BMAT; 2x interviews
Interview 1: identifying body parts; Interview 2: discussed body systems
BMAT textbook, review A level content
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Try to relax, don't worry if you make mistakes
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.
Test taken:
Number of interviews: 2
Skype interview: no
Time between interviews: 30 minutes
Length of interviews: 20 minutes
In my first interview I was shown pictures of different close up body parts, and asked what the pictures were of and what they were taken with. We also discussed the Archimedes principle with regards to global warming. In my second interview, I was asked about body systems that I had studied recently in biology and about recent biological discoveries, namely telomeres. This interview was much more of a chat than the first so I felt very relaxed.
I worked through the practice questions in a BMAT textbook. I prepared by having a mock interview in school and by rereading my year 12 notes. I also tried to keep up to date on scientific topics in the news. I think the
I was surprised that my personal statement and BMAT essay weren’t mentioned and instead it was focussed entirely on my scientific knowledge and skill. Looking back, I think the interviewers were looking for someone who is confident, enjoys having academic discussions like in the interview and isn’t ashamed of making mistakes and learning from them.