Test taken: None
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: several hours (on the same day
Length of interviews: half an hour
Online interview: No

In my first interview, I had to sit outside in a corridor for a minute or two before being asked in. I shook hands with them and sat down where they showed me. They started with my personal statement as were often told they do to calm us down. I was asked about a line in my personal statement about some work experience and to expand on what I did since I couldn’t write much about it on my personal statement due to character limits. I feel like they were just trying to reassure me with something I could answer as it was my first interview but also to check that I had done what I said I did. Then they asked me two questions, one on snakes, one on fish. I admit I struggled with both. I think my nerves were clouding my judgement and my ability was not coming through. For my second interview, I got sent to Hertford which was very fortunate as I had strongly considered applying there. I got pre-reading here! I got two articles from the Science journal (I only got interviewed on the first one though), - the first one was based on something in the A-Level and possibly GCSE curriculum for biology which did make me feel more confident in it since it was on my upcoming mocks and I had revised it. I was given half an hour, a pen and a highlighter. When the alarm rang, I was taken up to an office and shook hands again etc. I was once again asked on my personal statement and in fact, this took up a large part of the interview because we went off on a tangent because we enjoyed talking about it. They asked about my statement’s opening sentence about the octopus’s lifespan (“Why does an octopus live for two years while a rockfish lives for two hundred?”) and suddenly I didn’t feel so nervous because it was something I really did want to discuss. It turned into a lovely chat about recent BBC programs and good books on octopuses and whether it is in fact octopuses or octopi (it’s both). This really helped put me at ease. Then they asked the typical question, why do you want to do biology? I did have a prepared answer from my interview at Manchester, but I just wanted to be genuine and show how much it meant to me and I said something really cheesy but true. Then we went on to discuss the article, which I really enjoyed I thought it was a fascinating topic. They just asked things like summarising it, using the information in it to look to graphs, do I think it will be a useful scientific development or not.

My sixth form provided mock interviews for us though I didn't find this very useful. The most helpful thing to me was my boyfriend printing off pictures of unusual species (e.g. pufferfish skeleton) and spending our commutes trying to figure them out and learning how to vocalise my thoughts so that I could show my ideas coherently and clearly. I also reread the books I mentioned which was very useful.

Don’t compare yourself to others. Yes that person may have worked in a cool animal lab, but they are 20, you’re 17. Comparing yourself is the fastest way to make yourself nervous and give yourself imposter syndrome. Everyone there has imposter syndrome.

Eat! Don’t skip meals if you can help it, it seemed a lot of us were guilty of this.

Meet people. Don’t be the person sitting alone. Walk up to the first person you see and introduce yourself. First person I met I’m still talking to.

Don’t over analyse how you did. If people, ask how you did, and you don’t want to say then don’t. Just concentrate on your next interview or just having fun.

Make sure you “report” to interview on time. In the case of my Hertford one this was a full hour and a half before it.

Dress however you like. What you wear is the least important part of the whole interview. Most people were in jumpers (it's cold!) and jeans with some smart-ish shoes or boots. I’d also say take an umbrella, you don’t want to turn up to an interview on the other side of Oxford with your hair dripping on the interview material like a few people did.

Be genuine throughout your entire application. Write about weird topics that interest you even if others find it weird and don’t prepare answers or put on a posh accent or dress formally if its not your style or pretend you’ve read books you haven’t to impress others. Just be yourself and if you love your subject, you’ll be fine whatever your style is.

Please don’t leave crying. So many people left the minute their interviews were over sobbing. It probably didn’t go as badly as you think, and even if it did then enjoy Christmas in Oxford, it's magical. Enjoy the experience. If you’re upset then call your loved ones, but leaving early risks missing other interviews.

Don’t read up on the interviewers. Your interview sheet will say who its with (will usually be two people). Everyone I spoke to asked questions of the interviewers about their research, which may sound like a good idea until literally everyone does it and asks the same few questions. This links to the being genuine point, if you don’t have a question don’t ask one.

Check up on other people. If someone is crying, go and comfort them. What made me calmest for my first interview was that one of the other candidates text me to make sure I was awake because he knew I was going first, because it was just a simple kind gesture. Don’t think of everyone as competitors, they may well be your future flatmates or the reason you get up on time for your interview. If you know someone has a 9am interview at a college across town, text them to check they are up. If someone is not eating, encourage them to drink some juice at least.