Test taken: Philosophy Admissions Assessment

Number of Interviews: 2

Skype interview: No

Time between interviews: A few hours

Length of first interview: 20 minutes; Length of second interview: 20 minutes

In my first interview, we mostly discussed things from my personal statement. I had mentioned I was doing an EPQ on Philosophy so they asked me about that, and used the topic to ask questions and prompt some general discussion. The aim of the interview was to probe my ability to assess arguments and produce responses to them, and to check I had read the things I claimed I had read. The interviewers were friendly and made for a very positive atmosphere.

The aim of the second interview was similar to the first. This time they asked a question of their own, not based on my personal statement. They then asked me to interpret a quote from a philosopher. I think they were looking to assess aptitude at making sense of a difficult bit of philosophical writing. This interview was more tense as a whole, as a result of the more intense interviewers and questioning style.

I read the sample uploaded by the Philosophy Faculty. There's hardly anything you need to memorise for the philosophy interviews, and it's not essential that you do Philosophy A-Level. Try instead to focus on getting confident at thinking on the spot and assessing arguments. There aren't many undergrad philosophers at Cambridge in general, and I never found anybody to speak to for advice on the Cambridge philosophy interview specifically. However, I did discuss philosophical arguments and problems with friends, family and at school societies. If you can do that kind of thing, you're basically practicing the format of the Cambridge interviews, and you're unlikely to feel overwhelmed by the interviews.

Interviewers are looking for candidates that are good at processing arguments, and they're also looking for candidates who are passionate about those arguments, and who are engaged with and interested in the topic of discussion.

The best thing I did was probably just reading a lot of introductory philosophy books and developing my interest in the subject. I recommend looking up lists of introductory books on philosophy and areas within philosophy (on Google, Reddit, etc.) and trying to read two or three if you can.

This can help in several ways. Firstly it gives you and the interviewer something to discuss if you mention the book in your personal statement. Secondly, it can familiarise you with the kind of thinking and arguing that interviewers will likely follow, and look for you to imitate. Thirdly it will tell you a little bit about the field of 'Philosophy'--its big names and famous arguments. This knowledge can impress interviewers, and helps you stand out. Finally, your reaction to reading introductory philosophy books can gauge whether Philosophy at Cambridge is something you actually want to do. If you're filled with excitement, great - this is a sign that you'll succeed at, or at least enjoy, the interview! If you're bored, then fair enough, but maybe rethink whether Philosophy at Cambridge is the right choice for you.