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Oxford Interview Questions Thread!

Hello,
I know it's only been a day since interviews (other than music) started but I thought it'd be useful for us applicants who have been told of our interviews/hopeful applicants.

I have a few questions I was hoping we could discuss!

1) Is there anything to actually prepare? I'm going to make sure I fully read my books on my personal statement, but is there anything else? Everyone says to prepare basic questions like 'why law?' (I'm doing law, obviously this would be 'why biology?' or whatever for other subjects!), but what else is there?

2) What do we wear?!:biggrin:

3) How long do they last?

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Reply 1
Ok so I'm not too sure if these will 100% help you out but they may:
1) link for sample interview questions: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews?wssl=1#content-tab--3
2) I heard you have to dress formally so wear anything formal and professional
3) this links tells you what day(s) you'll be in Oxford for interviews but not necessarily for how long each interview is; i could only assume approximately 1 hour http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews/interview-timetable
Hello!

Just placing this here in response to your question. Hope it helps :smile:

Original post by Erdsa
Ok so I'm not too sure if these will 100% help you out but they may:
1) link for sample interview questions: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews?wssl=1#content-tab--3
2) I heard you have to dress formally so wear anything formal and professional
3) this links tells you what day(s) you'll be in Oxford for interviews but not necessarily for how long each interview is; i could only assume approximately 1 hour http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews/interview-timetable

You can be quite informal in dress; whatever helps you to feel comfortable.
A reasonable expectation is that each interview will last no longer than 30 minutes. Some might even be only half that long. And the length tells you nothing about whether you did well or badly.
Reply 4
Original post by OxFossil
You can be quite informal in dress; whatever helps you to feel comfortable.
A reasonable expectation is that each interview will last no longer than 30 minutes. Some might even be only half that long. And the length tells you nothing about whether you did well or badly.


ahhh ok thanks
Original post by Erdsa
Ok so I'm not too sure if these will 100% help you out but they may:
1) link for sample interview questions: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews?wssl=1#content-tab--3
2) I heard you have to dress formally so wear anything formal and professional
3) this links tells you what day(s) you'll be in Oxford for interviews but not necessarily for how long each interview is; i could only assume approximately 1 hour http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/interviews/interview-timetable

Thank you for the links!!:biggrin:

Original post by LMH OXFORD
Hello!

Just placing this here in response to your question. Hope it helps :smile:


I’ll definitely give that a watch! Thanks!:smile:

Original post by OxFossil
You can be quite informal in dress; whatever helps you to feel comfortable.
A reasonable expectation is that each interview will last no longer than 30 minutes. Some might even be only half that long. And the length tells you nothing about whether you did well or badly.

Thank you for the clarification!:wink:
smart casual is my thing, so I’ll go ahead with that!
More questions:biggrin::

-my email says to get to Oxford by 10 am on the 11th. Ideally, what time should I be arriving at the train station? Is 8:30 okay?

-how many interviewees are there in the room?
Original post by Euphoria101
More questions:biggrin::

-my email says to get to Oxford by 10 am on the 11th. Ideally, what time should I be arriving at the train station? Is 8:30 okay?

-how many interviewees are there in the room?

90 minutes is plenty of time to walk from the train station to any college. Most are within 20 minutes or so, and the northern outliers like LMH are not much further.

You will be the only interviewee in the interview room! There are typically 2 or 3 interviewers.
Original post by OxFossil
90 minutes is plenty of time to walk from the train station to any college. Most are within 20 minutes or so, and the northern outliers like LMH are not much further.

You will be the only interviewee in the interview room! There are typically 2 or 3 interviewers.

Do you know how far St. Peter’s in? In that case, is 9:10 too late?

Interviewers* sorry😂😂

Okay three would be intimidatingly hopefully I get two lol

Thanks
I’ve been looking at restaurants near St Peter’s college, I know food is provided but i have some food allergies and I’m picky:tongue:

I just wanna treat myself with really good food during interviews where I’ll be out of my depth
Original post by Euphoria101
Do you know how far St. Peter’s in? In that case, is 9:10 too late?

