Classics @ St Hilda's, Oxford in 2018

Interview format

3 x 30-45 mins, CAT

Interview content

Discussion of an unseen passage (English translation provided) and a philosophy question; conversation about my personal statement; chat about an unseen passage and my personal statement

Final thoughts

Let your interest shine through!

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: Classics Admissions Test (CAT)
Number of interviews: 3
Time between interviews: A few hours
Length of interviews: 30-45 minutes
Online interview: No

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

My first interview was a discussion of an unseen passage (English translation provided) and a philosophy question; my second interview was a conversation about my personal statement; my third interview was a mix of both (chat about an unseen passage and my personal statement). I was really anxious and jet-lagged during the first interview, but after that I felt more prepared for the other interviews, and they felt easier. I liked that the interviews were in the tutor's offices—I got to sit on a couch for a couple of them, and it felt like I was in their living room having a fun conversation.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I emailed a few alumni from my high school to ask about what the interview process was like for them, and I talked to some of my classics teachers, one of whom went to Oxford. Honestly, the best advice I got from all of them was to enjoy myself. I went into my interviews with the goal of having an interesting conversation (rather than trying to impress someone), and that made the process a lot less nerve-wracking. Whenever I didn't really know how to answer a question, I admitted my ignorance, but I still made an effort to work through the answer and keep the conversation going. In turn, the tutors were really nice, and they helped me out when I was struggling.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

I did a few of past CAT tests posted on Oxford's website.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

This may sound a bit cliche, but even though it's called an interview, the experience is more like an engaging conversation. Chances are that if you're applying to Oxbridge, you're really passionate about your subject, and this is an opportunity to talk to someone who shares that passion. Let your interest shine through!