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Odd interview questions...

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Reply 20

k@tie

Vivian

Eek for what subject?

I don't rightly knowwwww.

Maybe nat sci?

Reply 21

CamSPSer

RxB

What's wrong with this:
"Could there still be a second-coming if mankind had disappeared from the planet?"
? Seems like a valid question.

it is, but wouldnt it stump you? though it is a very good question n demonstrates ur ability to think around and beyond the subject in question. i asked a priest n he didnt know what to say

Reply 22

RxB

notyourpunk

it is, but wouldnt it stump you? though it is a very good question n demonstrates ur ability to think around and beyond the subject in question. i asked a priest n he didnt know what to say

Oh, absolutely, it's stupidly hard. I doubt they'd start an interview with that, though, and if you did get that far then they'd help you out.

Reply 23

fishpaste

There's the maths tutor at Oxford: "Can you write a formula that proves mathematics is interesting?"

I'd cry if they asked that. I suppose you can start thinking out loud, what is a formula, if I was on the spot I'd probably come out with something like a formula describes one or more quantity in terms of others, give an example. How can a formula prove osmething? Well it can show the behaviour of these quantities, so if you could write a formula which showed that a quantity acted in a certain way, say was always above 3, and that this implied that maths was interesting. Then yes I could write a formula which proved maths interesting.

Reply 24

fishpaste

RxB

Oh, absolutely, it's stupidly hard. I doubt they'd start an interview with that, though, and if you did get that far then they'd help you out.

Don't underestimate how mean they will be, alot of these horror stories are not as exaggerated as you might think.

Reply 25

CamSPSer

Vivian

Unless the brick killed someone when it landed :frown:

if you were doing medicine u saved their life then it cud give u that little extra to get in. tho i suppose medicine is pretty competitive n u hav 2 hav saved the world from the common cold, anthrax n a whole host of diseases before they even think about giving u an interview

Reply 26

Vivian

Maybe medicine if you saved them, but imagine if you hit a proffesor or something.

Reply 27

Leeroy

off topic, but thinkin about my oxford interview we were sat waiting for interviews and the interview guy called up a student called "philip mitchell" and someone shouted out "ill 'av you" and the whole room was pissin 'emselves.

unfortuately i only got asked standard questions in the interview

Reply 28

RxB

fishpaste

Don't underestimate how mean they will be, alot of these horror stories are not as exaggerated as you might think.

It's true, but if you give everyone stupidly hard questions they can't deal with they'll all appear the same, as they all have to reply "I don't know".

Reply 29

CamSPSer

RxB

It's true, but if you give everyone stupidly hard questions they can't deal with they'll all appear the same, as they all have to reply "I don't know".

suppose its a good sign.. i mean if ur rubbish they'll either start to slag you off or talk about the weather. the harder the question the more they think you can be challenged?

Reply 30

fishpaste

notyourpunk

suppose its a good sign.. i mean if ur rubbish they'll either start to slag you off or talk about the weather. the harder the question the more they think you can be challenged?

It's the old ancedote isn't it. If you come out of your interview thinking "no problem, was able to answer everything they threw at me." The interviewer was so unimpressed he didn't even bother.

Reply 31

username9816

fishpaste

It's the old ancedote isn't it. If you come out of your interview thinking "no problem, was able to answer everything they threw at me." The interviewer was so unimpressed he didn't even bother.

Well it depends the questions he gave you. If he gave you really ahrd questions but you did well and got them correct, then you would naturally think you did well.

Reply 32

CamSPSer

yeh u wonder how much trouble that 70 year odd judge whose studying PPE at harris manchester (the mature student college at oxford) had answering the questions thrown at him

Reply 33

theone

bono

Well it depends the questions he gave you. If he gave you really ahrd questions but you did well and got them correct, then you would naturally think you did well.

But if you did well, the interviewer would push you to make you think harder until you struggle :smile:

Reply 34

username9816

theone

But if you did well, the interviewer would push you to make you think harder until you struggle :smile:

Yes, but you may have had to think a while etc. and struggle, but got the right answer in the end. Think of those genious Olympiad people! :biggrin:

Or you!

Reply 35

theone

bono

Yes, but you may have had to think a while etc. and struggle, but got the right answer in the end. Think of those genious Olympiad people! :biggrin:

Or you!

Oh everyone struggles in their interview, and I mean everyone :smile:

Nerves just got to me, and the test was far more difficult than I or anyone else anticipated.

Reply 36

username9816

theone

Oh everyone struggles in their interview, and I mean everyone :smile:

Nerves just got to me, and the test was far more difficult than I or anyone else anticipated.

Don't give me that now, you got an offer! :tongue:

Reply 37

fishpaste

bono

Yes, but you may have had to think a while etc. and struggle, but got the right answer in the end. Think of those genious Olympiad people! :biggrin:

Or you!

You will still feel like a blithering idiot. You could prove Riemann in your interview, and you'll still be convinced that something you said, the amount of time you took will expose you to be an idiot not remotely worthy of a place.

Reply 38

JayJay

You are likely to struggle at some point - they take you to a point where you have to think on your feet, and thinking on your feet is never comfortable in that kind of pressure. My worst one(s) were:

"Defend Machiavelli"

"Where did Arab nationalism come from"

"What do you think of the Revisionist Zionist perspective, (and heres the killer) like that held of my friend here at Oxford..."

I came out of that interview absolutely convinced I had blown it. I ended up with an offer though.

Reply 39

theone

fishpaste

Not me, if i proved Riemann in my interview, i'd be saying 'Take that' to the interviewer, and not really caring if they let me in or not. I've just proved Riemann for god's sake :biggrin: