Firstly, I was taken to do the Cambridge Law Test which lasted an hour. This was similar to a familiar school classroom test with everyone just spread out around the room.

I then had 20 minutes pre-reading of some points of law in a reading room, before being taken to my first interview. This lasted half an hour and was almost entirely around the legislation I had been reading, including scenario questions implementing the points of law. Then, I had a couple of questions about abstract legal issues.

There were two interviewers the other side of a large table - slightly different to what I had been expecting (sitting in arm chairs around a fire). One spoke most of the time and asked most of the questions, but the other did speak occasionally.

I then had a break before returning to the reading room, this time for an hour. This time, I was reading a case.

I was then taken for another half an hour interview with two interviewers. One did the large majority of the questions - the other I only heard talk around two times.

In total it was a very intense day with all the reading, tests and interviews but they give plenty of time between everything to recover. Students were on hand to lead me to all locations. I took a pencil case with highlighters and everything I could need with me to the reading rooms.

The first interview was based around a pre-read piece of legislation, and scenario questions. We discussed definitions and practical aspects of the area that the legislation covered. Then I was asked to apply the legislation to a scenario and judge whether or not the scenario fitted the conditions of the legislation. They then tweaked the scenario, and asked if I still felt it was. They also made me focus on lots of different parts of the legislation and tried to see if I had understood it. The only questions I was asked about abstract legal issues (e.g. justice) were in this interview and there were only a two of them.

This was more formal around a table, and they were less smiley than the second interview, and made you extend your reasoning as far as possible. I enjoyed the challenge of doing it so didn’t feel like the interview went badly. I felt it went okay but wasn’t really sure what they were looking for and if I had been right at all!

My second interview felt more informal as it was in armchairs, and one woman predominantly led it was very smiley and friendly, so I felt it went well as she was very encouraging.

They asked me about the case I had been reading, asking me for a summary and about the definitions that were used for what he was being charged with. All my questions in this interview were around the case and, like the previous interview, they asked me to apply concepts from one case and see they were applicable to another.

Practice interviews helped a lot.

I did also do an interview course that was run by ‘Uni Admissions’ which was so useful! We worked with past Oxbridge students all day, had 4 practice interviews with people who had studied our subject. This meant I got used to being in an interview situation. They helped pick apart my personal statement, which was useful as even though I didn’t get asked any questions on it I felt hugely more prepared. One of them practiced asking questions on legislation, which was very useful as this is what i did in the interview. They all asked me lots of questions on abstract legal issues, so I felt comfortable answering these in my first interview.

I also made a huge folder that broke down my personal statement and included all my research about anything my personal statement mentioned – as well as the latest updates on cases I mentioned. I had a section also on all the Guardian articles dating back to August of the key legal cases, so I had knowledge of what had been going on. Also, I had a section with printed out advice from the cambridge law website/ other websites that offer tips so I had generic interview tips as well.

Although I was asked no questions on my personal statement or anything about any of the cases/ and recent legal issues I had followed, I felt this did help as it meant I had information to look at before I went into the interview so I felt prepared and confident that I could answer questions on any of that information.

Talking to current students before it was also useful as you could get to know what to expect and how the interviewers may be.

It's so hard to know what they're looking for and what the right answer is, especially on very subjective scenario questions, so just give it a go and don't worry about if you've got something right.

I just tried to enjoy being tested and having to think of a new solution when the scenario was changed. Don't panic if they had to guide me to where I should look or which bit of the passage I should focus on. This happened a few times but they did't seem to mind at all!