Geography @ Christ Church, Oxford in 2019

Interview format

GAT; 2x interviews.

Interview content

Included making links between images, data interpretation and personal statement questions. Felt nervous before hand but relaxed after the first question.

Best preparation

Re-read A-level notes, particularly those relating to their personal statement. Re-read books mentioned on statement and kept up to date with current affairs.

Final thoughts

Relax and get out and see Oxford rather than staying cooped up. Enjoy yourself.

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: Geography Admissions Test (GAT)
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: A day
Length of interviews: 20-30 mins
Online interview: No

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

They were split roughly into three - questions about a graph/picture or something, questions generally and questions about my personal statement. The pictures: there were several, and they asked me to look at each individually and then pick out a theme common through them all. it was relaxing after the first question - the wait outside was the worst bit - but once I started talking it felt like an interesting conversation. My tutors reassured me I was doing well, and helped me when I was stuck. 

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I re-read my notes to make sure I knew the a level content well enough, with a few examples beyond the syllabus, mainly my personal statement stuff. I re-read the books I mentioned on my personal statement and made sure I was reading the news up to date in case they asked me about anything recent. Right before my interviews, in the last hour or so, I researched the tutors work in case they wanted to talk about that. They didnt, but I felt it helped me get into the right mindset about geography (and it stopped me worrying!)

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

definitely mainly practice papers, my mum found news articles and posed questions about them like the real admissions test (for section 1) and then analysing graphs i just made sure i did mentally any time i saw a graph or figure or particular interest, like reading the paper or in geography class

What advice would you give to future applicants?

If you're interviewing in oxford, rather than online, make sure you don't stay cooped up in your room the whole time! Take the time to get to know the people you're interviewing with, and enjoy yourself too. It sounds so stupid, but it genuinely was such a fun and enjoyable few days. Do what helps you be less nervous - listen to music, chat with friends, sleep if you need!! Just make the most of the whole experience, you'll never forget it.