Geography Admissions Test (GAT) Guide

Geography Admissions Test (GAT) Guide

Everything you should know before taking the GAT and how to be successful!

WHAT IS THE GAT?

The Geography Admissions Test, or GAT, is an admissions test used by Oxford university to help in their selection process for BA Geography degrees. The test is specifically designed to evaluate your aptitude for the field of Geography. It is structured to assess your ability to analyse geographical data, think critically about geographical concepts, and form well-reasoned arguments based on the evidence provided.

WHO NEEDS TO SIT THE GAT?

Applicants to Geography at Oxford University are all required to sit the GAT.

HOW IS THE GAT STRUCTURED?

The GAT is a computer-based examination with a duration of 1 hour and 45 minutes consisting of three sections:

Part A tests your critical thinking skills and should take roughly 30 minutes to complete. It is made of two-subsections, each of which presents a short passage which you are to read before answering some multiple-choice questions on its content.

Part B is focused on problem solving and should also take around 30 minutes to complete. It is made of two subsections requiring candidates to look at a set of information before answering some multiple-choice questions on it.

Part C asks candidates to read a passage of text and answer a question in the form of an essay. This section should take the remainder of the test time - roughly 45 minutes.

CAN I CHOOSE WHICH QUESTIONS I ANSWER IN THE GAT?

Students do not have a choice of questions as part of the GAT.

HOW IS MY SCORE IN THE GAT USED?

Oxford University uses the GAT as a standardised format for assessing and benchmarking their applicants. The exam rewards responding to unseen texts and sets of information in a logical manner, employing skills learned elsewhere in your studies to new materials. It does not require specific content knowledge, but rather is skills-based, meaning students taking different qualifications at school can access the syllabus.

Oxford uses students’ marks in the GAT to make decisions about which applicants they should invite to interview, giving them a further indicator in addition to predicted and achieved grades. Whilst the GAT is important in their selection processes, it is always used as part of a matrix and considered alongside other factors submitted with the application, such as predicted grades and personal statement.

WHAT IS A GOOD GAT SCORE?

The GAT is a new test for 2023 applicants, and as such we do not have reports on past years’ admissions statistics to inform us of the average successful scores from the test. We recommend that applicants just do the best they can on the paper!

DO I NEED TO KNOW SPECIFIC CONTENT?

The GAT is a test of skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and data interpretation, rather than of any particular content knowledge.

Although the content is not specific to any school syllabus, the skills that you will be using to take the test will be those taught and practised in A-level (or equivalent) courses such as Geography. We therefore recommend using your school studies as an example from which to practise the relevant skills. It can be difficult to identify tasks and exercises to practise these skills; our specialist tutors who have experience of advising students taking other qualifications and help them fill in knowledge gaps.

Tips from a Successful Oxford Geographer

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE GAT?

1. Understand the Format:
   Familiarise yourself with the GAT format and structure by reviewing this guide, researching the course on the university website, and looking through sample materials. Although this is a new test so there is not the usual wealth of past papers available, the University have published sample papers to allow students an accurate idea of what the real test will look like. This will help you become comfortable with the type of questions and tasks you'll encounter on the test day.
2. Work on you Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills:
   Work on improving your analytical and critical thinking abilities, since these are key to the GAT test. Practice analysing data, interpreting maps, and drawing logical conclusions from different sources. This skill will be invaluable in the first two sections of the GAT.
3. Strengthen Your Geography Knowledge:
   Enhance your geographical knowledge by engaging in wide-ranging reading and research. Pay particular attention to current affairs, as well as contemporary environmental and social issues, to strengthen your grasp on relevant topics. Although the test itself is more skills-based than content-based (no specific content knowledge is required), engaging with new concepts and practising applying your knowledge to them is a good way of preparing for the data/texts you will be presented with in the exam.
4. Practice Time Management:
   Time is of the essence during the GAT. Practice answering questions under timed conditions to improve your time management skills. Being able to efficiently allocate time to each section will maximise your chances of completing the test successfully. Use the guides recommended by the university for each section of the test (30 minutes, 30 minutes, and 45 minutes respectively) as indicators of how you should be splitting your time.
5. Hone Your Essay Writing:
   Enhance your essay writing skills by regularly composing essays on various geographical topics. Focus on constructing coherent arguments, using evidence to support your points, and refining your writing style.
6. Seek Feedback:
   Request feedback on your practice essays and responses from teachers, mentors, or peers. Constructive criticism will help you identify areas for improvement and refine your approach. Previous Oxford Geographers, such as our mentors here at Oxbridge Applications, are also a great source of knowledge to draw on, as they can give you an accurate picture of what it means to perform like a real Oxford geographer!

GAT PREPARATION MATERIALS

In addition to official GAT specimen papers on the Oxford Website, we at Oxbridge Applications have written a series of additional mock papers. Our students have 33% more questions to practise with. Our mock GAT papers can be found here and are included with our admissions test tuition. All of our GAT tutors are highly-trained Oxbridge graduates who can share their personally insights of having sat the test. You can contact our Oxbridge-graduate Consultants on +44 (0) 20 7499 2394 or email [email protected] to discuss which of our test training would suit you best. We also have an online testing portal for students who want to sit the exam in timed, test conditions.

WHAT IS THE BEST STUD GUIDE FOR THE GAT? 

At Oxbridge Applications, we pride ourselves in providing up-to-date advice and unrivalled expertise. As well as collating information from publicly available sources, we also conduct our own research into the application process; for example, by surveying the thousands of students we support each year. Speak to an Oxbridge Applications expert today for advice on your specific situation!