Test taken: HAT

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: No

Time between each interview: 1 hour

Length of interviews: 20 minutes (+ 40 minutes of prep time) each

For the first interview, it was split into two 10-minute segments. The first 10 minutes was spent discussing what I had read in the 40 minutes prep time - an article about democratic protest movements (the practical side of politics) and the actual way life went about during these movements (e.g. whether protesters camped in the area). The second was discussing the written work I had submitted for history about Russian Tsarist history, which did also lead to some other (related) questions about Russian history from the time period in my A Level.

The second interview was also split. The first 10 minutes was spent discussing the morality of wealth inequality and how society should be run (the philosophical side of politics). We spoke about whether inequality was acceptable and why some people might think so/disagree with that. The second half was spent with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, which I was handed in the interview and asked to give my first observations of - I had never, ever studied the Tudors before (the tutors knew this) so they just wanted to know my first thoughts!

I did 3 or 4 practice papers, 2 of them timed.

I listened to a few relevant 'In Our Time' podcasts and also read outside of the curriculum - especially political philosophy (I read 'The Prince' and 'Common Sense' - cliché but still good!) and some ancient Roman History (SPQR) which was very much outside of the modern political history I studied for A Levels. I spoke to my careers department at my sixth form and had a mock interview with some teachers (it was nothing really like my real interviews, but it made me more comfortable with being sat across from two people interviewing me). I think my preparation calmed me down, so meant that I could be more eloquent in the interviews and get my points across without becoming too confused and nervous.

If I were to do it again, I would try to have one more mock interview just so I could become better at formulating an argument to an academic question on the spot and tying it in to the relevant things I'd studied.

The interviews aren't looking for perfect, sculpted students - Oxford is supposed to refine you, so there's not much point in you going if you're already refined! They are really interested in what you have to say, so leap at the opportunity to be listened to by world class academics!

Also, make sure to stand firm in your views! Don't just agree with everything the interviewers say, or they'll start saying contradictory things to catch you out. But also, if you really are convinced, don't be afraid to change your mind - but be able to justify why you're changing your mind and how it fits in with the rest of your thoughts!