Why are strawberries red? Six ways to prepare for your Oxbridge interview

August 7, 2019

• University and Higher Education

Why are strawberries red? What is courage? Are humans still evolving? There is nothing about the Oxbridge application process more shrouded in myth than the infamous interview, and little causes more anxiety for prospective applicants. Whilst it is true that questions are designed to stretch and challenge a candidate, there are several ways to help prepare yourself beforehand. Here are six pieces of advice to keep in mind for before and during the interview process:

1. Know your personal statement inside out. Whilst some questions will be deliberate curveballs that are designed to be near impossible to prepare for, there is no excuse to not be well versed on your own claims in your application. If you have name-dropped a specific book in your personal statement, then make sure you are going to be comfortable talking about it in an interview. There is nothing worse than claiming to have been inspired by a particular book, article, or experience, then not being able to hold a conversation about the topic in the interview. Remember, the interviewers are experts in their field – they are highly likely to have read the book that you claim to adore in your statement.

1. Do your research. You will interview with at least two colleges, most of which have long and proud histories, traditions, and alumni lists. Nobody is expecting you to be able to list every Dean dating back to the 17^th century, but familiarising yourself with things like the size of the college, how many places are offered for your subject, and the general college culture is definitely advised. The same goes for researching your course. This sort of information is readily available in the college prospectus or on the university website, so asking about these sort of things at interview is a waste of a valuable chance to ask more interesting questions.

1. Practice. Some schools will have well established mock Oxbridge interviews in place, although if this is not the case for you then a little proactivity will stand you in good stead. Find a teacher, a family friend, or a personal tutor who is willing to spend some time asking you questions in a mock interview setting. It works best with someone you don’t know very well. Whilst Oxbridge interviewers are not looking for ‘over-coached’ students with rehearsed responses, it is important to have meaningful answers prepared for the obvious questions such as why you want to study your chosen subject, or why you have chosen to apply to Oxford/Cambridge.

1. Present yourself professionally. This point may seem obvious (hopefully it is) but you would be surprised how many interviews get off to a bad start by a candidate being late, poorly presented, or having poor interview etiquette. There is no need to dress in an over the top way or speak in an affected manner, but first impressions are most definitely important. Dress comfortably but smartly, arrive on time, listen carefully, and don’t speak over your interviewers. And smile!

1. Remember it is not an exam. The interview is not a test of your subject knowledge, it is a way for the interviewers to gauge how you approach novel and challenging problems. Try and see this in a positive way. These questions can’t be studied or revised, they are about the way you think about difficult ideas. The interviewers know that you are intelligent enough to study at Oxbridge, otherwise you would have not have got this far. There will often not even be a ‘correct’ answer, as they are more interested in seeing a willingness to think outside the box and a genuine passion for your subject. This is hard to train or practice. My honest advice would be that if you don’t have a genuine passion for learning about your subject, then Oxbridge will most likely not be a good fit for you.

1. Be yourself. The interviewers are going to meet a lot of very bright, very capable young people throughout the process. Everyone will likely have outstanding GCSEs, A-levels, and usually a stack of extracurricular items too. This is not what is being tested here. They want to judge whether you have the personality to thrive at an Oxbridge college. They want thinkers, creators, innovators – not people who have been trained to ace exams. Try to relax into the conversation and let your personality shine through. That’s what they want to see. 

We would love to hear from you if you need some assistance with interview technique and your confidence boosted! We are here to help!

Written by: Marcus White