The Student Room Group

The Official "I've had an interview!" thread

I was thinking the board might get clogged up with loads of threads about people's interviews so it might be a good plan to keep them all together!
I'll start :smile:

College: Pembroke
Course: English lit
How was it? Alright. Definitely better than I expected, though I think I mucked up a fair bit. There were several looong gaps which made me a little uncomfortable, although people said to expect those. I'm not sure I did that well, overall, and I think my first interview was better than the second. Luckily I didn't do anything embarrassing or shameful! I'm going to expect rejection, just so I don't get disappointed; I tried and that's all I can do!

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
I'e had mine as well.... Music at Emmanuel. I enjoyed it, but don't think I did particularly well in it. Didn't really feel that I got to show I knew anything, and seemed to spend the whole time digging myself out of holes!
Reply 2
College: St John's
Course: Natural Sciences (biological)
How was it?: My general interview went well, the interviewer seemed really nice and we basically just chatted about sport, lol. The subject interview didn't go so well. I didn't get asked anything about biochemistry (which I was hoping I would - it's my favorite part of biology...), I mainly got asked about physiology. There was also a question about flower colour in plants.

Overall, I don't think I did that well. I'm not expecting to get an offer if I'm honest.
Reply 3
College: Trinity
Course: L100 Economics
How Was It?: First interview gave very little scope for the interviewer to really know about me. Second interview was much better, but overall I'm very sure many other applicants will probably do better than me, and so I except a rejection. An offer is therefore a great bonus! :biggrin:
Reply 4
I just want to say to all interviewees that the majority of current Cambridge students did not think that they would get in after the interview. I know it's easy for us to say it now, but PLEASE do not do what i did which to spend the 3 weeks following my interview worrying in like mad.

xx
College: Girton
Course: MML (French & Spanish)
How was it? I thought my general interview went well although it wasn't too general but I really enjoyed it. My French one went really well, I had a passage from Baudelaire which I understood and interpreted well. Also got asked some questions about Le Grand Meaulnes. Spanish was totally totally crap. I was fine talking about the literature I've read but then he got me talking in Spanish about a passage which seemed to have two themes. I understood the themes but was totally out of my depth when he started asking me to define feminist literature.
Reply 6
I am not really in the mood of typing. I can't differentiate between my general interview and subject interview. In fact my brain has been disturbed. I feel like crying :mad:
Reply 7
:hugs:
Aired
College: St John's
Course: Natural Sciences (biological)
How was it?: My general interview went well, the interviewer seemed really nice and we basically just chatted about sport, lol. The subject interview didn't go so well. I didn't get asked anything about biochemistry (which I was hoping I would - it's my favorite part of biology...), I mainly got asked about physiology. There was also a question about flower colour in plants.

Overall, I don't think I did that well. I'm not expecting to get an offer if I'm honest.


Who were your interviewers? Was Dr Hughes one of them?
leannemann
College: Girton
Course: MML (French & Spanish)
How was it? Well, I firstly missed the admissions test which I was supposed to do last night and so ended up doing this morning. I thought my general interview went well although it wasn't too general but I really enjoyed it. My French one went really well, I had a passage from Baudelaire which I understood and interpreted well. Also got asked some questions about Le Grand Meaulnes. Spanish was totally totally crap. I was fine talking about the literature I've read but then he got me talking in Spanish about a passage which seemed to have two themes. I understood the themes but was totally out of my depth when he started asking me to define feminist literature.
So, if they don't reject me for accidentally missing the admissions test, then they will reject me for my crap Spanish! Luckily I already have some offers :smile:



Was your Spanish interviewer Dr Davis?
Reply 10
College: Trinity
course:Land Economy
how was it? This afternoon.
the first one was not good indeed. i didnt have chance to let the tutor know about me much. there were times i couldnt pronouce the words >< like :'interdisciplinary' omg...i messed up some basic questions and....aaaaaa
although i was not that nervous outside...hic...it was only 20mins...he said this one was to warm me up for the academic one...

second one: i enjoyed it!!! it was 40mins or more. i think its exactly a tutorial. we talked, not he interviewed me, sometimes he said more than me, explained, and discussed. i talked about things i never had chance to talk about. and made some good points. he said 'you are a very good candidate, wherever you will be next year, you will have a very bright future' it really brightened me up...although i think it maybe just he wants to encourage me and make sure i will not be too stressed to get a rejection >< cause i was so excited >.<
Reply 11
I just had a medicine interview, and it went pretty well. I knew almost all the stuff they asked me science-wise, and I worked out some of the rest. Just one thing I was stuck on, really, but got there in the end!

General interview was fantastic. I had Dr Dalton and we just talked about speed-reading, and writing novels!

This was at St Catharine's college
Reply 12
valerious
College: Trinity
he said 'you are a very good candidate, wherever you will be next year, you will have a very bright future' it really brightened me up...although i think it maybe just he wants to encourage me


Oh dear oh dear oh dear. I think I just got helpless looks.
Reply 13
what do you mean :frown:
im very high because of that comment...is it a bit overwhelmed to quote it here :frown:
look back, i have to say the first one with dr Wingfield was horrible >.<
ice cube: did u have interview with dr Wingfield, cause he teaches music.
Reply 14
The_$_Factory
Who were your interviewers? Was Dr Hughes one of them?


One of them was Dr Carrington, and I can't actually remember the other man's name :redface:

One was a plant scientist and the other was a physiologist...
Reply 15
valerious
what do you mean :frown:
im very high because of that comment...is it a bit overwhelmed to quote it here :frown:
look back, i have to say the first one with dr Wingfield was horrible >.<
ice cube: did u have interview with dr Wingfield, cause he teaches music.


Nope don't think comes with my college. You are very very lucky to have a comment like that! I think I made the interviewers dispair rather than be pleased with me.
Aired
One of them was Dr Carrington, and I can't actually remember the other man's name :redface:

One was a plant scientist and the other was a physiologist...


You didn't get interviewed by a Physics fellow did you?
Reply 17
The_$_Factory
You didn't get interviewed by a Physics fellow did you?


No, they were both biologists in my subject specific interview, and the man in my general interview taught engineering I think (Dr McConnel)

Were you interviewed at John's today?
Reply 18
College: Clare
Course: Mathematics
How was it? This is my second time around, I applied and was unsuccessful for Trinity maths last year, so I've got something of a point of reference. I think they went reasonably well overall, though I stumbled in a few places and made a mistake I was kicking myself for as soon as I got out of the door. Neither interviewer had read my application and there was no small talk to speak of. They just gave me maths questions and watched me struggle through them on paper with the occasional prod when I needed it. Incidentally, it was the same at Trinity and I suspect a trend in maths interviews.

A tip for prospective mathmos: Don't worry about learning your personal statement, re-reading your wider reading or thinking up answers to 'why cambridge' type questions. They're unlikely to ask about any of it, just practice your maths.
valerious
what do you mean :frown:
im very high because of that comment...is it a bit overwhelmed to quote it here :frown:
look back, i have to say the first one with dr Wingfield was horrible >.<
ice cube: did u have interview with dr Wingfield, cause he teaches music.


Paul Wingfield is at Trinity, Ice Cube applied to Emma so I assume he was interviewed by Susan Rankin.

MB