Interviewers* sorry😂😂

Okay three would be intimidatingly hopefully I get two lol

Thanks


St.Peter’s is actually one of the colleges closest to the train station, train getting in at 9.10 to walk to the college etc for 10am is plenty of time. It would be about a 5-10 minute walk.
Original post by Hugh's Swan
St.Peter’s is actually one of the colleges closest to the train station, train getting in at 9.10 to walk to the college etc for 10am is plenty of time. It would be about a 5-10 minute walk.

Okay I’ll take your word for it! In my mind I’m just worried I’ll get lost or the train will be delayed.

Probably won’t get lost but my train may definitely be delayed. I just don’t want to wake up too early because I don’t want to be exhausted in interviews!:biggrin:

So glad Oxford is paying for my train ticket. I never would’ve been able to afford it otherwise, it would be close to 100 pounds!
Original post by Euphoria101
Okay I’ll take your word for it! In my mind I’m just worried I’ll get lost or the train will be delayed.

Probably won’t get lost but my train may definitely be delayed. I just don’t want to wake up too early because I don’t want to be exhausted in interviews!:biggrin:

So glad Oxford is paying for my train ticket. I never would’ve been able to afford it otherwise, it would be close to 100 pounds!


I know what you mean - getting up for the early train there is a worry you will be really tired, and the later one that it might be late. That said even if the train is half an hour late you would still get there by 10am i suppose. The college is pretty much a straight road into town from the station and then turn right.
Original post by Hugh's Swan
I know what you mean - getting up for the early train there is a worry you will be really tired, and the later one that it might be late. That said even if the train is half an hour late you would still get there by 10am i suppose. The college is pretty much a straight road into town from the station and then turn right.

Yes that’s true! There’s one that comes at 9:06 so I’ll go for that even though it’s more expensive than the ones after 9:10, Oxford is paying for it so oh well😂😂

I hope I don’t have to stay for the three days! Do you know when we’re let know or we have to stay on the last day?
Original post by Euphoria101
Yes that’s true! There’s one that comes at 9:06 so I’ll go for that even though it’s more expensive than the ones after 9:10, Oxford is paying for it so oh well😂😂

I hope I don’t have to stay for the three days! Do you know when we’re let know or we have to stay on the last day?


I think it depends what subject - people I know e.g for history, have had 2 interviews on the first day, then nothing on the second day, but had to stay until the third day. Then on the third day, if they have not been recalled they have had a note on the board after breakfast saying they were released and could leave ( or if you had another interview - then you had to stay and until what time.) what subject were you again?
Original post by Hugh's Swan
I think it depends what subject - people I know e.g for history, have had 2 interviews on the first day, then nothing on the second day, but had to stay until the third day. Then on the third day, if they have not been recalled they have had a note on the board after breakfast saying they were released and could leave ( or if you had another interview - then you had to stay and until what time.) what subject were you again?

Law!:smile:
Thanks!
Original post by Euphoria101
Law!:smile:
Thanks!

For law you will have an interview on the Wednesday and one on the Thursday, and you will be told at the end of Thursday whether you need to stay till Friday.
Original post by Estreth
For law you will have an interview on the Wednesday and one on the Thursday, and you will be told at the end of Thursday whether you need to stay till Friday.

Thank you!:biggrin:

It's good to know that they aren't on the same day and I will be told whether I will have to stay Thursday night unless I have an interview Friday
Could the interviews ask us about the books on our personal statement? I mentioned things I found interesting in them and I’m sorted with those chapters but some other chapters I can’t really fully comprehend and I’m worried I’ll seem stupid or as if I haven’t read them
Original post by Euphoria101
Could the interviews ask us about the books on our personal statement? I mentioned things I found interesting in them and I’m sorted with those chapters but some other chapters I can’t really fully comprehend and I’m worried I’ll seem stupid or as if I haven’t read them


They may well ask you about them but it's unlikely they'll ask you questions specific to certain chapters.

They're more likely to ask you: "What was the most interesting part of the book?" or "Do you agree/disagree with the main argument" than they are: "What did you make of the anecdote in chapter 12?"

Still a good idea to know the books well, but nobody expects you to remember everything the writer said.

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