Ucas and university

[Somebody Else]

Got any interview tips for Oxford, Mr. Successful Applicant?

The interview is the way they try to assess how capable you are of thinking for yourself, so don't worry too much about revising loads of stuff for it - just make sure that you do know about the stuff you claimed to in your personal statement (that almost scuppered me). The other important thjing is to relax, someone who goes in to the interview relaxed and confident is going to give a better impression than someone who's barely able to stop quivering - don't clam up, don't start gabbling. Answer the questions clearly and concisely. If you don't know an answer, say you don't know - but remember, they will ask you stuff you don't know deliberately, they'll also give you some information - it's up to you to work it out from there.

I went in there believing it was a foregone conclusion that I'd get in (I'm arrogant like that). Lo and behold, I got in.

Um, if I've missed anything, then... uh, well. I dunno. Good luck!

P.S. What college are you applying for?

[BDC]

Pembroke.

I got two offers before it was 'sent' though... Frankly Ucas have just been annoying this year. Luckily I'm deferring anyway, so I can just reapply next year if they have messed it up too much for me. And call them up the day after to demand some sort of action.

[Duke Malcolm]

Two Oxford applicants, eh? I hope to apply to Cambridge next year...

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

P.S. What college are you applying for?

Merton. It's nice and old.

Thanks for the advice.

[The_Doctor]

I have nearly finished the personal statement. I am not sure how to finish it.

Any advice?

[BDC]

Two Oxford applicants, eh? I hope to apply to Cambridge next year...

Pembroke Cambridge lol.

With personal statement, just read through it, change any bits which don't sound too great or polished.

[Somebody Else]

Can't comment on the 'tab colleges, but Merton is... interesting. Has a reputation as a slightly old-fashioned (traditions etc. they walk round the quad backwards at some point or something) but the top ranked academically.

Personal statement - be clear, don't overdo it - the tutors have done them themselves, they know that 90% of them are full of crap - just try to give the impression that you are interested in the subject at hand, as well as being a vaguely interesting person. If you want to mention something specialised, do be sure that you know about it, as they will know if you've made it up.

[BDC]

I have been given an interview at Cambridge! *dances*

[English assassin]

Cambridge? Bah.

Seriously, good luck to the Oxford applicants, and (shudder) to the Fenland polytechnic ones too.

As for the interview, its largely about how you think not what you know. (Although knowing things is not a bad idea). Also bear in mind that the tutor has to spend the next three/four years trying to cram things in your tiny minds (not that mine allowed that responsibility to weight too heavily on her, I never got a reading list in four years), so they are looking for someone who they can spend time with without going up the wall.

Basically, be yourself, but if you can manage to be a slightly more intellectually curious and quick witted version of yourself then that would be good. In so far as you may be asked specific questions, a good interviewer will want you to demonstrate what you know, and so you should get questions like "Who do you think was the greatest novellist of all time and why" rather than "what do you know about Dickens". (NB don't worry you probably won't be asked this in a medicine interview.)

So if you do feel the need to bone up on facts, maybe if only for self confidence, my advice would be to pick a few things that interest you and that could be used to illustrate questions on a wide range of topics rather than trying to cover everything.

Oh and for heavens sake make sure you have been reading a quality paper in the month or two before the interview. Medics could quite easily be asked something like "what do you think about the recent case where a woman went to court to get an order forcing her health authority to prescribe herceptin" and whilst you can't go wrong with saying its an outrageous infringement on the doctor patient relationship, or that the government should have been funding the treatment without the need to go to court, or any other half sensible opinion, not having an opinion at all on a headline medical story would be bad.

Oh and don't overlook the obvious warm up questions like what first interested you in [whatever].