Test taken: English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT), Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT)
Number of interviews: 4
Time between interviews: Approx 2 hours
Length of interviews: Approx 30-40 mins
Online interview: No

In each English interview I was given a text (a poem) and 30 mins to read through it and write down my ideas about it; interesting points about form, language, style etc. Then the interview was focused on my ideas about the texts, the interviewers allowed me to talk at length about my ideas, guiding the conversation with hints and questions. In general both interviews were very much centrées on my ideas and what I found interesting. Then there was a discussion on the concepts and texts mentioned in my personal statement. In french, in one interview I was given a poem in French and a dictionary. In the interview I ended up not understanding the poem but the tutors were very nice about telling me I was wrong. In the other french interview, I was given a poem in English and 25 mins to analyse it, then the interview was centred on my thoughts about the text. Followed by a discussion about my personal statement. Both french interviews had about 5 mins of conversation in french at the end, conversation in french was about my hobbies and if I had ever visited France so all in all, very manageable if doing a language A Level.

For English and French, I reread the texts I mentioned in my personal statement and summarised the main talking points I had on them so that I would remember them off the bat in interviews. For English, I created a very general timeline of English literary movements and periods which really helped in contextualising the unseen texts given to me at interview. I also tried to get as much practice as possible discussing my thoughts on poems and texts I had read, this was basically just getting comfortable saying my ideas aloud to teachers, strangers, classmates, my friends, my parents, anyone who would listen. Gaining Confidence and trusting my ideas was the most useful prep I did. Also for a modern language I practiced my speaking abit with my teacher just for the brief conversational part of the interview.

I did basically all of the practice papers available online. For the MLAT I worked through an A-Level grammar workbook to brush up on grammar and used languagesonline.com to test my grammar knowledge and for the ELAT I had a mentor read a few of my practice papers, although this may not be possible for everybody. The ELAT is quite similar to A-Level unseen analysis so applicants can use the techniques learnt at A-Level to prepare. The ELAT especially is about constructing a cohesive argument.

My advice would be try your best to relax, know that the interview is about you and your thoughts so trust yourself. Discuss what you find interesting no matter how small, it may lead to really interesting conversation, try not to focus on any ideas you have if what you ‘should’ be saying or doing. Also listen to the tutor, they will likely give you hints as to whether you’re on the right track, if they ask you to reconsider a point you’ve made; give yourself some time to think and maybe try and reframe your answer. Also don’t be put off by stereotypes of what you think an Oxbridge student is, You are enough, you have the potential, I promise!