History And Economics @ St Hilda's, Oxford in 2018

Interview format

2x 20 min interviews, 1 day apart

Interview content

History: source given beforehand, general discussion; Economics: maths problems

Best preparation

Made table of points made in personal statement / submitted work and ways to expand on them

Advice in hindsight

-

Final thoughts

Don't be afraid to change your opinion mid-interview when presented with contrary evidence.

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

Tests taken: HAT, TSA

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: No

Time between each interview: 1 day

Length of interviews: 20 minutes each

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

History:
I was sat at a table opposite 2 academics, who took it in terms asking questions and taking notes. I was asked very briefly to describe a source I was given 35 minutes before the interview, which was quite easy and relaxing. Then I was asked some questions about historians' views in my submitted work and we had a discussion about that, which was actually very interesting. I was asked how I would break down a topic I had not thought about before into three research questions. I did this in very broad terms and was asked to clarify one of the questions. Finally I was asked another relaxing question about my historical interests. I basically answered with a section from my personal statement.

Economics:
I was stood at a whiteboard with an academic who asked me maths questions from a problem sheet, whilst a PhD student across the classroom took notes. Everything was at AS-Level or below, including graph sketching, percentages, differentiation, and statistics. I couldn't answer two of the questions, so the tutor talked me through them. There was very little economics in the interview, it was all maths.

How did you prepare?

I did a past paper (Q3 only for HAT), went to a Seren Network event, and practised random source analysis.

For history, I prepared by reading and analysing my personal statement and submitted work. I made a little table for each of points I had made and further points I could make if asked about them. This was the best thing I did, as it was really helpful in calming me down before I went in, in answering submitted work questions and to answer a question about my favourite topic area. I looked back at my HAT notes for the source analysis techniques.

I prepared for my economics interview by asking an A-Level economics student to teach me some economics (I only did maths), and borrowing an economics textbook. In retrospect, this was a mistake and I would have done better to just revise my AS-level maths, as the questions focussed on that.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

Looking back, what advice would you give to your past self?

I spoke to my subject teacher to ask for advice, as well as a second cousin who had been to Oxford. I also went to a Seren Network workshop on interviews. The best advice I was given was to show flexibility of thinking in the interview and be prepared to change my mind mid-interview when presented with contrary evidence. I would really recommend that applicants bear this in mind.

I had expected to be asked about my personal statement and I was not. I also expected less understanding and older tutors than actually interviewed me. Tutors are definitely just trying to find out how you think, not what you know, so it is a good thing to get some questions wrong.