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How important are Oxbridge interviews?

I’m applying to study economics at the University of Cambridge, I have predicted 3A*, a really good personal statement and a good predicted TMUA grade, so overall i feel like my application is really strong (not trying to brag).

But the only aspect of my application that i feel like is weak are my interview skills, i haven’t even started prepping yet, so i wanted to know how important the interview is for cambridge in making their decision?
Like does anyone have any idea of the weight of the interview in this context? For example if i did really bad in the interview but otherwise had a good application, could they still give me an offer or not?
Original post by hamda333
I’m applying to study economics at the University of Cambridge, I have predicted 3A*, a really good personal statement and a good predicted TMUA grade, so overall i feel like my application is really strong (not trying to brag).
But the only aspect of my application that i feel like is weak are my interview skills, i haven’t even started prepping yet, so i wanted to know how important the interview is for cambridge in making their decision?
Like does anyone have any idea of the weight of the interview in this context? For example if i did really bad in the interview but otherwise had a good application, could they still give me an offer or not?

Very important. There is no figure for weighting, but plenty of evidence, every year, that people with stellar grades get rejected and people with 'average for Oxbridge' get offers. That's down to interview performance. However, it's not interview performance in the 'job interview' style, it's not something you can or need to try to practice for in particular. It's just about how you respond to questions, how you think about new topics and ideas you may be presented with, how you try and work things out, how you react when you get stuck, if you are given new information, how do you pick it up and apply it etc. It's about how you think about subject relevant problems/issues and whether you seem to have the fit with the supervision style of teaching.

It's not about how you dress, making eye contact, a firm handshake, speaking clearing, giving good examples, etc etc.
Reply 2
Original post by threeportdrift
Very important. There is no figure for weighting, but plenty of evidence, every year, that people with stellar grades get rejected and people with 'average for Oxbridge' get offers. That's down to interview performance. However, it's not interview performance in the 'job interview' style, it's not something you can or need to try to practice for in particular. It's just about how you respond to questions, how you think about new topics and ideas you may be presented with, how you try and work things out, how you react when you get stuck, if you are given new information, how do you pick it up and apply it etc. It's about how you think about subject relevant problems/issues and whether you seem to have the fit with the supervision style of teaching.
It's not about how you dress, making eye contact, a firm handshake, speaking clearing, giving good examples, etc etc.


Thanks, this was really helpful. Do you recommend any resources/ways to practice for these interviews?
Original post by hamda333
Thanks, this was really helpful. Do you recommend any resources/ways to practice for these interviews?

I think the best way to practice would be to ask a professional you know, someone who knows a lot about something you don't know much about, and ask them to ask you 3 questions that make you think. Have a conversation with them, and ask them for feedback on how well you answered the question, did you pick up on the right issues, when they gave you extra information, or a new parameter, did you take in on board and apply it well to the conversation, did you adapt and use the new information effectively.

It's not really the interview you need to practice, it's developing the thinking skills to answer a difficult question, probably not get it right, but maybe be able to assess why you went wrong, and when given additional information, being able to realise how to apply it, or how it changes where you got to, and move to a different route.

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