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Oxford interview prep materials science

Hi guys,
I just received an interview for Oxford materials science which I was not expecting lol. Does anyone have any prep advice + what to expect on the interview?

Reply 1

UniofLawstudent2

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi guys,
I just received an interview for Oxford materials science which I was not expecting lol. Does anyone have any prep advice + what to expect on the interview?

Congrats!
Getting an Oxford Materials Science interview is a big achievement.

You should keep in mind:
The interviews are academic, not personality-based, and they mainly test how you think, not what you already know.
Here’s what to expect and how to prep:
What the interview is like:

•

You’ll be given problems to work through, maths, physics and materials concepts (relevant areas).

•

They don’t expect perfect answers; they want to see your thought process.

•

Interviewers will nudge you, ask “why?”, and change the question slightly to see how you adapt.

•

It feels like a tutorial: you talk through your reasoning and use the hints they give.

How to prepare:

•

Go over the physics and maths you’ve already learned (especially mechanics, forces, graphs, proportionality, basic equations).

•

Practise talking through problems out loud so you get used to explaining your thinking.

•

Try a few MAT/physics-style reasoning questions not for the content, but for the problem-solving approach.

•

Look over your personal statement and be ready to discuss anything you mentioned. (You can definitely expect to see some of these questions)

•

Don’t panic if you’re stuck in the interview; say what you’re thinking and use the hints. You are allowed to take a seconds to take in the question and consider how you will answer, taking that period to pause will show you're truly considering the answer.

•

Body language, when presenting your thoughts/answer, have your hands on the table/clearly visible, and make consistent eye contact.

Mindset matters more than knowledge: Being calm, logical and open to guidance is exactly what they’re looking for. Plenty of people feel unprepared and still do really well.

Hope this helps,
Ulaw,
Alfred.

Reply 2

Suzduh

Agree

Reply 3

yasobo

Original post

by UniofLawstudent2

Congrats!
Getting an Oxford Materials Science interview is a big achievement.
You should keep in mind:
The interviews are academic, not personality-based, and they mainly test how you think, not what you already know.
Here’s what to expect and how to prep:
What the interview is like:

•

You’ll be given problems to work through, maths, physics and materials concepts (relevant areas).

•

They don’t expect perfect answers; they want to see your thought process.

•

Interviewers will nudge you, ask “why?”, and change the question slightly to see how you adapt.

•

It feels like a tutorial: you talk through your reasoning and use the hints they give.

How to prepare:

•

Go over the physics and maths you’ve already learned (especially mechanics, forces, graphs, proportionality, basic equations).

•

Practise talking through problems out loud so you get used to explaining your thinking.

•

Try a few MAT/physics-style reasoning questions not for the content, but for the problem-solving approach.

•

Look over your personal statement and be ready to discuss anything you mentioned. (You can definitely expect to see some of these questions)

•

Body language, when presenting your thoughts/answer, have your hands on the table/clearly visible, and make consistent eye contact.

Thank you so so very much, will definitely try this out, will let you know how it goes!

Reply 4

f1_carzy

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi guys,
I just received an interview for Oxford materials science which I was not expecting lol. Does anyone have any prep advice + what to expect on the interview?