Saturday

Thinking Skills Assessment

To help decide whether to invite you to interview for PPE at Oxford, you will be asked to sit the TSA.

There are two key components to this test:
  • Part 1 is about logical thinking, breaking down problems, interpreting data and spotting themes and flaws in arguments. You are asked to complete a large number of questions with only a limited amount of time for each one. 
  • Part 2 is about structuring your own thoughts in an essay. You are asked to write a essay and you have the choice of several different titles. 

Key to success is the ability to calmly and rationally assess a question - break it into its component parts, analyse the assumptions being made and challenge them. You must also work quickly - make sure you don't run out of time. 

To practice, you can access the specimen and past papers here at the TSA website.