Mathematics @ Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford in 2020

Interview format

Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT); 3x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: reasons for choosing course; Interview 2: series of short problems; Interview 3: longer problem-solving questions

Best preparation

Practised solving problems out loud

Test preparation

Practice papers

Final thoughts

Try to enjoy it!

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: Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT)
Number of interviews: 3
Time between interviews: A few days
Length of interviews: 45-60 minutes
Online interview: Yes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I was asked brief questions about why Oxford/ why Maths, then it was just solving maths problems with the interviewers' guidance throughout. One interview had a series of short problems, but the other two mainly centered around one long problem that was broken up into stages.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

Tried talking through answers to the MAT with friends/teachers. This was helpful to practice articulating my thoughts.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

Practice papers, practice papers, practice papers!

What advice would you give to future applicants?

Try to enjoy it.