Admission Tests: Essay Sections

Most Admissions Tests are made up of several different components and many will involve essays or an essay section. This resource breaks down each Oxford and Cambridge Admissions Test that includes an essay element.

ELAT

Essay Format

You will be required to take the English Languages Admissions Test if you are applying to study English at Oxford or Cambridge. The test gives you a choice of six texts (prose or poetry) and asks you to consider two or three of the different extracts, and to compare and contrast them.

Approach

When approaching the ELAT, a good starting point is to focus on specific literary devices. Try to think about the imagery and language, as well as the rhetorical devices used. Endeavour to employ the literary devices that you know: ‘anaphora’, ‘appositive’, or ‘hyperbole’, however only use them if you are confident in their meaning. Always back up your definition with WHY it has been used.

See how the passages differ, and what elements are similar, or run parallel with each other. The form of the passages, and the syntax of the vocabulary and the style of the writer are all points you should try to touch on.

You will be assessed on your ability to analyse, and your depth of analysis. Students will also have to show an eloquent writing style.

Leanne Baker an Oxbridge graduate, who has tutored many students through the ELAT, shares her tips:

‘Many students are under the impression that picking three texts to compare and contrast rather than two may give them the advantage. The ELAT is all about close analysis, so the more detail you go into during the test, the stronger your essay will be. Thus, it would be unwise to bring in other texts if you don’t feel it is vital. Talking about outside texts may give the impression that you are avoiding the close analysis.
Make sure that you divide your concentration evenly over the sources. If you write on two texts, make sure that you spend half your time on each of the texts. This is a compare and contrast exercise, so this is important.
Practice poems can easily found online, however support from teachers can be invaluable when locating examples of prose and plays, as thematically-similar extracts can be hard to find. Similarly, matching extracts with common themes can also be a useful practice tool in itself.
You should try to structure your argument thematically. Not only should you avoid talking about texts separately, but you should also avoid talking about form, language and style separately: use themes and ideas to integrate these points in each paragraph, talking about both extracts in each.
The ELAT shows students’ close analysis technique, which will underpin English courses at Oxford and Cambridge. At Cambridge, one of the modules, ‘practical criticism’, is virtually identical to this Admissions Test, and carries throughout the three years.’

CLT/LNAT

Essay Format

In both the Cambridge Law Test and the National Law Admissions Test, you are required to write one essay in the space of one hour. These tests are designed to assess whether you can structure an argument. The assessors want to see if you are able to judge the two different sides of an argument and make a persuasive case.

Approach

Remember, the examiners aren’t necessarily interested in which side of the argument you take, as they are not assessing interpretation. Lots of students argue opposing sides of the argument, and yet still come out with strong marks. The test does not examine if you have an extensive prior knowledge of Law terms. It is an essay exercise, so make sure that you are up to date on current affairs, brush up your writing skills, and check that your grammar is correct. Endeavour to express yourself concisely and clearly, and choose a clear stance.

Make sure that you read the question carefully and don’t rush into writing straight away. Think about how you will back up your arguments, and create either a small written plan, or at the very least a mental draft.

Melody Ihuoma is a Oxford Graduate, who achieved one of the highest LNAT scores in her application year. She now tutors the LNAT and has shared her advice with us:

‘Examiners for the LNAT and the CLT are looking for you to fulfill this criteria:

To be able to understand the abstract issues which underlie the question.
To be able to recognise the tension between the values expressed in the question. The question will most likely present controversial and complex ideas, and students should make sure that they do not underestimate their complexity.
To be able to argue clearly and concisely, writing in paragraphs that include an initial point, and then defend the point throughout the rest of the paragraph.

You may want to inform your arguments by bringing in examples, for instance if the question talks about liberty, you may wish to talk about recent terror attacks. If you cannot think of any relevant real examples, you can also use hypothetical examples.
Try to avoid preamble. You must remember to write an essay, rather than a speech, so don’t use rhetorical devices like adjectives and adverbs. Contrary to popular opinion, you can use the word ‘I’, however avoid phrases like ‘I think’ or ‘in my opinion’. It is best to use ‘I’ in the context of ‘I will conclude’, ‘I agree’ or ‘I will argue’.
In Oxford, studying Law Jurisprudence, you will write an essay a week following the LNAT format, the only difference being that you will refer to Law. The LNAT and the CLT give you the opportunity to show that you can write in this style competently.
Use this tip – Look through your paragraphs and check that every line advances the argument. If it doesn’t, then it needs cutting or rephrasing.
Don’t ‘beg the question’. Don’t assume the thing that the question wants you to examine. Make sure you really think about what the question wants you to discuss.’

BMAT

Essay Format

The BioMedical Admissions Test essay section presents you with a quote. You will need to define the quote, argue both for and against it, and then come to a conclusion. This section is used to assess whether you can present information in an organised and reasoned manner, so you will need to write concisely. Doctors are often asked to summarise cases, and come to a conclusion based on their professional opinion. This essay is designed to show whether or not you are able to achieve this.

Approach
The essay element of the test may cause anxiety for those that haven’t studied an essay-based subject since their GSCEs. If you are in this situation, yoi will need to start to re-familiarise yourself with the discipline of essay writing. Remember to not use bullet points as you will be marked down on this. Students are only permitted to use one side of A4, so it is important to structure your essay rigorously. Always try and have a plan before launching into writing the content of your BMAT essay.

John Wilson is an Oxbridge graduate and a lay member of the admissions panel for University College London. He has shared his knowledge below:

‘Examiners assess how coherent and logical the argument presented can be. Unlike a Humanities degree, they are not looking for a creative, opinionated, imaginative essay, they are looking for a well structured, precise, short piece of writing.
The question or quote which is given can be extremely varied. They are usually scientific, either involving scientific language, or from a scientific source. There will always be a question that sounds medical, which the majority of students will choose. There is NO NEED to do that, it will not give you an advantage.
Unlike section two, there is no syllabus to revise, however despite this, the BMAT essay section is very easy to practice. The formula of the question is so predictable and methodical that you can easily use your own quotes or statements to make mock tests.
You shouldn’t feel like you need to shoehorn medical references into your essays. The essay section is about writing style and analysis, and less about your knowledge of the subject; this will be displayed in section two of the BMAT.
The essay is designed to show time management, precision and organisation within a highly pressured environment. This is to show that you have the desired transferable skills to be a doctor, or a scientist.’

TSA Oxford

Essay Format

If you are sitting the Thinking Skills Assessment for Oxford, you will need to sit an additional essay section. You will asked to choose one of four questions and write about your conclusions.

Approach

The questions aren’t subject specific, and there isn’t an set structure on how to answer this section, however it is best if you make sure you present an argument, back it up, assess the opposing side, and then come to a conclusion. Make sure you follow a reasoned and clear plan to give yourself the best chance of performing well.

Will Small is one of our top tutors for the TSA (Oxford and Cambridge). He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St John’s College, Oxford:

‘Examiners are assessing your ability to: write a structured and clear essay, be able to argue competently, and demonstrate an ability to work well under strict time constraints.
You will not have time to write in convoluted, flowery language. Your teachers can help refine your technique by ironing out individual idiosyncrasies within your writing style.
Your teachers can also help you to demonstrate your passion for your subject. If your application is pooled, then your Admissions Test can help you to stand out, and therefore you should have a curiosity and knowledge of your subject that informs your argument.
You will not need a bank of statistics, and should not think too much about bringing in outside sources or examples. Again, the allocated time is very short, and includes question choice and planning, so you should start arguing as fast as possible.
In my course (PPE), I was writing two essays a week, informed by an enormous amount of reading. This meant by the end of my first year, I was writing in an incredibly concise manner. The TSA (Oxford) gives you the opportunity to practice this skill.’

HAT/HAA

Essay Format

In both the History Admissions Test and the History Admissions Assessment, you will have a definition exercise, then an explanation exercise, and finally an essay. The essay part of the exam assesses how a student can structure an argument. Again, as is the case in many of the Admissions Tests, the essay section is not about what you know, it is about the skills you can display.

Approach

Make sure that you don’t waffle. Many students at GCSE History, and sometimes A-level, can score reasonable grades by pontificating, and not backing up arguments. In both the HAT and the HAA, you will be judged on originality, clarity, precision, as well as your ability to spot flaws.

Through tutoring the HAT and the HAA, our Oxbridge consultants have compiled these tips for the essays:

The HAT essay section is designed to test your ability to analyse a source critically and offer a coherent argument. You will be doing this throughout your course at either Oxford or Cambridge.
Again, as a Humanities subject, there may be a temptation to write in a flowery, creative way. Due to the amount of time that you have, you should only spend half an hour on the essay section. This doesn’t allow for much time to demonstrate your essay writing prowess, so you should concentrate on your argument.
You are allowed to bring in other historical sources, however make sure that if you do that it informs the sources presented in the test. You should not spend too much time discussing something which is not on the paper.
The question may well be relatively open-ended, and whilst making sure that you answer the question directly, you should think about the different perspective lenses that you can analyse the content through. The source may be referring to a historical battle, but students could analyse through various different themes, such as colonialism or monarchy.
The examiner will appreciate originality and this can be presented in a variety of different forms. This may come in your perspective on a source, the areas of the text you choose to focus on, or your conclusions. Take time before you leap into writing your argument to think about how you can stand out from your peers.

It is worth noting that some colleges will have different entry requirements. Most colleges will accept Admissions Tests, but some might need you to sit separate tests in order to gain a place. In a few rare cases, the subject school may make specific exams for individual candidates.

Oxbridge Applications has worked with 2,400 tutors over 17 years, and supports students throughout the applications process.

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