Oxbridge Interview Prep

Congratulations! You have been invited to interview at Oxford or Cambridge University!

May the games begin!

What follows is a list of prep steps - including a link to a demo video for Biomedical Science at Oxford

·       Re-read your personal statement and any written work you have submitted. 

·       Think about the answers you gave in any admissions test but don't worry if you can't remember these in detail. 

·       Remind yourself why you've chosen this subject and why you want to study it at Oxford/Cambridge. These are questions the tutors might ask you. 

·       As well as revising material you have studied recently, explore your subject in the wider world, for example via newspaper articles, websites, videos and TV programmes. Oxford provides some suggested subject resources which may be a good starting point.

·       Remind yourself of the selection criteria for your chosen subject.

·       If you are applying for a course you haven't studied at school or college, be prepared to demonstrate your interest and show some background knowledge of the subject. 

·       Take a critical view of ideas and arguments that you encounter in your everyday world - think about all sides of the debate. 

·       Have a look at the Sample questions (below) and familiarise yourself with the kind of questions tutors might ask in your subject.

·       Watch any available Demonstration interview videos and hear tutors talk about how they interview for their subject, watch them interview a current student and listen to their commentary afterwards. If you can't find a video in your subject then watch one in the same tier as your own and for a similar subject. This will give you the best idea of what your own interview is likely to be like and you will also have a chance to see how the technology will work.

Biomedical Sciences Demo interview: https://youtu.be/l12V7oKdvc8

·       Keep practising explaining what you are thinking - almost as if you are thinking out loud.

On the day itself: 

·       Follow your usual routine as much as possible, but also bear in mind additional tricks:

·       Eat breakfast (if you can)

·       Get a good night’s sleep beforehand – don’t stay up late

·       In the hour or so before you start, get some fresh air – jog, walk or dance to get your heart working and oxygenate your brain

·       Wear clothes you feel comfortable in. You won't be judged on what you wear. 

·       Keep a familiar object close by in case your nerves get jangly.  I use a molymod model of an octahedral molecule as a fidget spinner – but any small toy will do.

·       Once you’re in the interview, make sure that your head isn’t cut off by your camera, and that you can look directly at the screen.

·       Try and think of the interview as a conversation about your favourite subject with people who share your interest and know a great deal about it. Interviews are similar to Oxford's teaching tutorials and you may well find you actually learn a lot.

·       Don't worry if you don't know an answer immediately - see if you can work your way through it aloud. This lets tutors see how you think and means that your final answer is only part of what they find out. 

·       Listen carefully to the questions and don't be afraid to ask for them to be repeated. 

·       Have a copy of your personal statement or any written work you submitted to hand if you like, but don't let these distract you from the questions.

·       Have a paper and pen, in case you would like to make notes. You may also be asked to hold some paper-based workings up to your device's camera.

·       Wear headphones if you are likely to be distracted by background noise.

·       Make sure you have done any pre-reading sent to you - normally this will be emailed to you the day before your interview. Read the instructions carefully.

·       Don't try and search online for any answers during your interview - aside from the fact this is cheating - an interview is like a conversation and it will be very obvious if you zone out and are distracted. By agreeing to the code of conduct you will confirm that you understand that the use of assistive technology (including artificial intelligence) during your interview is prohibited, beyond any such technology required for your subject, or related to access arrangements for a disability.

·       Have a drink of water to hand - ideally in a bottle which won't spill!

·       At the end, you are likely to be asked if you have any questions but don't feel you have to ask something. 

·       If the technology goes wrong or the connection is bad, make sure you tell your interviewers so that they are aware. If the interview can’t proceed then don’t worry - the college will rearrange it as soon as they can.

·       Finally, remember if you are being interviewed, then you are a strong contender for a place.