I've been interviewed at both Cambridge and Oxford, AMA

What did you get as GCSE and AS if you don't mind me asking? What was your offer from Cambridge?


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I got 93% in phys and maths and that was enough for interview apparently! And you're right about the resit thing they'll catch on (plus IIRC there is a section of the SAQ to explain?)

The Cambridge NatSci interview (to me) was more like discussing a problem with your interviewers and working through it with them, almost as if you're explaining it to them (badly ;P). It's not really something I could have prepared for that much in hindsight. At least, the preparation I did - a few Oxford PAT questions and Physics Olympiad things and stuff - didn't really help too much except to calm my nerves and provide confidence which I do think is important. I'm not saying don't prepare, because it does help, but also don't kill yourself.

Haven't done Oxford but a friend did (for Physics) and it seemed a lot more testing your raw mathematics ability rather than how well you understand a concept and how you communicate that. Can't comment beyond that as I've no experience.

Oh right thank you! What college was that for? Because I know apparently there aren't any colleges that are easier to get into, but after doing research and getting statistics, the percentage of applicants that are accepted varies from 13%-49%... So I want to give myself the best chances possible

But yeah I had that impression of the interviews at Oxford, they're very mathematical and I'm worried that without FM full A level I wouldn't be as strong of a candidate.

But thank you very much, what kind of questions did you get?

At GCSE I got 7A*s (inc. English, Maths, Science, German) and 4 As; at AS I got 3 As in English Lit, Maths, German, and a very high B (3 marks off an A) in Chemistry. Across my three best (and fortunately most relevant) I had a UMS average of around 93% so don't let a B put you off, especially if it's not far from an A.

My offer was A*AA for straight Law (they don't offer the language year at point of entry, it's something you apply for after attending) and I got 3As

Are you thinking of applying?? If so good luck Don't take anything I say as the golden rule because stuff changes and I could well have been an anomaly with my grades!

This was Magdalene. The colleges with lower % acceptance just have more people applying, and they have a higher % pooled to compensate though there is still some discrepancy I believe yes. I do think college choice is important so that you feel good about where you're being interviewed.

Well I sat an entrance test that was just loads of really (really!) tough maths and physics questions...I think I attempted 10/50 and had a good answer for like 4/50. Just being on top of A Level maths and physics was all that could have helped. Never seen questions like them before or since.

My interviews there were graph sketching questions and then these ones that were more like presenting a situation and working stuff out about it, like how the mechanics of ice skating works. It wasn't really a direct question I'm sorry to say, more of a discussion, so I can't describe it.

Yes! Thought so, Magdalene is the one I'm looking at after some research but yes, however even then instead of 5 applicants per place you're only competing with one other person for the place
But oh god I see :/ I should really get my maths as good as possible then! We're the interview questions something like x/sinx? :/ and thank you btw!

well I got 7A*s and 3As at GCSE and 4 As at AS, thinking of dropping one so would carry 3 to A2... I really want to apply to oxbridge (for straight law), and was originally thinking oxford over cambridge, but now I'm thinking I stand a better chance applying to cambridge over oxford, what do you think?

Yeah the graphs are ones like that. There's not much they can do to vary it up. Just testing with how you deal with infinities and stuff.

Yes I think from UK applicants Magdalene gave about 20 offers from 65 applicants or something so in terms of pure odds it's higher chance but then maybe Magdalene just got strong applicants ;P Apparently the pooling system does do a very good job of ensuring the right people get the places regardless of college choice. I'm not sure, because I got a place, but then I didn't get pooled ^^

I've only been to Magdalene for 2 days and none of the other colleges but I can assure you Magdalene is the best one and you should go there!

Oh right, so did you not decide to go? Or are you going this October? Yeah I like the look of it too so I think it'll be my choice, hopefully

But oh right, yeah I'll try to familiarise myself with that then to help me in the interview. I don't think I'll be too nervous because I'll calm myself it's just the matter of panic if I haven't got a clue what's going on :/

Going this October

Once I got in there I didn't feel nervous. Must've got quite an adrenaline hit though because the half hour or whatever it was felt like 3 minutes you know? ;P

Good luck!

Yeah I guess that's what will happen! Well if all goes well I'll see you next October at magdalenes!

Yeah hit me up if you do end up going!

Magdalene alumnus here. Will field questions if wanted.

Hi! I went to visit colleges at Oxford a few weeks ago but Magdalen was one of the few that offer my course (Arch and Anth) which I didn't get to. I've heard it called the "posh people's college" and, well, it's got a deer park so I feel like that might be accurate... is it? To what extent does it really matter? I've researched all the colleges so much (I mainly want access to a kitchen because I'm vegan and don't want to throw myself on the mercy of provided catering) and I know plenty about their stats but there's no easy way to find out about the college cultures, you know?

Sorry, wrong Magdalen -- I went to Magdalene with an e, which is Cambridge.

I would say in my experience that there is some degree of truth to the rumours about who attends particular colleges, but most people end up getting on fine anyway. So, whilst we're not the 'rich college' at Cambridge, we do have a bit of a 'traditional' reputation (so we have one of the highest private school attendance percentages: see http://thetab.com/uk/cambridge/2015/03/02/how-private-is-your-college-47768) but we had people from quite working class backgrounds as well and everyone seemed to get along fine with everyone else. So it doesn't seem to me to matter generally to others. I can't promise it won't matter to you, though, obviously.

Sorry I can't be of more help

I was kind of expecting that answer. I generally feel that Oxford is a little more "stiff" than Cambridge

Not sure what you mean by this statement. I think that using UMS to slash down the number of applicants is actually very stiff and all too mechanical. The aptitude tests at Oxford give an applicant an extra opportunity to shine. Moreover, interviews and interviewers' style changes depending on the college and course that you apply for. My interviews, for example, each served a different purpose and I was able to talk about whichever topic I chose during my first interview (the tutors then challenged me on some of my points and introduced additional evidence to see how I would cope in a tutorial environment.) Both interviews had a degree of flexibility in their structure.

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