Natural Sciences (Physical) @ Sidney Sussex, Cambridge in 2016

Interview format

3x interviews (20 mins); 1x test (1hr)

Interview content

Physics: graph & questions; Chemistry: drawing, extension of A level; Geology: rock example

Best preparation

Online resources; mock interview; reading beyond course

Final thoughts

Try not to be nervous

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 three interview.

1st was general, non science based

Second one was by two interviewers, each took 10 minutes while the other timed & made notes. Based on physics and chemistry.

Third interview had two people, same format, based on geology and physics.

Also had a test (60 minutes) which involved maths physics and chemistry. It was stuff that you would have learnt at Y13.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

Physics: they gave me questions and I was asked to draw a graph. It was the style of a supervision.

Chemistry: more drawing of molecular orbitals (abstract). Could make educated guesses based on A level knowledge.

Geology: gave me a rock and asked me talk about it. I had no idea what to say!

How did you prepare?

isaacphysics.com - good way to practice thinking a bit out of the box

Chemistry - Read beyond course (which focusses on the what - you need to know why)

Contacted current students, and did mock interviews

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