2x interviews (20 mins)
Both interviews focussed around an unseen text, personal statement also mentioned
Know personal statement; mock interview
Speak to interviewers to relax yourself; don't over-analyse after
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.
The day was structured into two interviews, both involving 2 interviewers, scheduled 1 hour apart and lasting around 20 minutes each. Once arriving in college and registering, I had the option to meet other applicants in the
Both interviews involved around 10 minutes of poetry analysis and discussion (unseen poems) and a following 10 minuets of personal statement discussion and general questions about the subject.
Both interviews followed a very similar format; two interviewers attended each, I was given a poem (without being told the poet or period of composition) and 3 minutes to read before being asked various open ended questions about the poem, pushing me to engage in close reading and practical criticism.
The interviewers prompted and revealed contextual information about the poem if I stumbled or ran out of things to say. I was then asked to read the poem out loud before being questioned about selected extracts of my personal statement, mostly being requested to elaborate or defend an assertion I had made.
I found it invaluable that I had memorised my personal statement and was prepared to back up everything I had said, otherwise I would certainly have been caught out. The other major help I received was a
A small amount of proactive engagement in the conversation was very helpful in relaxing me, producing a better rapport with the interviewers and allowing more nuanced demonstration of subject knowledge and passion. Asking the odd question in the right place can be a big benefit - for example I spoke to the interviewer about his favourite chapter in the book we were discussing!
It's completely natural to over-analyse the interview afterwards, even if you know that its very unlikely you'll be able to tell how it really went - and that analysing can't change any mistakes you made - so don't worry that you're worrying! The post-interview anxiety will pass by itself with a little time as you accept that everything is now out of your control (and that you probably did much better than you thought you did!)