17 May 2007
The English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT), which is being developed by Cambridge Assessment, is aimed at students wanting to study English at Oxford University.
It has been designed to enable applicants to demonstrate their competence in the key skill of close reading and, with it, the ability to shape and articulate an informed response to unfamiliar literary material.
Dr Glenn Black, Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University, said: "The ELAT is just one element our admissions tutors will use to decide whether to invite candidates for interview. We are using it to try and distinguish between applicants who are increasingly likely to be predicted or already have three A grades at A-level."
The ELAT is an aptitude test, rather than a knowledge test, and examines skills that A-level students will already have developed and need for further study. It is designed to be accessible to all students in their last year of a pre-university course of literary study.
Details of the new tests are available from the ELAT website and will apply to students who plan to go to Oxford in 2008. The first ELAT test will be sat in October 2007.