Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

philosophy interview prep

just wondering how anyone else was preparing for their uni interview at the moooment.

I'm just reading through my personal statement books but not a lot else yet

xx

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

nemnem

I don't think there is actually anything you can do. Just chillllll

Reply 2

piiineapple

haha i've forgotten what chilling is

Reply 3

nemnem

yeah and me I've been frantically reading the books that according to my personal statement I have already read. I haven't even been invited to interview or anything lol - still, at least I actually find it interesting

Reply 4

piiineapple

haha!!! SAME! I was gutted when i found out the book i'd put down was reeeally bloody hard and rather sciencey(i had only read the intro when i put it in *iddddiot*) but yeah it is interesting so hpefully my brain will be kind enough to understand it..

you getting any help from your school? i swear NO ONE knows enough about philosophy to help with annnnyyything

Reply 5

nemnem

no, there aren't really any philosophy teachers at school just RE teachers and they don't count since they all have degrees in something else and have only ended up teaching RE because they are rubbish lol.
I'm counting on the internet and revision books to explain these ideas to me and help me muster up some opinions before interview!

Reply 6

piiineapple

ha well good luck to us then :P :smile:

Reply 7

Captcha

I can sympathise. It just dawned on me that 2of my unis interview and I haven't technically read any of the three books in my PS. The worst part is now I actually have to read them I'm being sidetracked by History of Western Philosophy and a couple of others!

Reply 8

victoire

I'm trying (and failing) to read the books I put on my personal statement along with some basic introductions to stuff- I'm not embarassed to turn to "dummy guides" before I read more complex texts haha.
Also maybe take a look at some current philosophical/moral/theological (whatever's relevant) issues in the news atm, they might ask you about that?
Gah interviews are scary (but actually kinda exciting... ahem).

Reply 9

FadedJade

I swear by dummy guides - there's nothing wrong with them! There isn't really a lot you can do to prepare to be honest. Just read things you are interested in and can say something interesting about.

Reply 10

Jigglypuff

When I applied I only had two interviews. For both I just re-read the shorter books I'd mentioned on my personal statement, and read Sparknotes for the ones I didn't really have time to re-read.

Oh, and I read the prospectus in preparation for the 'Why X University?' question which was asked at neither!

Reply 11

nemnem

Nina

I swear by dummy guides - there's nothing wrong with them! There isn't really a lot you can do to prepare to be honest. Just read things you are interested in and can say something interesting about.

Not sure where to post this but did you say that philosophy students wouldn't be doing the TSA at interview if we get one?

Reply 12

FadedJade

Nope you aren't. That's a UCAS mistake. I checked just to be sure - you will only be doing the ordinary philosophy test.

Reply 13

Dan1607

What is the ordinary Philosophy test?

Reply 14

FadedJade

Sorry, nemnem is applying to Cambridge and they have an entrance test. They were referring to that. If you aren''t applying to Cambridge then you don't need to worry about it :smile:

Reply 15

Dan1607

lol i am applying, i just wanted to know what it was.

Reply 16

nemnem

Dan1607

lol i am applying, i just wanted to know what it was.

Here you go - http://www.phil.cam.ac.uk/pros_students/admissions_test.pdf
some logicy questions and an essay :smile:

Reply 17

FadedJade

Sorry, I assumed you would have seen it in the Philosophy thread in the Cam forum if you were applying there. My bad.

Even for people who aren't applying to Cambridge, its a useful document to look through.