Law @ Sidney Sussex, Cambridge in 2018

Interview format

Cambridge Law Test (CLT); 2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: unseen scenarios, identifying liability; Interview 2: discussing pre-reading

Best preparation

Read a book containing example cases to expand my knowledge

Advice in hindsight

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Final thoughts

Don't be afraid to change your initial answers in light of new information

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: Cambridge Law Test (CLT)

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?

In my first interview, I was given various scenarios and was asked to discuss who would be liable for a certain offence in each. The two interviews were very helpful if I got stuck. Before my second interview, I had 30 minutes to prepare and I had to collect an envelope containing a law and the criteria that have to be fulfilled for someone to be guilty under the offence and a scenario/problem question. I had to apply the law to the situation and identify problems that would come up in court. I took notes and then went into my interview. In the interview itself, I talked through my notes and the interviewers suggested some more points that I hadn’t picked up on. By the second interview I was more relaxed and this surely helped!

How did you prepare?

Before the CLT, I looked over some previous questions, although not many. In preparation for the interview, I read a book containing example cases which provided me with knowledge to back up the points I was making during the interview, although this isn't necessary!

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

My advice would be to speak your mind and all your thought processes, even if you eventually change your mind on that thought. The interviewers like to see you adapting and working out your thoughts. And relax!