Chemistry @ Worcester, Oxford in 2019

Interview format

2 x 30 min interviews

Interview content

Periodic trends and structures of various molecules. A maths question related to an unusual graph. A question on SN1/SN2, one on oxidation states/symmetry and one on half-lives.

Best preparation

Sign up to ZeroGravity and UniPear

Test preparation

Know the format of the test, learn your timings and stick to them

Final thoughts

Know your GCSE and A-Level content

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: Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA), TSA Section 1 Only
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: Around 4 hours
Length of interviews: 30 minutes each
Online interview: No

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

In my first interview, there was a question on periodic trends and structures of various molecules. Then there was a maths question related to an unusual graph. In my second interview, there was a question on SN1/SN2, one on oxidation states/symmetry and one on half-lives. There were no competency questions and no questions about my personal statement. The first interview was a bit intimidating, but tutors being serious is no reflection on how well you are performing. The second interview was more friendly, although it was quite fast-paced. Knowing all the right answers isn’t important. The important thing is to think out loud and show that you can use your existing knowledge and any new information to chip away at a problem.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I signed up to a mentoring scheme called Access Oxbridge (now Zero Gravity) and was matched with a mentor who gave me mock interviews. Another great mentoring scheme is UniPear. For Chemistry my main preparation was ensuring I thoroughly understood all the A-Level content. Being able to recall definitions and explain key concepts on the spot is very useful. I also identified key topics out of the first-year undergraduate syllabus and learned them, because I knew that this would be the focus of challenging interview questions. I made revision cards on these topics and practiced explaining the ideas clearly and concisely. I think the most important skill is the ability to be clear and concise. When you are preparing, always be really clinical and consistent and stick to the facts. A great YouTube channel that illustrates this is the Organic Chemistry Tutor.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

People say that you can’t prepare for critical thinking tests but you can! The most important preparation is to know the format of the test, learn your timings and stick to them. When you do a practice paper, you mustn’t just mark it and move on to another paper. Look at the suggested answers and understand why you went wrong. Really take some time to think over each wrong answer. Then at a later date, re-do the exact same paper - practicing doing something the right way will consolidate your skills.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

Make sure you know your GCSE and A-Level content like the back of your hand, so you don’t get caught out. I forgot how to draw the structure of a compound that was in a basic GCSE topic, but wasn’t mentioned at A-Level.