Natural Sciences (Biological) @ Sidney Sussex, Cambridge in 2017

Interview format

NSAA; 3x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: graph drawing, personal statement; Interview 2: maths and physics problems; Interview 3: calculus and mechanics questions

Best preparation

Reread a book mentioned in personal statement

Advice in hindsight

-

Final thoughts

Talk through every step in a problem solving question

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

Test taken: Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA)

Number of interviews: 3

Skype interview: no

Time between interviews: none

Length of first interview: 30 minutes; Length of second interview: 30 minutes; Length of third interview: 30 minutes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

My first interview was based on ecology. I was given a specimen to talk about which led on to other questions such as graph drawing. I was also asked about my personal statement, specifically my EPQ and extracurriculars. My interviewers were friendly, even though that interview didn't seem to go very well from my perspective.

My second interview was based more on physiology and molecular biology. When I first entered the room, the interviewers asked me to speak about anything I wanted, which led on to further questions on my chosen topic. I was asked some maths and physics questions, in the context of biology which was quite fun and I definitely felt more comfortable in this interview than the first one.

My last extra interview (which I requested) was to test my maths so that I could take the physics module if I was offered a place. Although the interviewers seemed more intimidating, I was initially asked fairly easy calculus questions to get me started, before moving on to some mechanics, where I required some prompts. After the interviews I felt both relieved and happy, because although I didn't think I had been good enough to get in, I enjoyed the process.

How did you prepare?

Before the test, I found the specification for the test online and revised each topic. I also completed multiple choice questions from practice papers under timed condititions, and went through longer answer questions with my biology teacher. To prepare for my interviews, I reread the sections of a book that I talked about in my personal statement, and practised talking to people about my favourite areas of biology. I also asked a teacher at my school to give me a mock interview, and this was probably the most useful preparation I had.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

I think practising talking about your subject is the most important piece of advice I could give, because if you're not used to it, it can feel strange at first. Also, talk through every step you take towards finding an answer to a problem solving question. I now understand that interviewers are looking for people they'd like to teach, so try to appear teachable!