Section outline

  • Interviewers at Oxford and Cambridge often try to put candidates at ease by first posing some simple, predictable 'ice-breaker' questions:

    Why have you applied for this course?, Why have you applied to Oxford/Cambridge?, Why have you applied to this college?

    So the very least you can do, by way of preparation, is to rehearse some sensible replies to these questions.

    The first of these is not as innocent as it might seem, by the way: it is your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of exactly what kind of course you are applying for. A disastrous answer to this question would therefore be 'I know very little about the subject, which is precisely why I've applied - to satisfy my intellectual curiosity'.

    Other standard opening Oxbridge questions focus on eye-catching biographical details from the personal statement: 'Tell us about your collection of tarantulas'. Having someone examine your personal statement, and provide you with a list of likely questions, is good preparation.