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interview stage - equal chance?

For Oxbridge, I know that interview relies heavily on past academic qualifications , AS results, personal statement, reference etc.

But once you get asked to attend an interview, does everyone there basically have a clean slate and an equal chance? Or will they still constantly be referring back to their previous criteria which was used for shortlisting candidates for interview?

Reply 1

DoMakeSayThink

15

The interview makes up a percentage of their decision. So no, someone with excellent interview + poor grades is not equal to someone with an equivalent interview and good grades.

Reply 2

skagitup

1

I must echo the above post, although it's important to remember that, should you have been extended the priviledge of attending an infamous oxbridge interview, your grades are (presumably) more commonly encountered towards the beginning of our alphabet and, thus, performing well at this stage should result in an offer.

Reply 3

ScholarsInk

10

skagitup

I must echo the above post, although it's important to remember that, should you have been extended the priviledge of attending an infamous oxbridge interview, your grades are (presumably) more commonly encountered towards the beginning of our alphabet and, thus, performing well at this stage should result in an offer.

Who gets cleared out of interview at Oxford? Bad PS, bad grades, what?

Reply 4

The Queen Of England

3

The interview is one of many discriminants used by the universities.

Reply 5

MSB

17

ScholarsInk

Who gets cleared out of interview at Oxford? Bad PS, bad grades, what?

Some subjects have aptitude tests.

Reply 6

steelmole

10

They're looking at the overall picture of a person. I remember one admissions tutor saying something along the lines of "70% of people he had already made up his mind about, the interview was just to check".

Reply 7

W0bble

It may well depend on the subject as well, but whilst they may or may not have made up their mind mostly before, I'm sure if you impressed them at the interview enough you'll get in. Otherwise, they wouldn't have let you come in.

That doesn't mean you won't find it slightly harder/easier depending on your grades etc...

Reply 8

Chumbaniya

17

The interview is a useful tool, but it's generally most crucial for those candidates who are on the borderline of being chosen. I've heard admissions tutors (for maths, at least) say that they create a ranking of students before the interviews and this does not often change very much after interviews. So if you're excellent on paper and they are quite sure they want you, only a really terrible interview would see you not get an offer, and if you're weak on paper, you'd need a stunning interview for them to take you. If you're in the middle of the ranking, though, a good interview could see you claim one of their last offers, and conversely a poor interview could see you lose it to someone else.

Reply 9

Boolean Julian

8

ScholarsInk

Who gets cleared out of interview at Oxford? Bad PS, bad grades, what?

Bad grades can - also, if you're prediced below their usual offers, you almost certainly won't be interviewed. Otherwise, the biggest pre-interview factor is probably any aptitude test you sit or submitted work.

Reply 10

Rubberband

Look on the bright side - invitation to an interview, whilst it doesn't necessarily 'wipe the slate clean' - still means that they think you are potentially good enough to offer a place to.

Reply 11

Mithra

2

Their standard line is that they only invite to interview those with a sensible chance of getting in. And so of course a stunning interview can get you a place since no-one who has no chance will be invited in. However it isn't the only thing they look at and so it is still no guarantee :

Reply 12

Mithra

2

I never said they only invite people they think are likely to get an offer, but they don't (normally at least, not for most courses) invite anyone who has NO chance of getting in, since that just wastes their time :p:

. Although they did invite every single person in in the past, even people with grade predictions of BBC etc. :smile:

Reply 13

Donald Duck

15

I doubt it. A fantastic interview would get you a conditional offer, but if they have to choose between two people, one with awesome references, PS, related activities, grades (including AEAs) etc, but with a slightly dissapointing interview, and someone with a lot worse of those previous things, but a bit better at the interview, they'll think the first just had a bad day and pick him.

Reply 14

Poshtotty

OP

8

I do think it's all slightly unfair. I know a lot of really bright students who didn't do very well in their GCSE's so vowed to work extra hard for A-levels and came out with all A's.

I personally don't think I've done that great in mine and I would hate to think that it could massively affect my chances.

Reply 15

memopanda

steelmole

They're looking at the overall picture of a person. I remember one admissions tutor saying something along the lines of "70% of people he had already made up his mind about, the interview was just to check".

Really? What factors had he used to make his mind up? Just the personal statement, or GCSEs, extra-curriculars, relevant work as well?

And of what subject was this guy a tutor...

Reply 16

**MidnightMia**

Boolean Julian

Bad grades can - also, if you're prediced below their usual offers, you almost certainly won't be interviewed. Otherwise, the biggest pre-interview factor is probably any aptitude test you sit or submitted work.

And the reference. :smile:

Reply 17

**MidnightMia**

Poshtotty

I do think it's all slightly unfair. I know a lot of really bright students who didn't do very well in their GCSE's so vowed to work extra hard for A-levels and came out with all A's.

I personally don't think I've done that great in mine and I would hate to think that it could massively affect my chances.

How on earth is it unfair?

Reply 18

**MidnightMia**

memopanda

Really? What factors had he used to make his mind up? Just the personal statement, or GCSEs, extra-curriculars, relevant work as well?

And of what subject was this guy a tutor...

Subject is pretty irrelevant; I've been told this by various tutors of different subjects at Ox.

* And YES all of those factors count, otherwise why would they ask about them? :rolleyes:

interview stage - equal chance?

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