Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Admissions Assessment (PBSAA); 2x interviews
Interview 1: data analysis; Interview 2: discussion of psychological studies
Listen to the 'All in the Mind' podcast
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Read around the subject and practise talking about it
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.
Test taken: Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Admissions Assessment (PBSAA)
Number of interviews: 2
Skype interview: no
Time between interviews: 30 minutes
Length of first interview: 30 minutes; Length of second interview: 30 minutes
In the first interview I was shown lots of data : graphs, videos, puzzles and was asked to work through them. Several times I had to ask the interviewers to repeat their question. The second interview was more conversational, mainly about psychological studies which I didn’t feel particularly prepared for. I asked the interviewers to explain further and always attempted to answer the question even if I felt unsure of the answer. I was surprised that I wasn’t asked any questions about my personal statement in either interview. I was quite nervous for both interviews, although I felt much better after the first interview. I found that the more I concentrated during the interview, the easier it was to forget about my nerves.
For the admissions assessment, I completed a few practice papers. There are very few available so I also used the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) as this is very similar. In preparation for the interview, I talked about psychology with a friend from my psychology class, mainly about articles we enjoyed or any new studies we found interesting. I read a book on the recommended reading list, as well as books relating to areas of psychology that I found particularly interesting. I did a free online course with FutureLearn which only require a few hours of study per week and involve watching videos, reading articles and optionally discussing findings with other students on the course. I also listened to the ‘All in the Mind’ podcast which has very short episodes (20-30 minutes) and I found it useful for expanding my knowledge on topics I found particularly interesting.
When preparing for the interview, try to carry on the hobbies you enjoy and find time to relax. I continued doing drama which really improved my confidence in interview and also inspired my interest in the psychology of empathy. I would say the best thing I did was work consistently and steadily - I made sure I got plenty of sleep and used my free periods in school to work and revise. I wasn’t sure what to expect for the admissions test or interview, so I would advise reading around the subject and practise talking about it. You can never prepare fully as both the interview and the exam are unpredictable, so just try your best!