Archaeology @ Emmanuel, Cambridge in 2017

Interview format

2x interviews (1 hr each); 1 x exam.

Interview content

Both interviews: personal interests and thoughts on Archaeology; analysing Archaeological and modern artefacts; thought process is key

Best preparation

<p>Read and research widely on the subject. The Times series of magazines on "Great Empires and Civilisations" was useful.</p>

Final thoughts

None

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

I had two interviews, each around 1 hour long, on 1 day. Both interviews were typical person to person discussions with two academics. Both interviews started and finished with questions focused on my personal interests and thoughts on archaeology, with the bulk of the discussion focused on analysing archaeological and modern artefacts in respect to questions asked by interviewers. I was taken to each interview by a student helper from a central waiting room. Both interview rooms were in the central college.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

Both interviews were typical person to person discussions with two academics and started and finished with questions focused on my personal interests and thoughts on archaeology, with the bulk of the discussion focused on analysing Archaeological and modern artefacts in respect to questions asked by interviewers such as possible inferences that can be drawn from the artefact, its context, and possible function. Also a discussion about how one would decide whether to excavate a new site or not. Crucially they didn't care about / assume prior knowledge or even want a correct object id/answer. Always tried to draw out thought process.

How did you prepare?

Reading widely - this meant that I could talk about a range of subjects and discovered issues within the subject I really cared about. I also researched my interviewers specialities so if they asked about them I would be prepared. The Times series of magazines on "Great Empires and Civilisations" was useful.

Looking back, what advice would you give to your past self?

No