A Levels for PPE?

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DNiece has to complete A Level application by Tuesday. She's been set on doing either PPE or History and Economics at university and is very academically able, is most interested in the Oxford PPE course. Her prospective 6th form (heavily) encourages 4 A Levels for more able students.

So far, her options for History, Economics and Maths. As a fourth option she's considering Geography or Psychology. She is predicted a 9 at GCSE geography but has never had the chance to study psychology before.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to which of these options would be most useful (or if there's anything else you would consider beneficial)? Thanks

Oxford University states that: ‘Our courses require students to have not less than three A levels, or other equivalent qualifications. Many candidates do take additional AS levels, A levels, or other qualifications such as the EPQ. These additional qualifications can be one way of demonstrating the academic abilities that will be required for the intense studying of an Oxford degree but they are not essential.’

For PPE I would think History Maths ( further maths if as 4th subject - not one of 3 - available ) & Theology / Philosophy ( which is a proper essay based but logical subject )

From the Oxford PPE admissions page:
You may apply for PPE having done any combination of subjects at school; it is not necessary to have studied Politics, Philosophy or Economics. History and Mathematics are useful backgrounds, but are not essential.

My DC has an interview for PPE at Oxford starting on Sunday. If they are lucky enough to be offered a place, they will receive the standard offer of AAA. They are taking maths, history and English Language with an EPQ looking at a global political & economic issue. The EPQ will hopefully give them something to talk about next week.

As a side note, they haven't been predicted straight A stars at A level and didn't get straight A stars or grade 9s at GCSE. Shock, horror, they even had a lowly grade 6 and also technically failed one subject, but Oxford is willing to give them a chance to show what they can do.

A friend who is taking maths, psychology & biology also has an interview. Oxford really doesn't seem to be that bothered about A level subjects, as they seem to focus on the TSA.

Do it not depend slightly on which two subjects you are likely to want to take forward into your second year. Economics without maths is tough. However maths is less important if you lean towards philosophy and politics.

This is pure anecdote - so no-one come down on me like a ton of bricks , but 1. A teacher at DS's school said if you want to do anything with Economics - do Maths but also 2. DS went to meet a friend once and was a bit early so stood at the back of a philosophy lecture and said it was more like maths than anything else he had seen - so he did say Philosophy is not all about lounging around in black polo necked jumpers and smoking roll ups and shooting the breeze

I warned you it was anecdotal

For avoidance of doubt my son is not a talented mathematician , he did History.

EPQs may not form part of formal offers. But my goodness they’re really valuable to the student. Both my DC enjoyed the process of research and it’s freedom and found once they got to Oxbridge in one case, it gave them the confidence to use a library properly, and cite references and study independently. It really does give them a head start

I gave the stats on 4 A level candidates earlier! A higher proportion of these candidates are successful. All the stats are available for 2018 applications and several years before that on the Oxford PPE web site. 3 A level candidates are the majority as you would expect and the stats cover those with 4A and 3A, 2A and 1A all shown in bar charts with successful, interviewed and rejected numbers. So you can see the better chance of being successful is 4xA* but they are possibly not the majority of successful students due to the lower numbers doing 4 A levels. You would need to prep for interview but Oxford don’t look at EPQ. They do look at GCSEs though.

The info I found clearly says the subjects the majority of candidates offer in addition to History and Maths. I think I said over 75% offer a subject allied to PPE. This choice of subject seems to give best chance of success. In addition they find those taking maths score more highly in the pre test than those that don’t. So maths A level is possibly very important if you wish to be succesful in getting an interview. The idea that any subject is ok because Oxford are vague and say any subject will do just doesn’t bear up when you scrutinise their stats. They should be clearer about this in their admission info. You do have to search to find it and many people on here don’t seem capable of that. Teachers should do it and be informed.

The best choice is 4 A levels, all at A*, Maths, History and 2 that compliment the subjects and then a high score in the pre test. They also take a very high account of GCSEs. The same as predicted A levels and the tsa test. So someone with 7&8s will not get the rating of DCs with 8/9s, assuming predicted A level grades are the same. PPE is ultra competitive and isn’t the same entry profile as many other subjects. Some subjects take 33% of applicants. PPE is 12%. Therefore with over 2338 applications many are disappointed.

Arrived at this post after a friend said her son has chosen PPE at Uni. Made me cross - Christ, he is only 12!
Sure, there are posts here from many very educated, knowledgeable people but it's clear that this choice of subject is parent led. How many of your children, hand on heart, have a profound interest in the material they will have to study.
I understand the degree may land a well paid job. Such a shame though if the job turns out to be a bore for the next 40 years.
My daughter, from an average State school, is predicted As at GCSE, will choose her own A Levels, and is thinking about Chemistry at Uni. She has her own mind.

@Ellmau

Either would be fine as a fourth subject. Or any essay based subject, or a language would be beneficial (esp if she ends up going in the history direction). Psychology is sometimes regarded as a softer A level, fwiw.

Not anymore it isn't

@Andrew101my DDs have chosen their own courses, from GCSE onwards. At the end of the day, they have to put in the work and get the grades, so it might as well be subjects they enjoy. In their school, the choice was pretty narrow as there are lots of compulsory subjects for GCSE. I disagreed with both DDs over one of their choices; in DD1's case she achieved an A in Business Studies when I think she should have done German, but then did German in her 2nd or 3rd year of NatSci at Cambridge and is more fluent in it than in the French she took for GCSE (another A).

At A level, both knew that they wanted to study sciences at uni, but wanted to keep their options open. Both have gone the NatSci route, one physical, the other biological. Both did EPQs. Again, they discussed their topic choices with me, asking what I thought of their ideas, rather than me telling them what to do.

As far as the "Oxbridge doesn't care about EPQs" debate, both DDs were asked about it in Cambridge interviews. They were not asked in great detail, but they explained a little about their research. One DD was successful at interview, the other not. However, both state that the EPQ process was invaluable once at university as they already knew how to research, reference, write reports, read academic papers etc.

So TL:DR my advice is to support and guide as a parent, but let your DC make their own choices. There is nothing wrong with playing devil's advocate sometimes as part of that process.