Test taken: ELAT

Number of interviews: 3

Skype interview: No

Interview spread: 2 one day, 1 next day

Length of interviews: about 30 minutes each

My first interview was half a discussion on an unknown poem, which I had a bit of time to read and think about before going in, and half on general discussion about why I wanted to study English, what I had read recently and what I had done to challenge myself in the subject.

My second interview was very similar, except it was a poem deliberately very unfamiliar, coming from a period no one studies for A-level, so they wanted to see how you react.

My third interview the next day was at a different college. We basically talked about the poem for the entirety of the interview and this was a lot more intense, making me feel like I was wrong and more nervous.

My first two were very relaxed, however, and felt more like a chat to get to know my individual personality than a test of any kind. The tutors were all lovely and didn’t want to catch me out, but I still felt very uncertain even when I came out of the interviews! I obviously didn’t do too badly though, as I got in, so you can never really tell how it goes, you just have to do your best and be true to the real you!

My school ran some lunchtime sessions to discuss some practice questions, and then I just did loads of past papers and that was it!

It is very difficult to prepare in any way, except by getting used to confidently and enthusiastically talking to new people without nerves getting in the way.

I also made a list of everything I had recently read, making sure I had a variety of genres, eras, authors etc., so I was ready to talk about anything they might ask me.

I now understand the interviewers are mainly looking for someone who is eager to learn, adapt, listen, and fundamentally someone they would enjoy spending time with every week for the next 3 years.

It’s not personal, but at the end of the day, it’s less about what you know, but more about who you are and how you present yourself.