History And Politics @ Brasenose, Oxford in 2018

Interview format

2x 5-10 min interviews, a day apart</p>

Interview content

First interview: discussion around political source; Second interview: discussion around history and economics

Best preparation

<p>Practice papers; tips online</p>

Advice in hindsight

-

Final thoughts

<p>Keep up with news; read widely; speak to your teachers; take time to think about your answers; be confiden </p>

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: HAT

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: No

Time between each interview: 1 day

Length of interviews: 5-10 minutes each

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

In the politics interview, I was given a source discussing populist ideologues and how they may harm our democracy. This led to a discussion on society's tendency to choose security over liberty in harsh times. We also discussed the meaning of liberty and how it relates to the political landscape.

In my history interview we discussed economics throughout history, touching on Marxist theories of class.

In both interviews I settled in comfortably after a few minutes. They felt much more like discussions than interviews (particularly the history interview, of which I was more knowledgeable).

How did you prepare?

I did practice papers and read helpful tips online.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

I kept up with current affairs.

I asked my history teacher for advice on the application process. She reassured me and helped me prepare.

I read articles I found interesting, one of which was coincidentally the focus of my politics interview.

The best way to approach the interview is to think of it as a discussion around the subject.

If I could do my interviews again, I would have slowed down a tad and thought about my answers more - I feel that some of my answers were silly and if I had taken a minute to process my thoughts, I would have given a clearer answer.

I think they are looking for someone who is very interested in their field, with a broad range of knowledge on said subject. It is also important to be confident.