Asian And Middle Eastern Studies @ Newnham, Cambridge in 2017

Interview format

AMES test and MML at-interview test; 2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: discussed pre-reading; Interview 2: subject questions. personal statement

Best preparation

Watching YouTube videos about interviews

Advice in hindsight

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Final thoughts

N/A

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: AMES test and MML at-interview test

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: no

Time between interviews: 30 minutes

Length of first interview: 25 minutes; Length of second interview: 25 minutes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

My first interview was about my MML post A-level language so we discussed a text in the language (I had pre-prepared it just before) and then switched into English debating and exploring issues in the text.

My second interview was for AMES and as I didn't yet know any Arabic it was all in English. We spent some time on a grammar puzzle (in English) and then I was challenged to explain an assertion I'd made in my personal statement. Finally, I was asked a couple of general questions e.g. my strengths/weaknesses.

How did you prepare?

To prepare for the tests I did past papers including general critical thinking exams. For the interview, I watched youtube videos (official & unofficial by other interviewees) and I spoke to my college Oxbridge coordinator for interview practice. I reread/revised what I'd mentioned in my personal statement although this didn't come up. Most useful was other people's experience, as knowing slightly what to expect helped me manage my nerves.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

Nothing to add!