The below courses are for those students who are sitting the TSA or TARA (UCL). The first course is designed to teach students the essentials to prepare for the TSA/TARA and the second is designed for students who are in the final stages of preparing for the TSA/TARA.
Please note: these courses take note of the subtle differences between the TSA and TARA. While the question types are very similar in the multiple choice section of both exams, there are some minor differences in terms of exam format and the essay style questions. These will be incorporated into the sessions, and breakout rooms will be set up as and when it is beneficial to student learning.
TSA/TARA Essentials Course Description
This course is designed for students required to sit the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment) or TARA as part of their university application.
This is an introductory course to help students familiarise themselves with the exam and its requirements. No prior experience of the exam is required.
TSA/TARA Advanced Preparation Course Description
This course is designed for students who are already familiar with the TSA or TARA and its requirements. This course is suited to students who are looking to increase their overall scores. The course takes students on a deep dive into all question types and will provide strategies to increase speed and accuracy. Callum will also provide personalised student feedback on a Section 2 essay for students sitting that portion of the exam.
This course is aimed at students who have already completed some practice papers and will be finalising their preparation for the exam.
Please note: TSA/TARA follows the same exam format (Section 1). This means that the content covered on days 1-3 of the above courses will be relevant to all students sitting these exams. TSA/TARA Section 2 (the essay section) is only required for select courses. Please check the entry requirements for your chosen course. This will establish whether you need to attend days 4 and 5 of the courses, which are focussed on TSA/TARA Section 2.
TSA/TARA Essentials Course Outline
Day 1 - Introduction to the TSA & TARA
- Overview of different question types (Critical Thinking and Problem Solving).
- Overview of exam format and examiner expectations.
- Materials provided to help improve overall performance, including practice questions with detailed explanations of solutions.
- Recommended resources, links, tips and tricks
Day 2 - Practice questions of all types (Section 1)
- A closer look at each of the question types (Critical Thinking and Problem Solving).
- Attempts at small batches of questions under timed conditions to get a feel for speed and proper exam technique.
Day 3 – Challenging question types (Section 1)
- Review of challenging problems and question types.
- Group discussion to encourage sharing of helpful strategies and alternate approaches to difficult problems.
Day 4 - Essay (Section 2)
- Overview of exam format and examiner expectations.
- Overview of past essay titles.
- Suggestions regarding format, structure, writing style and planning.
Day 5 – Essay practice and review (Section 2)
- Review of exemplar essays from previous years (including essays of successful applicants).
- Opportunity for timed practice and feedback.
Detailed feedback: An end of course report is sent on completion detailing the student’s achievements and areas for further work.
TSA/TARA Advanced Preparation Course Outline
Day 1 - Critical Thinking (Section 1)
- Deep dive into all of the critical thinking question types and strategies for each.
Day 2 - Problem Solving (Section 1)
- Taking a closer look at a range of numeric and spatial reasoning questions, and strategies for solving.
Day 3 - Timed practice and opportunity to go through unsolved problems (Section 1)
- Extended timed practice. Students will be asked to bring a list of their own challenging or unsolved problems to the discussion.
Day 4 – Improving your TSA/TARA essay (Section 2)
- How to write an effective and well-reasoned Section 2 essay.
- Planning tips and suggestions for more persuasive writing.
- Dealing with and responding to counterarguments.
Day 5 - Timed practice and opportunity for essay feedback (Section 2)
- Students will be asked to write a complete Section 2 essay (30 mins), which Callum will provide feedback on.
- Final questions relating to any aspect of the exam, from admin queries to specific TSA/TARA problems.
Detailed feedback: An end of course report is sent on completion detailing the student’s achievements and areas for further work.
Interested in one-to-one tutoring in the meantime?
View our TSA/TARA Tutors and enquire here.
Callum has been coaching students in the TSA and other Critical Thinking Assessments for the past four years. He has delivered this course in previous years, and has worked with a number of students who have been successful in these exams. Many have been invited to interview and ultimately offered places at their chosen institution. Callum has experience tutoring both sections of the exam, and has worked with students preparing for TSA Oxford (Section 1 and 2), TSA Cambridge (Land Economy, Section 1 only), and TSA UCL (ESPS, ISPS).
- Maximum Class Size: We teach in groups of no more than 10 with the average number in our classes being 5
- Platform: Lessons will take place on Zoom, which is free and straightforward for students to use. A link will be sent out ahead of the course start date. Take a look at this video to see our online teaching in action.
- Age group: Year 13 in September 2025
- Session Length: Each session will be 2 hours long
- Course Dates: Summer Holidays and October (please sign up to our newsletter to be kept updated about our course dates)
- FAQs: Please click here.