University Interviews

[Houd]

I think you'll find that, with a few exceptions (medicine and vet courses, other very popular courses here and there), Oxford and Cambridge interviews are rather different to any other university interview you're likely to have.

That's what I thought, especially after 2 "interviews" at Birmingham and Bristol turned out to be little more than recruitment drives on their part. So I walked into UCL expecting the same and got a complete grilling that completely threw me (and which contrary to other posters thoughts did include questions from my Maths and Further Maths A-level syllabus, a couple of which I got wrong!) and thought I had blown my chances entirely. Just goes to show how little you can tell about your performance in these things as I got my offer through the post a couple of days ago. So as for advice, especially regarding the UCL interview, I recommend you walk in with a good recall of pretty much everything you've done so far in the syllabus (which I expect you already have if you're being interviewed by UCL), but also be honest about what you do and don't know. What I found was most important however was to try and get the interviewer to like me, once I felt I had him on my side even when I found myself floundering I managed to get the odd laugh out of him and I feel that had something to do with getting my offer.
Most of all though, relax, don't worry about it and I'm sure you'll do fine. Good luck!

 

[Nitefly]

I think the best advice I could give is that you should smile and seem keen. Two of my interveiwers actually told me 'The fact that you smile makes it very favourable you want to be here'.

Smile for the win.


* EDIT - DREADFUL TYPO*

 

[Lagz]

After my interviews at Oxford in December, I can

Trust me. . . you haven't had a hard job interview.

As for the uni interviews. I can't see it being very hard. Most of the ones I had their 'interviews' are just a trick to get you to attend their open day. I turned up to a few and the first thing they said is "well done you all have an offer. . Now we want to waste a day of your life showing you around".

 

[Mattus]

What I found was most important however was to try and get the interviewer to like me, once I felt I had him on my side even when I found myself floundering I managed to get the odd laugh out of him and I feel that had something to do with getting my offer.

This is true. To an extent it's point-scoring, jumping through the hoops they give you. Yet interviewers are human and make human decisions, so if you can come across as personable and charismatic it must be good for your chances.

Trust me. . . you haven't had a hard job interview.

No, I haven't... but assuming you haven't had an Oxford interview, my interview was nothing like the Uni interviews you described. Oxford interviews come months after open days anyway.

But we're not talking about Oxford interviews, so I'm gonna slide out of this thread..

 

[Lagz]

Well I've had a Cambridge one, which is probably similar. I thought it was bad at the time. .. but its nothing compared to graduate job interviews!

 

[Mattus]

Well I've had a Cambridge one, which is probably similar. I thought it was bad at the time. .. but its nothing compared to graduate job interviews!

I imagine it's about the same as an Oxford one. In that case, I bow to your greater experience