Maths @ Pembroke, Cambridge in 2017

Interview format

2x interviews (30mins)

Interview content

1st interview: pre-interview problem sheet; 2nd interview: fast paced maths questions

Best preparation

Mock interview, practicing STEP, online resources

Final thoughts

Don't overanlayse after! You never know.

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

In early December I had two interviews in the morning. The first was preceded by a half-hour worksheet which was then discussed in the interview. The second was a fast paced maths problem solving interview. Both had an interviewer and an observer. Can't remember the exact timings, but I think it was around 30 minutes for each interview.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I attempted the problem sheet before the interview, but didn't finish any questions in the time limit. When it came to the interview, I think the interviewer expected me to have done more, but we got on with finishing the questions together, with her giving me guidance on certain tricky bits. She then asked me a question about my hobbies to end the interview.

The second interview was very fast paced maths, with problems on complex numbers, trigonometry, etc: a lot of things were not in the AS syllabus, but things I had learnt independently before. It was very demanding and much less personal than expected. Not once did I get asked about my personal statement.

How did you prepare?

Practice interview with FMSP [Editor's Note: Further Maths Support Programme - now the Advanced Maths Support Programme, which is government funded] STEP support program. Student room thread on possible maths interview questions.

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

My interview was not what I was expecting, and I thought I had done badly. However, I got in, so don't worry about feeling bad.