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To those at Cambridge- how did you feel after your interviews?

If you're at Cambridge, did you have any idea that you were going to receive an offer from January? i.e. how did you think your interviews went when you had them. I have interviews coming up next week so have tried to prepare for it, but would be interested in if there's any correlation between thinking your interview went badly and having an offer...

(edited 9 years ago)

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Reply 1

comptroller

Original post by bobbricks

I was convinced that I would be rejected. The interview seemed to be quite disastrous. I kept thinking of the horrible answers I gave, and I regretted not taking the time to think about the question before answering.

One of the interviewers said, 'I hope to see you here next year', however I assumed she said that to everyone.

Very surprised to get the offer (by email).

Somewhat interestingly, everyone in my interview group was accepted, and all other candidates in other groups were rejected. It makes me wonder if they purposely grouped candidates by desirability.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

bobbricks

Original post by comptroller

Hmm..that's quite interesting--was your interview quite late (like the last week before the christmas holidays)? :cool:

Reply 3

chuenstefani

Original post by comptroller

Interesting :smile:

apparently most who got in felt terrible after the interviews.

So what did you find disastrous about the interview? Say, how long did it feel like you couldn't survive the grilling (I surrendered about midway...)

Reply 4

comptroller

Original post by bobbricks

Hmm..that's quite interesting--was your interview quite late (like the last week before the christmas holidays)? :cool:

It was around December 11th.

Original post by chuenstefani

Interesting :smile:

I am quite self-critical, so I really was not happy with my interview performance.

The main problem was that I answered simple questions quite badly. The pressure just got to me in that sense.

I felt that I survived the whole thing though; that perhaps was part of the problem, I appeared too aggressive (this was mentioned on my interview performance form - "very opinionated").

At one point my answer was so outrageous, in the sense that I tore the crap out of the question's premise, that the interviewers just burst out laughing. I guess I get hostile when under pressure :tongue:

Reply 5

Pilz

Original post by comptroller

Very surprised to get the offer

Interesting! What part of your interview, in hindsight, do you reckon was really good?

Reply 6

comptroller

Original post by Pilz

Interesting! What part of your interview, in hindsight, do you reckon was really good?

It is a tough one. Personally I still don't think I was very good; nervousness caused me to say several kinda stupid things. My submitted written work was rated highly and I knew it inside out, it was directly relevant to my course.

I prepared very much... I quoted and referred to many studies and I had a lot to say about a variety of academic papers/scholars.

Here are a few points that the interviewers wrote in their confidential notes (most colleges do not release these):

•

Intelligent

•

High ability to self-teach

•

High academic potential

•

Enthusiastic

•

Ability to think critically

•

Pushed him hard, but handled the questioning

•

Teachable, but with strong opinions.

The director of studies gave me an 8 out of 10 (aka 'strong - worth an offer').
It also said in my notes that the DoS had the discretion as to whether I was given an offer or not (probably due to my wild extenuating circumstances; failed education in the past due to unfortunate events, etc). So maybe I got lucky that he liked me. The other interviewers ranked my performance a 7 out of 10 (aka 'probably worth an offer').

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 7

Chlorophile

Is it normal to get interview feedback if you're successful? I thought you were only able to request it if you're rejected.

Reply 8

Chief Wiggum

Original post by bobbricks

I'm not aware that there's any correlation between how you feel your interview went, and whether or not you get an offer.

Reply 9

bobbricks

Original post by Chief Wiggum

I'm not aware that there's any correlation between how you feel your interview went, and whether or not you get an offer.

Oh, I've heard loads of people say that "if you think your interview went badly, then they probably pushed you to the limits and you were doing well; if you think it went well then they probably gave up on you so that's a bad sign" ...was just wondering if there was any truth in this

Reply 10

Chief Wiggum

Original post by bobbricks

Well, I'm not aware that there's been any proper studies done into that. :p:

I think you can say that finding it difficult isn't necessarily a bad sign - after all, they might have asked very difficult questions. But I don't think you can say that thinking it went well is necessarily a bad sign - perhaps you coped very well with their questions.

Reply 11

comptroller

Original post by Chlorophile

Is it normal to get interview feedback if you're successful? I thought you were only able to request it if you're rejected.

It is not normal to receive them without asking, however you are legally entitled to the feedback forms under certain articles of the Data Protection Act.
You may have to hassle your college and cite the appropriate articles (that's what I did).

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

chuenstefani

Original post by comptroller

•

Intelligent

•

High ability to self-teach

•

High academic potential

•

Enthusiastic

•

Ability to think critically

•

Pushed him hard, but handled the questioning

•

Teachable, but with strong opinions.

Which course are you currently studying?

Reply 13

smile:D

Original post by comptroller

I'm a first year; is it too late for me to see my feedback? (I assume they will have destroyed it :tongue:

)

Reply 14

MartaAlexis

Can you recall if interviewers were giving you some positive sings?

Reply 15

comptroller

Original post by smile:D

I'm a first year; is it too late for me to see my feedback? (I assume they will have destroyed it :tongue:

)

I'm not sure what their data retention policy is :biggrin:

I do remember seeing something about them destroying paperwork after some period of time though.

Reply 16

comptroller

Original post by MartaAlexis

Can you recall if interviewers were giving you some positive sings?

One said, "I hope to see you here next year", at the end of the interview. That was the only positive thing really.

Original post by chuenstefani

Which course are you currently studying?

HSPS.

Reply 17

Dalek1099

I have had two interviews one went really well the other not so well but one of the students said they had one good and one bad interview.How can you say thinking you have done well is a bad sign?You know you have done well if you get to most of the answers surely without constant help(ie my bad interview).I made quite a lot of mistakes in both interviews so don't be put off if you do and even got confused over a possible C3 graph(makes me think I should go over sketching graphs not one of my strengths).I think upon reflection even in the bad interview I was able to show mathematical knowledge and managed to get to some answers(probably not as many as everyone else though) although I had a lot of help so overall I think I have done well and will get an offer.