Oxbridge interviews

What they’re looking for

  • How well you work in a tutorial scenario as this will be similar to the real Oxbridge learning experience and so interviewers attempt to replicate this to see if how well you’ll be able to benefit from such a teaching mechanism.
  • All subjects are about clear logical thinking and structured arguments so they’ll be looking for excellent analytical skills which are communicated in a clear way.
  • What they’re really trying to find out is the way in which you think and discover whether you’ll fit in at Oxbridge. This means they’ll be looking for genuine enthusiasm for the subject, perhaps demonstrated through extra reading and knowledge and also for a strong candidate who will thrive in a dynamic learning atmosphere.

Tips

  • Have a sound knowledge of your subject. A lot of the interview may be based on developing what you already know, pushing you further into analysing your current knowledge. This will mean you will have to know the ins and outs of your subject if you want to have a strong chance of building on it.
  • Be yourself, relax and try to see it as a discussion about something you’re interested in as opposed to a test
  • Be creative, don’t necessarily tell them about what you’ve read on such and such a topic but instead express your opinion to show you’ve really thought about the subject at hand
  • Always make it look like you know more than you’re letting on. This takes practise but the thing to do is not list everything you know, but briefly drop in things you’ve read or stuff you know when it’s relevant. This will assure them that your knowledge is sound but also that you know how to pick out the most useful information and aren’t simply trying to impress them with what you’ve learnt.
  • Don’t be afraid to be controversial. I for example managed to say I respected the views of racists, thought dictatorships to democracies and didn’t think we had free will in my PPE interviews and the tutors were impressed because it was different to what everyone else had said despite the lack of prior knowledge.
  • Don’t panic. If you don’t know the answer to the question, think about how what you do know could help you answer the question in an intelligent way.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you’re unsure about something, ask them to clarify and if you really know nothing about the topic just tell them you don’t know much about it and ask if you can talk about something else. Remember they’re looking for potential more than prior knowledge as the knowledge is simply required to show interest in the subject.
  • Practice talking and debating about important topics within your subject with a friend or relative so you can get used to forming opinions and coming up with arguments.
  • Know your personal statement. Interviewers may ask searching questions about it in order to find out more about you and check you’ve read what you’ve said you had. Be prepared to talk about anything in it. Practice by getting someone to ask you questions based on this.
  • Think before you speak. Don’t automatically answer with whatever comes into your head. Spend a few moments considering the question as this will help you come up with a better answer which is clearer in structure and content.
  • Be prepared to change your mind. Tutors may play devil’s advocate with you to see how quickly you observe new information and to see whether you can consider it to form a new opinion. Don’t back down if you don’t agree with them, but try to appreciate their points and if you change your mind then admit it.
  • Be prepared for odd questions. Whilst this isn’t always the case, they are interested in seeing how you think and so don’t expect there to be a right answer to every question they ask. The weirdest questions are often asked to draw out your real opinion so don’t be put off by them, instead think about them and just answer in a way you see fit.

Mock interviews

It is very hard to simulate an accurate Oxbridge interview as they can be quite hard to predict given the number of tutors that do them.

It's hard to tell what to expect so mock interviews are really there as a way to improve your confidence and get you used to the idea of thinking on the spot.

They’re helpful in getting you to the right level of thinking but won’t necessarily be a good representation of the real thing.

Don’t be put off it goes badly though, use it as a learning tool as opposed to an assessment.

  • Quality - Whilst they can be helpful but it depends greatly on who is providing them as some companies have little idea about the real interview and so are more hindering than helpful.
  • Price - Mock interviews can get pretty expensive, so consider reviews to see if they’re worth the money and bear in mind that some companies will offer free courses to those on education maintenance or from low income backgrounds so do some research.

If you are interested in a mock interview your school may provide one and can also be purchased privately (http://www.oxbridgeinterviews.co.uk/)