Exams

You might have sat down after your last A-level exam and grinned to yourself that your days of sitting exams were over. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but you haven’t escaped just yet.

ColleCtIons: At the beginning of each term (excluding Michaelmas of your first year) you will sit collections. These are essentially just mock exams, testing what you learnt in the term before and consolidating your knowledge. They’re not terribly important, but you are advised to revise for them in the vacations - this will be handy for sitting your Mods or Prelims.

PrelIms and mods: Prelims (or Preliminary examinations) will be sat in Trinity of first year for most courses; those studying Psychology or Law will have the equivalent, ‘Mods’, at the end of Hilary term. If you study classics, your Mods will take place in Hilary of your second year.

Prelims (and Mods) aren’t the be all and end all; they don’t count towards your final degree classification, and you only need a Pass (around 40%) to progress into your second year. Of course, if you’ve made it to Oxford, you’re likely very competitive. A Distinction in Prelims gets you a scholars’ gown, but a Pass in your Prelims is just as impressive, and you should be proud of yourself regardless of the grade you receive.

Illustrations by Tilly Binucci