The Student Room Group

Oxbridge Interviews

Hi everyone,

I've just started this page on the TSR wiki:
http://thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Oxbridge_Interviews.php

if anyone wants to, they can add:
1) useful info to the sections (I know they're far from complete)
2) personal testimonies (don't forget to say what subject/college you're at)
3) any useful resource links at the bottom (in alphabetical order if it's not too much to ask :redface: )

I thought I'd try and get this up and running so it'll be a bumper resource by the time interviews come up and we can save ourselves repeating... ourselves (how Austin Powers).

If you catch the wiki bug there's loads that can be done on the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford pages. :smile:

EDIT: There are also profiles on www.oxbridge-admissions.info/profiles.php, for those who are interested.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
How do I add a testimony? :redface:
Reply 2
rpotter
How do I add a testimony? :redface:

http://thestudentroom.co.uk/w/index.php?title=Oxbridge_Interviews&action=edit&section=14 is the direct link to adding your testimony to the Wiki. You will need to login to the TSR wiki using your TSR username/password.

You will notice that blissy already has a testimony added there, so you can add yours under hers. Make sure you start with a *, which would indicate a new bullet point/paragraph. It is pretty self-explanatory from there. Do remember not to remove the links/segment at the bottom of the page.
Reply 3
thanks Alispam for getting the ball rolling
Reply 4
This is very good! Thank you :smile:
Reply 5
what a strange case of deja vu i'm having...
Reply 6
So, for the record, I'm just trying to be helpful.

So if anyone else wants to input on the wiki, it'd be great :smile:
No, they give you at least 7 days prior notice.
Reply 8
lil_sweetie
No, they give you at least 7 days prior notice.


is that also true for cambridge?
Reply 9
I had my Oxford interviews yesterday, yes on a Sunday. The interviews were held on Sunday for applicants who did not have to travel far. No need to dress formally, I wore jeans and a casual top, although the tutors were dressed smart. I arrived at 11.30 and left at 6 p.m. I had two interviews 2 hours apart, the first with two tutors and the second with a post graduate. The interviews were pretty tough and no amount of pre-prep work will help you. No mention of anything on my PS, they simply wanted to know the way I could analyse and interpret information and my thought processes. You have to remain calm and collected (easier said then done)...because you are under extreme time pressure to assimilate information analyse it and discuss it. They are also fired questions regarding the information they had given me.

The predicated grades, school reference, personal statements, tests, written work are simply methods for them to filter out candidates and only invite those for interview that meet their pre selection criteria. All I can say I gave it my best shot. One thing that put me off Oxford was the fact that it had no soul...the college felt like a monastery...with the monks being the students...with their heads stuck in books...Perhaps also that they had broken up for the Xmas break. I am glad its over, however I maybe called up for other interviews by other colleges. I will find out today.

Good luck to all of you who have your interviews this week. Keep Cool....
Ahh, too late for you're advice, i seem to suffer from amnesia when put under pressure, i'm afraid this probably didn't come across too well. On the other hand, they did get that i'm enthusiastic, maybe that'll work for me. All the same, if all else fails i shall happily toddle off to Bristol.
Reply 11
Unfortunately I got rejected by Bristol. It would have been my main choice if I get rejected by Oxbridge. You cannot tell with interviews...everyone is nervous...you gave it your best shot. Remember this, not all of the courses offered by Oxford are the best in the country. For engineering it would be Imperial College etc...There is simply a premium price that has to be paid for tradition, academia, supply & demand that goes along with Oxbridge...At least you got an interview which proves something...
Yeh, but I applied for maths, Cambridge is the best place for maths...Sorry you didn't get into Bristol, hopefully you'll get into Oxbridge and then it won't matter! Best of luck :smile:
Reply 13
I just wondered what you lot would say if you were asked "why do you want to study at this university?"

Everytime i think of what i would say, i just think of all the really really obvious stuff. Like, what i can gain, and the Uni's reputation etc etc. But that can't possibly be what theyre looking for if they asked this.

So just wondered what any of you would say to it?

dan :smile:
the opportunity to learn from researchers that are leaders in their respective fields.
RocketTown
I just wondered what you lot would say if you were asked "why do you want to study at this university?"

Everytime i think of what i would say, i just think of all the really really obvious stuff. Like, what i can gain, and the Uni's reputation etc etc. But that can't possibly be what theyre looking for if they asked this.

So just wondered what any of you would say to it?

dan :smile:


I just pointed out what I liked about the course.
How many people do you tend to find are in the interview room with you?
Reply 17
I applied for Physics to Oxford. Had 3 interviews (2 x Physics and 1 Maths) - in each one there were 2 interviewers, and all of them were professors.
When I went for interview at Cambridge (for philosophy) there were two interviewers. :smile:
Probably similar for most subjects then?

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