Law @ Pembroke, Oxford in 2016

Interview format

2x 30 min interviews; 1x 5-10 min interview; one day apart

Interview content

Interview 1: Small talk, discussion, questions; Interview 2: question sheet given beforehand, scenario questions; Interview 3: more scenario questions

Best preparation

Practice papers online, personal statement review

Advice in hindsight

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Final thoughts

Interviewers want to see how you think and work through problems.

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: 3

Skype interview: No

Time between each interview: 1 day

2x 25 minutes and 1x 5-10 minutes
What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

My first interview had a relaxed start, where I was asked about what GCSEs I had enjoyed studying and how I was finding school. It was then discussion-led, with my interviewers just asking questions and expanding the situation to further encourage me to expand my thinking. I didn't require any knoweldge of law at all!

My second interview was similar, but in this one I was first given a sheet of paper to read and answer questions about (these were at the bottom of the page). They then asked scenario based questions, changed them slightly each time and asked if the outcome would be different.

My third interview was very brief and casual, involving a few more scenarios.

How did you prepare?

Practice papers are available online, so I looked through these. I didnt do great in the LNAT, but they definitely look at your application in full, each part is important!

I knew my personal statement and what I said in it quite thoroughly, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I was asked a question based off it.

I read 'The Rule of Law' by Lord Bingham and began research for an EPQ based around law (never finished) but these aren't required. I just wanted to further develop my knowledge of and interest in law.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

The interviewers want to see that you can work with them and that you’re willing to accept new ideas and challenge your existing preconceptions. They want to see how you think and how you work through problems - there’s no right answer.