Test taken: MML pre-interview assessment 
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: less than an hour
Length of interviews: 30 minutes
Online interview: Yes

In my first interview, we discussed an extract from a literary text that I'd been given about half an hour before the interview. I was then asked about my English coursework that I'd mentioned in my SAQ (I hadn't anticipated this at all and hadn't been working on it because of interview prep so that majorly freaked me out). I was then asked to translate some sentences from English into German (that included some of the higher-end grammar I'd learned at A Level like Konjunktiv II). Both of my interviewers were kind and friendly but one was a bit less personable than the other..

My second interview was similar to the first one but I felt more relaxed as both interviewers were personable and friendly. I discussed another extract (in English) and then what made me want to study the ab initio language I'd chosen, so I expanded on something I wrote in my personal statement.

I had a couple of practice interviews where we went over an extract from a book and I talked about what I noticed or found interesting, and practiced trying to notice and verbalise my thought process when I was reacting to literature or film; this helped as I think most MML interviews have a part where you comment on a literary text (for post-A Level, it is in the target language, for ab initio it is in English), and interviewers want to understand how you think.

I also reread my personal statement a few times and thought through how I would expand on its contents if I was asked (though made sure not to practice so much that I sounded robotic). I read one book in German specifically in advance of the interview to try to adjust to reading in German. I also practiced speaking in German as often people are asked to speak in the target language, but I wasn't.

A teacher in my school did prep sessions with me; we would use the practice papers available on the website and discuss how I would formulate an answer to them using the mark scheme. For the question where you had to respond in the foreign language, we would go over the discourse markers and connectives that make an effective piece of extended writing in that language. I did some papers under unlimited time and some under timed exam conditions.

Be genuine in your application and interview about what you like about the subject and what gets you fired up about it - the university wants people who are enthusiastic and like their subject! I was expecting the interview to be about my subject knowledge but I think it ended up being more about my skills as a humanities student and how I analysed things. Also, any information such as your personal statement or SAQ can be used by interviewers to build your applicant profile, which informs what they will want to ask you about.

If you're a person who easily gets overwhelmed or anxious, it's worth trying to work out what helps you calm down a bit, like practicing breathing, or having something to fidget with. The interviewers are very used to seeing people who are stressed, so try not to judge yourself and try to focus on what is being asked and what you genuinely think, not what you think the most intelligent answer is. It's okay to ask for a second to think something through.