initially asked: Imagine an island with around 20 people and they live by the law do not do anything immoral, would this be good society? This then led to a discussion where the tutor would continuously challenge my view. Some good advice would be to practice thinking out loud as the tutors want to see how you approach a question and what your thought process is.
My second interview was in the same room and took place right after my first. This was a half an hour economics interview. Some questions I was asked: How can you measure how rich a country is? Why are there differences in countries’ wealth? What do you mean by human capital, aspects that are easy to measure give example and those that are harder to measure? Why might there be lower start up rates in UK vs America? Again, they do not assume any economic knowledge but you should have some basic economic understanding.
My third interview was an hour long politics interview. I had two tutors, one led for the first half and the other for the second half. Some things I was asked: In your opinion what is the most powerful nation? Why? Where does this power come from? In the second half, it was very analytical and I had to interpret a graph. But again, I had not studied politics before so had no technical knowledge and was not asked anything technical.
· Have a go! Even if you think you cannot answer it, throw out an idea as often bravery in thought is what they are looking for.
· Do not be put off if they are taking notes, this will usually be the case.
· Lastly, enjoy the process! It should be an exciting opportunity to debate some really interesting topics and be challenged by some pretty amazing people!
Oxford University PPE (Politics and Philosophy) INTERVIEW!!
This question focuses on the concept of personhood and identity. It is the type of question which might throw you so make sure that before you tackle it, you sit back and think about what the Admissions Tutor is really asking you. For the sake of this example, there are three people in the room.
Being prepared to engage with new concepts during the Interview and responding to the questions asked of you is key. Do not worry about making mistakes or not understanding a concept, the purpose of the Interview is to assess how you would cope being taught in the tutorials at Oxford and how you would handle the tutor teaching you. Good luck with your PPE Interview!
This is bad as it fails to consider any other potential approach to the idea of personhood. The candidate assumes that the way we tend to count people is inherently true without questioning this at all. It also becomes argumentative in a way that can be tempting if faced with a difficult question, which is particularly unhelpful in a philosophy Interview.
As the course covers three subjects, the PPE Interview is not alike others held at Oxford. Why? There is no set format in what you will be asked so it’s crucial you understand how to answer the common questions. In this guide, we’ll go through the common PPE Interview questions to help you prepare for the big day.
“I think that people are often tempted to look for simple explanations behind complicated issues. This is why extreme political parties are so successful: they provide the population with easily identifiable scapegoats such as ‘the current government’, ‘immigrants’, or ‘the EU’, and blame them for every economic and social problem. In reality, issues such as unemployment have many reasons. One of them could be the discrepancy between supply and demand: what type of jobs people are prepared for at schools and universities, and what type of jobs are offered on the market. For instance, in Scandinavian countries, when an unemployed individual cannot find work for a certain period of time, he is offered courses that allow him to perform a different type of work, with more demand. Another reason could indeed be globalisation, with the international economic crisis, and many companies moving abroad to reduce costs. However, this does not justify oversimplifying the issue by blaming solely external factors such as foreigners or international organisations. Instead, efforts should be made to better adapt the national system to the realities of the globalised world.”
What To Expect At An Oxford PPE Interview
Most students tend to have an Interview for each subject that makes up the PPE course. Although, this can vary and you can also be invited for further Interviews at other colleges.
What happens in the Interviews themselves can also vary a lot, but candidates most often receive some sort of new material and are assessed by how they respond to it – this may be anything from a graph to an article
What the Admissions Tutors are trying to do is see how you process new information. Be prepared to be questioned on your stance. Don’t worry though, it is okay to adapt it according to new information.
It is not a test of existing knowledge, it is aimed at assessing the candidate’s potential for future development. The Interviews are meant to be like mini-tutorials so the Admissions Tutor is keen to see how you fare in such an environment.
There are four areas that are being assessed during the Interview, which the Admissions Tutor is looking for to determine your potential for future development. These are:
Understanding:
This can be shown in (for example) a candidate’s ability to listen carefully, to analyse problems, to identify the premises and conclusions of arguments, and to express in their own words someone else’s ideas.
