Oxford Chemistry Students and Applicants

Original post by haes

Hello i want to start preparing for the interview (i actually think i'll get rejected before interview but it's nice to start early just in case) but I have no idea how except revising AS and A level content. Where can i find a list of the kind of questions they ask? I would like to try practising answering them well, or at least just actually trying to answer them instead of being blank like usual! I have a mock interview soon which should be useful but I can't really go to that unprepared either...

There isn't a list with the kind of questions they ask because depending on tutor/college/year it varies massively! And practising interview skills is fine but rehearsing answers is never a good idea. You could try googling some scenario type questions (how many gas molecules in a room, fridge and entropy etc) to get an idea of how you approach answering such questions, to practise thinking out loud and working through a problem and to get an idea of how an interview feels but you don't need to do anything beyond that :smile:

(Apart from AS revision as you've already said)
Maybe think of questions they can ask based on your PS though, to make sure you won't be caught out :tongue:

Reply 1762

FlowerFaerie087

13

Original post by Roju

Hello.
I've applied to study Chemistry at Keble College. I've got some questions about the interviews (fingers crossed i get one). Will I get an article to read before my interview? In this case, what kind of text is this usually (research, first year undergrad topic etc..)?

I can only really tell you about my interviews for chemistry, which were at beautiful Univ. So, this may not apply to you. But:

I haven't heard of anyone being given a text to read beforehand for chemistry. It seems to me that they're looking for your aptitude at the subject rather than something you could google (this would of course be very different for an arts/humanities subject). And it's a little too early in your career to look deep into a chemistry text and derive significant meaning, I think - something that comes from a broad knowledge of the field.

Right/wrong answer questions are generally avoided in the strict sense. I was asked some questions that certainly had a right answer, but if they ask you something like that and you answer it correctly straight away, they'll see that's knowledge you already have rather than you applying your thinking, so they'll move away from that. If you can't answer it correctly straight away, good (for purposes of interview); ask more questions if you need to and tell them everything that goes through your mind even if you think it might be silly.

The actual interview structure varies widely between colleges. I had nothing asked about my personal statement, then my first interview was organic + basic knowledge, and my second was physical/physics + inorganic + basic knowledge. I didn't have a third.

The only required knowledge is your A level syllabus and a good idea of what you said in your personal statement.

Reply 1763

FlowerFaerie087

13

I should add, there are interview guides somewhere on this website.

Reply 1764

Roju

Original post by FlowerFaerie087

I can only really tell you about my interviews for chemistry, which were at beautiful Univ. So, this may not apply to you. But:

I haven't heard of anyone being given a text to read beforehand for chemistry. It seems to me that they're looking for your aptitude at the subject rather than something you could google (this would of course be very different for an arts/humanities subject). And it's a little too early in your career to look deep into a chemistry text and derive significant meaning, I think - something that comes from a broad knowledge of the field.

Right/wrong answer questions are generally avoided in the strict sense. I was asked some questions that certainly had a right answer, but if they ask you something like that and you answer it correctly straight away, they'll see that's knowledge you already have rather than you applying your thinking, so they'll move away from that. If you can't answer it correctly straight away, good (for purposes of interview); ask more questions if you need to and tell them everything that goes through your mind even if you think it might be silly.

The actual interview structure varies widely between colleges. I had nothing asked about my personal statement, then my first interview was organic + basic knowledge, and my second was physical/physics + inorganic + basic knowledge. I didn't have a third.

The only required knowledge is your A level syllabus and a good idea of what you said in your personal statement.

Thank you, that was very informative :smile:

Reply 1765

Has anyone here done a part II in inorganic/organic (or is doing one), preferably quite recently? Looking for some advice on supervisors :redface:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1766

Original post by periodicity

Has anyone here done a part II in inorganic/organic (or is doing one), preferably quite recently? Looking for some advice on supervisors :redface:

hey, I'm doing my part ii in organic this year! :smile:

You can PM me if you like :smile:

Reply 1767

Chem786

Has anyone got any words of advice/comfort for third year collections after Christmas?
I was ill for most of the vac and definitely feel like I'm gonna absolutely bomb this collections
Not prepared at all :frown:

Reply 1768

Original post by Chem786

Has anyone got any words of advice/comfort for third year collections after Christmas?
I was ill for most of the vac and definitely feel like I'm gonna absolutely bomb this collections
Not prepared at all :frown:

Do the most you can- you still have a week so if you concentrate your revision, you'll still be able to do decently! I pretty much failed (around 50ish...) most of my collections up until Trinity collections third year and still did well enough (68 average) in finals, so it's not the be all end all :smile:

Reply 1769

BJack

19

Original post by Chem786

Has anyone got any words of advice/comfort for third year collections after Christmas?
I was ill for most of the vac and definitely feel like I'm gonna absolutely bomb this collections
Not prepared at all :frown:

Sorry to hear you've been ill. Your tutors should be understanding, as your performance won't be a fair reflection of how you're doing, and don't forget that these are still just collections, even if they are closer to finals. My absolute worst set of collections were the last ones, a few weeks before finals, where I comfortably failed one paper and averaged about 50, possibly less, across the three. I ended up getting a high 2.1 in the end, so a lot can change between now and then.

Stay focused on what's ahead. (And make sure you attend enough options lectures to work out which ones will suit you best!)

Reply 1770

Original post by BJack

X

Do you recommend any particular options lectures?

Reply 1771

Chem786

Original post by Poooky

Do the most you can- you still have a week so if you concentrate your revision, you'll still be able to do decently! I pretty much failed (around 50ish...) most of my collections up until Trinity collections third year and still did well enough (68 average) in finals, so it's not the be all end all :smile:

Original post by BJack

Sorry to hear you've been ill. Your tutors should be understanding, as your performance won't be a fair reflection of how you're doing, and don't forget that these are still just collections, even if they are closer to finals. My absolute worst set of collections were the last ones, a few weeks before finals, where I comfortably failed one paper and averaged about 50, possibly less, across the three. I ended up getting a high 2.1 in the end, so a lot can change between now and then.

Stay focused on what's ahead. (And make sure you attend enough options lectures to work out which ones will suit you best!)

Thanks for the replies, its made me feel a bit more positive about facing the year and going back :smile:

Reply 1772

Does anyone have any advice for inorganic paper II? I am finding it a bit of a nightmare to revise.

Reply 1773

BJack

19

Original post by periodicity

Does anyone have any advice for inorganic paper II? I am finding it a bit of a nightmare to revise.

You can do a good job preparing for common element pairs and common 'compounds of interest'. What else is on the paper? My memory's a little hazy now!

Reply 1774

Original post by BJack

You can do a good job preparing for common element pairs and common 'compounds of interest'. What else is on the paper? My memory's a little hazy now!

Oh really? Should I just try and memorize a lot?

There are also short topic essays, data questions, other long essays like e.g solid state ones.

Reply 1775

Dissertation IS IN!!!! Any advice for the viva? :laugh:

After four years, so glad to be done :redface:

Reply 1776

Cobalt_

21

Original post by Poooky

Dissertation IS IN!!!! Any advice for the viva? :laugh:

After four years, so glad to be done :redface:

Woo! Congrats.

Reply 1777

Original post by Cobalt_

Woo! Congrats.

Thank youu :biggrin:

Reply 1778

MexicanKeith

12

Does anyone have any idea when finals results come out

Obviously it varies year to year but I was just after a rough idea (ie, is it june or is it more like september)

much appreciated!

Reply 1779