Physics @ Jesus, Oxford in 2019

Interview format

PAT, 3 interviews.

Interview content

One interview on maths, one interview on physics, one about both. Graph sketching.

Best preparation

Mock interviews, Isaac Physics, I Want To Study Engineering. Practicing explaining thought process out loud.

Final thoughts

Don't worry about getting everything right. If you are asked something you haven't covered yet, say something.

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: Physics Aptitude Test (PAT)
Number of interviews: 3
Time between interviews: 1 day (so 1 interview per day).
Length of interviews: 25 - 30 mins
Online interview: No

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

I had 3 interviews, one physics, one maths and the third at a different college which was a bit of both. Every interview was about solving a problem, or being asked 3 shorter problems. These were either on paper or on a whiteboard. I didn't get asked any personal questions or questions about my personal statement. Sketching a function came up many times, so I recommend practicing that skill and getting a strategy. Other questions including estimating and explaining what would happen in Physics questions.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I had a mock interview from a physics teacher that really boosted my confidence. I went back over the PAT specification, making sure I was familiar with topics I hadn't done yet. I made sure I could talk about everything on my personal statement (even though I wasn't asked anything). I did some questions from Isaac Physics and I Want To Study Engineering, practicing explaining my thought process out loud. What I found most useful was doing plenty of challenging and "quirky" questions that are beyond regular A-Level work. 10 mins before my 2nd interview I decided to learn some trig angles (for example that cos(π/3) = 1/2) which was handy.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

Printed off loads of PAT past papers, did the most recent ones twice. Spent days on some questions, asked my Physics/Maths teacher for help on others. Used Physics and Maths Tutor for marking schemes. Isaac Physics and I Want To Study Engineering provided fun challenging questions. Watched the PAT Preparation Video and attended the PAT Preparation during the Open Day. Did some British Physics Olympiad questions but I found them really difficult.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

Don't worry about getting things wrong, the PAT is very hard, and you're not expected to get it all right. Show your working clearly as you could gain a few marks. Getting things wrong in interviews are also completely normal, the interviewer wants to see how you think, not necessarily the correct answer. They would also give you hints that can help you reconsider your answer. If you're asked something you haven't done yet, just say, as they can explain/modify the question.