Intellectual flexibility:
This can be demonstrated by (for example) a candidate’s willingness to consider alternative views, and readiness to respond to problems and criticisms.
Critical thinking and problem-solving:
This can be shown in (for example) a candidate’s ability to adopt logical and critical approaches to problems, to critically assess arguments, to identify good and bad reasons for believing a particular claim, to assess relevance, and to think independently.
Communication:
This can be demonstrated by (for example) a candidate’s willingness to express ideas clearly, to give considered responses to questions, and to address the point under discussion instead of veering off topic.
Oxford only Interview people they feel have a realistic chance of getting in and being successful on the PPE course, so being invited to attend is a massive accomplishment.
How To Prepare For The Oxford PPE Interview
Candidates are not expected to have studied Philosophy, Politics or Economics at school, but they should be interested in the subjects and be prepared to put their minds to problems of PPE presented to them.
Throughout the Interview, the Admissions Tutors are looking for commitment and motivation to the course as well as evidence of academic potential. They want to see that you have really engaged with the three subjects and have a passion for them.
A key recommendation is to obtain a reasonable grasp of the workings of the social and political world in which we live. Keeping up to date with current affairs by engaging with the news will be crucial to a successful application.
As you are not expected to know about these subjects before applying, being able to demonstrate an interest in ideally two of the subjects through extra-curricular reading will show this desire to study PPE.
Wider reading shows that you are really engaged with what the course entails, especially when you have not studied them before.
Oxford recommends some introductory texts for each discipline which acts as a solid starting point for your preparation.
Additionally, it is important to find out what interests you as an individual. This will not only make sure that PPE is the right choice for you but exactly what you are interested in.
This will make it easier to communicate your passion for the subject and will make you stand out as an individual.
Don’t wait until you get invited for an Interview to start your preparation, getting started early will put you on course for Interview success.
Waiting to be invited for an Interview means you won’t be left with enough time to prepare for your Interview. Check out our Oxford PPE Interview Programme to gain essential Interview preparation.
My second interview was in the same room and took place right after my first. This was a half an hour economics interview. Some questions I was asked: How can you measure how rich a country is? Why are there differences in countries’ wealth? What do you mean by human capital, aspects that are easy to measure give example and those that are harder to measure? Why might there be lower start up rates in UK vs America? Again, they do not assume any economic knowledge but you should have some basic economic understanding.
I was scheduled to have two interviews, I was one of the few who had both scheduled for the first day of interviews. I dreaded having them both in the same day but it also turned out to be a good thing as I had time to explore Oxford stress-free! You are told to wait around for a few days even after interviews as there is a chance that you might get asked to do an interview at another college. Again, there is no need to be worried if this happens to you! I know a friend who was interviewed at three different colleges and she got a place! I also know a friend who was only interviewed at the college she applied to and then got a place at another college. All colleges are lovely so do not stress out if this happens!
My first interview was a philosophy one and this lasted half an hour. I was given a thought experiment to respond to. I was not asked anything technical, as will often be the case with humanities as having studied philosophy is not a prerequisite for PPE. I was initially asked: Imagine an island with around 20 people and they live by the law do not do anything immoral, would this be good society? This then led to a discussion where the tutor would continuously challenge my view. Some good advice would be to practice thinking out loud as the tutors want to see how you approach a question and what your thought process is.
There are many myths surrounding the interview process so this will hopefully clear some of them up and reassure anyone that is feeling nervous (which is completely normal).
· Do not be put off if they are taking notes, this will usually be the case.
FAQ
How do I prepare for Oxford PPE interview?
- A good reading list is important. Some suggestions here: PPE reading list.
- But, also do follow your own interests. A good economics book to read is one that you find interesting. …
- Personal statement – mainly about your academic studies. Need to show why you would be a good interesting candidate.
How long is an Oxford PPE interview?
How many interviews do you need for Oxford PPE?
How do you prepare for a philosophy interview?
- Think about your ideas. …
- Talk about philosophy. …
- Practice constructing your philosophical thoughts clearly. …
- Build a bank of interesting concepts and philosophers.
