Interview for Electronic Engineering!

Heya,

I'm currently in my 4th year of the MEng Electronic Engineering with Music Technology Systems program at York. I also do guiding at interview days sometimes, so i know a bit about this.

Don't worry about the interview. Don't worry at all. I had mine a long time ago (5 years... wow), and yes they did ask me a maths question, which was kinda hard. BUT really it's the way you think which they are interested in. The interviewers will help you out if you get stuck, giving you hints, and as long as you manage to show that you can think then it will be fine.

Also, keep in your mind that the department probably wants you more than you want it (at this stage...). York is a fantastic place, but EE in general is undersubscribed. Just show interest in the subject and be chatty if you can. All the lecturers that interview (and in general actually) are really nice.

And just in case you're still worried, remember that the interview is your opportunity to impress. During my interview the academic asked if i thought i'd get the required grades, AAB, i said "probably not, I'm looking at ABB". The offer that i got was the ABB i asked for. And then... when i missed this by a grade i was *still* accepted, because i had impressed at interview.

But yeh, just remember that they want you and will be giving you the opportunity to impress them.

Hope you enjoy it.

Reply 2

OP

Thanks, thats really helped. The course require BBC which I achieved at AS levels so hopefully they will just offer me that if I impress at the uni, oh and what to wear? Shirt and trousers? Jeans? I'm really not sure!?

Reply 3

Ah ok, are you applying for the BEng then rather than the MEng?

Wear whatever you're comfortable with. Some people wear proper suits with jackets, others just shirts and trousers. I'd go for a smart/casual thing, but err on the side of smart-ish. TBH i don't take much notice of male fashion so i wouldn't really accept my advice here but if it were me i wouldn't wear jeans, but i doubt they'd reject you for wearing them if that's what you feel most happy in. In fact i'm sure they wouldn't!

Reply 4

OP

Yeha its Beng, not clever enough to do Meng! lol But it's what I want to do.

I suppose I will wear a shirt and trousers or maybe trousers and a smart jumper...hmmm..

I'm going to sit down on the weekend and plan for the interview, writing down potential questions and answers. Do you know any questions that they might ask, apart from the usual, "why did you choose york, why engineering, what do you enjoy most?" etc..

Thanks

Reply 5

Ah right, well you know that if your marks are good enough in first two years you can switch to be on the MEng if you want.

Anyways, questions... hmz, tbh mine was so long ago that i can't really remember. It was more of a chat than the interviewer asking me questions, plus my interview was for a music tech course so we spoke quite a bit about music and my plans for my gap year as well.

I'm sure you know this... but if you can have a question prepared that looks quite good. You could ask about years in industry or final year projects - like what sorts of things students do.

I'll have a bit of a think about what they asked me (or might ask you) and post here later.

Reply 6

OP

newDana

Ah right, well you know that if your marks are good enough in first two years you can switch to be on the MEng if you want.

Anyways, questions... hmz, tbh mine was so long ago that i can't really remember. It was more of a chat than the interviewer asking me questions, plus my interview was for a music tech course so we spoke quite a bit about music and my plans for my gap year as well.

I'm sure you know this... but if you can have a question prepared that looks quite good. You could ask about years in industry or final year projects - like what sorts of things students do.

I'll have a bit of a think about what they asked me (or might ask you) and post here later.

Thanks, that would be really helpful. Im just searching the web aswel fo university questions.

Reply 7

Just realised i never replied to this... sorry, i'm a bit rubbish and i've got work due at the end of the week, that's my excuse.

Anyways, they asked the usual... why do i want to study this course,
why york in particular (for me cos it was the only course combining music tech and engineering in this manner as well as the fact that i love the city),
what my career aspirations were,
what experiences i had of engineering (i talked about my time in the sound and lighting department at school - i was the only person who knew how to use the sound desk!),
What work experience i'd done.
What my gap year plans were.

It really wasn't the kind of situation where there was an interviewer with a list of questions which i was answering. The questions he asked were mainly based on things i'd talked about.

Anyways hope that helps a little.
Good luck.

Reply 8