Admission Tests: Essay Sections

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.’     

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.’

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.