To those already at Cambridge University - did you make any mistakes at interview?

Fair enough. I went on their Interview Preparation Day and found the questions they shared to be very accurate to the types of questions asked in the actual interview. Two other people from my school had questions they were asked at the interview preparation day repeated exactly at their real Cambridge interviews, and found it much easier the second time round, especially having received comprehensive comments about their first performance and how to improve.....

you can assume there's one from every college at least.

Do you mind me asking why they were so bad?

Well for one subject in my second year (which I ended up taking for third year...) the other three girls were amazing students who got firsts in their first year exams, and I struggled to get a 2ii, so whilst they picked up and understood concepts really easily, and remembered them, I found it very difficult. Not great for the confidence, I felt like the one that slipped through the net. The supervisor was a lovely guy, but he was new to the supervision system and wasn't sure how hard to pitch it- he went for too hard!

Then you just get the general bad days where you don't get anything and the supervisor insists on grilling you mercilessly. These days are not helped by being ill, or hungover, or tired. All three of which happen a lot.

Of course, you do get good supervisions- the bad ones just stick out more for me.

If they do reuse interview questions... my school has a list of every single one for the past 8 years. I should go get one really.

I doubt your school has a list of every single question used in every Cambridge interview in the past 8 years. That's just ridiculous, let alone impossible.

Well every single question an applicant remembers. If you add that all up we have a pretty good idea what's coming.

Well every single question an applicant remembers. If you add that all up we have a pretty good idea what's coming.

I just think that the rules lead to unfairness. Assuming the same questions are used each year, people from schools with many oxbridge applicants will know what they'll be asked from talking to people who've been through the process, whereas people who only have TSR as an oxbridge resource will have no idea. I appreciate that with interview-style questions, knowing them in advance won't guarantee success, but you're more likely to say something sensible if you've had time in advance to think about it.

I agree but it can't hurt having a bit of extra time to think about some of the questions.

Wow, I wouldn't expect that many. Half a dozen at most, I would have thought.

There have been plenty of incidences of students on here being talked to about what they've said here - I've had it happen to me.

I had the most horrific interview ever - and this is sadly not melodrama on my part (won't go into specifics - the problems all lay with my nerves/complete unawareness of what to expect, not with my interviewers, who were, and still are, lovely). But I (bizarrely!) still got an offer - so there is hope, no matter how badly you think you've done (I was convinced, to the point that I've never been more certain of anything, that I'd been rejected). So please don't panic, all who are off for interview soon - just do your best, and I'm sure you'll all be fine

Surely the truth is that most of you won't be fine given the interview to offers ratio? And it isn't all about the interview. My brother was told (via feedback to his school )that he had interviewed really well but didn't get an offer because he had not done well enough in the grammar of the MML test. He was advised to reapply this year but decided to take up one of his other offers. He is fine in the sense that he is really happy now and there is life after being an Oxbridge reject...