In the first half of December, interview season descends upon hundreds of Oxford and Cambridge applicants. Unfortunately, it's also a busy time in the academic year. If you've left it quite late, here's a last-minute Oxbridge interview preparation guide, to help you make the most of your time.
Think of it like a crash course in cramming. Even late preparation, while not ideal, can be effective when done strategically. We'll take you through all the crucial points of prep you just can't miss before your interview.
Step 1: Personal statement review
(Estimated time 1 hour)
You'll want to check over your personal statement, as about half of the Oxford or Cambridge interview will likely be questions around things you've mentioned (for more info like this, you can read our blog guiding you through Oxbridge interviews).
Highlight the things you talk about most in your statement, whether that's a book you've read, a case study you found interesting, or a lecture you listened to. Do a bit of 'revision' on each thing, just to remind yourself of the reasons you found it interesting in the first place.
Step 2: Subject review
(Estimated time 1-2 hours)
It's usually a good idea to refresh yourself on all the key parts of your subject to prepare for the section of the interview in which tutors ask you sometimes abstract, complex questions.
So for example, if you’re applying for Physics you might like to review fundamental concepts like Newtonian mechanics or thermodynamics.
If you've not left it too late, practise thinking 'outside the box' on your subject. Tutors usually ask questions that may be based on an area you know well, but that force you to think about it in an unfamiliar, unusual way. So practice explaining an unusual real-world application of a principle, for example.
Step 3: Inform yourself on current events
(Estimated time 1 hour)
This one's especially applicable if you're doing a course like Politics, Economics, Law or Medicine. Tutors want to see that you take a genuine interest in the application of your subject in current events.
So if you're interviewing for Oxbridge law, maybe think about how the legal defence of Luigi Mangione (who shot the CEO of UnitedHealthcare) could shape up, given the current viral interest in the assassination.
For humanities, you could explore recent cultural debates or reinterpretations of classic works. Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream was just staged at the RSC Barbican, for example.
A quick Google search should do the trick on this one, but we'll give you a couple shortcuts for a few subjects:
Law: Law Society Gazette
Medicine: BMJ (British Medical Journal)
Engineering: The Engineer
English Literature: The Times Literary Supplement (TLS)
Politics: BBC News - Politics -- this could be pretty key for international Politics applicants, as tutors usually focus on UK-related events.
Step 4: Interview techniques
(Estimated time 1-2 hours)
It's all well and good knowing all of Steps 1-3, but if you can't articulate your thoughts well, you could find yourself in trouble during your interview.
You should ask someone (ideally someone qualified in the subject you're taking) to ask you questions and work on speaking your thoughts out loud. It's harder than it sounds, and is an often undervalued part of the prep process. You can maximise the benefits of a mock interview by doing a couple things, like:
Recording yourself and listening back
Actively working on feedback (meaning you should ideally have more than one mock)
Step 5: Destressing
(Estimated time 30 minutes)
We've written extensively about how to manage your nerves, so check that out for more, but some key destressing tips for the night before your interview include making sure you:
Eat well
Have plenty of rest (no late night cramming!)
Make sure all the logistics are sorted
Practise some breathing exercises
This is by far the most important step. If you've read any of our other guides to the Oxbridge interview, you'll know that what tutors really want to see most is your personality. You're not you when you're stressed. So prioritise destressing over cramming.
Total time for last minute Oxbridge interview preparation = Between 4-7 hours
Good luck! We're all rooting for you in your Oxbridge interview preparation.
And if you'd like any last minute advice, feel free to get in touch with us. We're always happy to help.
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