Test taken: TSA

Number of interviews: 3

Skype interview: No

Time between each interview: 1-2 days

Length of interviews: 20-30 minutes each

In my Politics and Philosophy interviews, there was an emphasis on basic understanding of logic - I was asked, for instance, to look at certain phrases and discern how they could be interpreted. In both Politics and Philosophy I was given scenarios to talk about, and was able to voice my opinion and debate with the tutors - you're given the opportunity to defend your stance, so having a bit of knowledge about your own views on, say, ethics is definitely helpful.

In Economics, I was given a few different maths-style questions, intended to see how quickly and efficiently I could utilise mathematical skills (nothing above multiplication and division however). I was also asked to interpret a small set of data, and posit some reasons why there may be an identifiable difference or correlation.

In all three cases the tutors were very friendly and wanted to ease me into the situation. They are definitely not there as an adversary, and throughout sought to make me feel comfortable. I was especially nervous for my Economics interview, and from memory I struggled with one of the questions, but they eased me through it, prompting me towards the answer when necessary.

Each of the interviews was different - in Philosophy I was given a greater span to voice my own opinion and justify my stances, whereas in Economics it was more closely refined to a set of questions.

I did lots of practice papers! You can find a good number online.

For the exam, make sure you do all the past papers available! You may also be able to find alternative resources that ask you similar questions. My exam also included a written essay, so you may wish to brush up on your writing skills.

I attended two mock interviews, but in truth they were nothing like the interviews I actually had. Interviews at Oxford can be very broad, and the tutors have a lot of flexibility with what style of questions they ask you. The best thing you can do is work on speaking confidently. Try to defend some of your beliefs with friends, family or teachers, and see how you respond to questioning and challenging.

For Economics, it definitely helps to brush up on your basic maths skills - if you haven't taken Maths or a similar subject at A-level, don't worry; neither did I. Making sure you can interpret simple data like a line graph or bar chart is helpful, and make sure you are prepared to do some basic multiplication on the spot.

The interviewers are looking principally for interest and an ability to deal with things on the spot. You will be asked questions or given scenarios you have never dealt with, and so being able to speak on a topic that is potentially new to you is very helpful. At the same time, they want you to make the topic your own - if you're given a question about some ethical question, for example, it's great to bring in some of your own information about a relevant theory perhaps, to show you've taken the time to study a subject you love. If you go in with genuine passion and confidence, you're sure to leave a good impression!