Philosophy @ Peterhouse, Cambridge in 2019

Interview content

Interview 1: philosophical debate; Interview 2: personal statement, logic question

Best preparation

Wrote essays for sixth form philosophy essay competitions

Test preparation

Similar admissions test papers

Final thoughts

The interviewers have dedicated their lives to philosophy and will have many valuable insights

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: The Philosophy Test
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: 2 hrs
Length of interviews: 30 mins
Online interview: No

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

In my first interview we debated whether there is a difference between science and religion. The interviewer’s role was mainly to find the limitations to my answers and challenge me to find better ones. I didn’t feel very nervous because I could tell that he wasn’t expecting me to find flawless answers but only to listen and respond to him thoughtfully.

In my second interview we talked about the difference between lying and telling the truth, theatre and reality. This was mostly like an exploration of these concepts together. I was also asked about an essay competition topic in my personal statement, what my argument was and if I had changed my mind since then. Then we moved on to a logic question, I was to read this and discuss the different possible logical outcomes. I could then ask a question in the end (feel free to make this a philosophical one that you’ve put a lot of thought into and for which you have your own response, it’s an opportunity to show your own exploration!)

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I read and made notes on an important philosophical work in the field of metaphysics (Meditations, Descartes) and one in ethics (After Virtue, MacIntyre) then talked about them with teachers and friends, thinking about how they could apply to the modern age, their limitations and their connections to other topics in philosophy. It’s also helpful to look up sixth form philosophy essay competition questions then research and write essays for these, to expand your knowledge base. Gradually you’ll get a feel for your own philosophical approach.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

The format is very similar to the TSA so I did TSA practice papers, the logic questions are especially important. There’s a also a sample philosophy test paper you can find on the faculty website; try doing that in timed conditions.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

Read! You don’t have to read ten books, just two or three seminal works carefully, seeing where else they lead you. The interviewer is just an ordinary person! They may also have their preconceptions and limitations - don’t be afraid to debate with them and explore these questions together (no philosophical issue has a final answer yet that I know of). Having said this, they are also people who’ve dedicated their lives to philosophy and will have so many valuable insights. If nothing else, take this interview as an opportunity to learn and grow!