Geography @ Downing, Cambridge in 2019

Interview format

Geography Admissions Assessment (GAA); 2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: analysing graphs, pre-reading; Interview 2: personal statement, future plans

Best preparation

Read up on content of personal statement

Test preparation

Practice papers

Final thoughts

Be honest if you don't understand 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: Geography Admissions Assessment (GAA)
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: 2 hours
Length of interviews: 30 minutes
Online interview: No

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

We were asked to analyse data graphs and talk about articles as well as discussing personal statement details and future plans.

How did you prepare for your interviews?

I had a mock interview with my teachers and read up on what I had put in my personal statement.

If you took a test, how did you prepare?

Practice papers online.

What advice would you give to future applicants?

Don’t overthink what you’re saying in your interview. Be honest if you don’t understand and think out loud.