Law @ Magdalen, Oxford in 2018

Interview format

1x 2 hr Skype interview

Interview content

Personal statement, motivations, case given beforehand

Best preparation

Have a practice run of your subject test.

Advice in hindsight

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Final thoughts

Show you can write and construct arguments well through your personal statement and LNAT essay.

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: LNAT

Number of interviews: 1

Skype interview: Yes

Length of interview: about 2 hours

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I was asked about my personal statement, the course I chose, and the case which I was assigned an hour prior. There was no particular theme that I can identify. I was asked reading comprehension questions regarding the case I was given.

I was very, very nervous throughout. Atmosphere (for me) was tense even though it was a Skype interview.

How did you prepare?

I took the test in a previous test cycle so that I could get a practice in under real exam conditions but without a score that would affect my applications. This was probably the best thing I did.

Make sure you can do well on your subject test. Have practice runs of everything. I think this allowed me to relax more and do better in my test.

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

If you're taking law, the most important thing about your personal statement is to show that you can write. Don't neglect the other aspects, but eloquence is a priority. In the same vein, make sure you do your essay portion of the LNAT carefully, it'll show that you can construct arguments well and think critically. The tutors want to find students they would like to teach, but, even more importantly, students that can competently pass their course.