Architecture @ Christ's, Cambridge in 2018

Interview format

Architecture Admissions Assessment; 2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: personal statement, portfolio; Interview 2: interests within architecture

Best preparation

Practised sketching buildings under timed conditions

Advice in hindsight

-

Final thoughts

Make sure your portfolio demonstrates your entire creative process

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: Architecture Admissions Assessment on the day of interview

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: no

Time between interviews: 1 hour

Length of first interview: 30 minutes; Length of second interview: 30 minutes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

The first interview expanded on ideas I had written about in my personal statement then I was asked to talk through my portfolio. The second interview was more focused on architecture in general and my interest in it. All the interviewers were nice and the atmosphere was formal but relaxed enough so that you felt comfortable.

How did you prepare?

I prepared for the admissions test by practising sketching buildings and writing essays, both under timed conditions.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

Don’t worry too much about how much reading you have done relating to your subject - just make sure you can defend and expand upon everything on your personal statement. Try to keep an open mind and make sure your portfolio shows your creative process; the quality isn’t the main thing, it’s how you think and develop ideas.