Archaeology @ Fitzwilliam, Cambridge in 2020

Interview format

x2 interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: discussion of EPQ, wider reading; Interview 2: asked to make inferences from an object and document presented to them

Best preparation

reread personal statement and EPQ; used JSTOR to find further reading; mock interviews

Final thoughts

Talking about your subject out loud - it will help you understand your thought process better!

Remember this advice isn't official. There is no guarantee it will reflect your experience because university applications can change between years. Check the official Cambridge and Oxford websites for more accurate information on this year's application format and the required tests.

Also, someone else's experience may not reflect your own. Most interviews are more like conversations than tests and like, any conversation, they are quite interactive.

Interview Format

Test taken: None
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: About 20 mins
Length of interviews: 40 mins
Online interview: Yes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

My EPQ did come up, but not everything on my personal statement was discussed - so keep this in mind. There were, however, plenty of opportunities to show off the wider reading I'd done, as many of the questions asked were quite broad.

In one interview, I was shown an object and had to work out what it was - suggesting its possible origins and potential uses. In another, I was shown a document and asked to make inferences about the society is originated from. Both of these activities were actually really fun - the key is to keep talking so that the interviewers can hear your thought process out loud! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my interview. My interviewers were friendly and the atmosphere was fairly relaxed. There's no need to stress too much about it - you'll definitely surprise yourself with how much you actually know and how well you can solve problems. 

 

How did you prepare for your interviews?

As well as going over various things I'd mentioned in my personal statement and application form (e.g. my EPQ, my coursework, the papers I'd read), I read one of the books on the faculty reading list. I then followed this up by using JSTOR (a journal database which allows you to access free reading materials) to read around topics which caught my interest because I knew I'd be able to talk about these passionately. 

I also practiced talking about the things I read with a friend who was applying for a similar subject, and spoke to teachers at school to ask for mock interviews. One of my teachers happened to know an archaeologist, for example, and I was able to chat to her - which was especially helpful. 

What advice would you give to future applicants?

My main advice would be to try and surround yourself with supportive friends who are willing to listen to you talk about your subject in the build-up to the interview. It's good to keep talking about your subject out loud, as it allows you to properly process whatever you're reading - and it's good practice before the interviews themselves.