Economics @ Queens', Cambridge in 2018

Interview format

Economics Admissions Assessment (ECAA); 1x interview

Interview content

Interview 1: general motivations, maths and economics problems

Best preparation

Practised admissions test questions in timed conditions

Advice in hindsight

-

Final thoughts

Try to create a method of answering problem-solving questions aloud

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: Economics Admissions Assessment (ECAA)

Number of interviews: 1

Skype interview: no

Time between interviews: N/A

Length of first interview: 25 minutes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I was first asked which I chose to apply to Cambridge, which I think was intended to help me relax into the interview. The remainder of the interview was based around two maths-focused questions which required my knowledge of A Level Maths but also involved applying this knowledge in an unfamiliar way and relating it to economics. There were two interviewers: one asked the questions and the other took notes, but then they swapped roles for the second question. Both times the questions were built it up from a very basic beginning to more and more complex ideas.

How did you prepare?

I prepared for the admissions assessment by practising past MAT multiple choice questions, TSA problem solving questions and working through the ECAA practise book, although that wasn't very useful. I would recommend practising with time pressure to reflect the conditions of the exam. I also had a mock interview but this just made me more nervous, so I actually think I performed worse because of it.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

My advice would be to pick the college you like the best, ignore the stats completely. You might feel more relaxed by knowing you can answer any question on your personal statement, or creating a method of articulating your ideas when solving problems in the interview.