By Isabel Hosier
Finding out I had been invited to interview at Oxford University was such an exciting feeling but I remember sprinting straight over to Google to find out anything and everything I could about the mysterious Oxford interview. I had no idea what to expect when I turned up at my college but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the interview wasn’t in fact the torturous grilling I had been so terrified of!
Here are the things that surprised me about my interview experience:
1. The interview was more of a conversation than an interrogation.
I remember being shocked at how keen the tutors were to engage with my thoughts and opinions. Instead of being asked a series of mind-boggling questions whilst my interviewers watched from afar, I was able to have a conversation with them about the aspects of my subject that I love.
2. I was allowed to ask questions.
There were multiple times over interviews where I needed to ask the interviewers for clarification and I found that they really welcomed my questions. Often a discussion would arise from the things that I was unsure about – even now my tutor insists that confusion is a sign that you’re really engaging with a text!
3. It was fine to change my mind!
One of the biggest misconceptions about the interview process is the idea that you have to present your interviewer with a perfectly considered, polished argument. Fortunately this isn’t the case! My tutors were happy for me to consider and suggest multiple alternative arguments. Demonstrating flexibility of thought shows that you are able to adapt to new information – you are not expected to know everything.
4. The interviewers were not trying to catch me out!
It is so important to remember that the interview is supposed to reflect Oxford’s tutorial system where we do most of our learning. The tutors are not trying to prove that you are stupid; they are simply trying to get the best out of you! Asking challenging questions is their way of making you think in new ways.
5. I had a say in what we spoke about.
I interviewed for English Language and Literature and rather than being grilled solely on my personal statement, the tutors asked me to tell them about books I had read in my free time. I often had the opportunity to bring texts I had enjoyed reading into the discussion which made the conversation less stressful because I could speak about things I was genuinely passionate about.
Good luck to everyone interviewing this year and remember: your experience will be unique to you!
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