Maths @ Sidney Sussex, Cambridge in 2014

Interview format

1x test (1hr); 1x interview (1hr)

Interview content

Discussing answers from admissions test; ended with some more general questions.

Best preparation

Looked at example questions on the college website.

Final thoughts

Nope

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

I had a 1 hour test, then I brought my answers to a 1 hour interview where my answers were marked in front of me and discussed. The questions in the test were of a similar style to what was shown as example tests on the college website, and were a lot harder than A-level stuff.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

The questions I answered in the admissions test were discussed and explored - it was hard and there was some sort of good cop/bad cop situation with the two interviewers.

For the last 10 minutes they asked me more general questions and asked me if I had any questions.

How did you prepare?

Looked at STEP questions and example interview questions on the college website. I also made sure I knew basic derivations etc.

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

Nope