Test taken: Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP)
Number of interviews: 1
Length of interviews: 30 mins
Online interview: Yes

My interview got into the maths pretty fast, after all this is the main priority for them. I was asked what topic I wanted a question on, which floored me because I didn't have a good sense of where my strengths and weaknesses lay, so I didn't have a favourite in particular. I was nervous of course before my interview, months before in fact, but the reality was in the interview I didn't have time to be nervous, just had to get on with the work and suddenly it was over (this happens with exams too).

The atmosphere in the room wasn't great - I got the sense I wasn't communicating clearly enough, and I felt intensely embarrassed when the interviewer started explaining something to me that I understood and thought I had adequately explained. Honestly, I left the interview feeling pretty bad and I tried to forget about it as much as I could. But it's commonly stated that everybody will dislike interviews generally, and also that no one really knows how well they did coming out of the interview. After all, they are meant to challenge you and they adjust the level of questions they are asking you to how well you respond. There's good information on the course page about what they are looking for in a candidate (https://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/admissions/faq is one page) that I would recommend you look through, and try and make sure you are giving off the right impression (i.e. allow you to be authentically yourself and the candidate they want - don't fake it, they will see through you). One of the things mentioned is that they are looking for candidates who are 'teachable' - i.e. how quickly you respond to new ideas, and whether you'd be fun to teach. So it's likely you may have somewhat of a discussion as well as solving problems in the interview. However, this varies a lot.

I found practice interview questions online, which were somewhat helpful for Maths but not really the big thing. In general, I aimed to get a deep understanding of the material that was on my A level course, rather than trying to get a shallow understanding of more advanced topics. I practiced being curious and I practiced talking about Maths (this is very important). I was lucky enough to get a couple of practice interviews which were helpful particularly just so that the experience was less stressful as it was less of a 'first time'.

Doing the step preparation modules on maths.org/step , discussing the problems with friends, in particular, learning from the things you got stuck on and practicing how to get over that road block.

Don't get stressed, just follow the process, read the advice and go through the admissions process step by step. What's required is difficult, but possible. After all, hundreds of people make it in every year, and from talking to them, I know that they are many of them totally normal people with the same worries that you may have. The interviewers also understand that you are not in a position to come to them as a good mathematician, but rather to be willing and able to be shaped into one. So trust in yourself and trust in the process.