History @ Jesus, Cambridge in 2017

Interview format

2x interviews on personal statement and given sources

Interview content

No real right answer

Best preparation

Mock interviews and school clubs

Final thoughts

It's okay to disagree with the interviewers.

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

My interview was in December and I had two interviews. In the first one I was given a source to analyse for half an hour and after it I discussed the source. The second interview later on in the day was more general and about my personal statement and my written work. The interview themselves were quite short.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

We discussed a range of topics from the Greeks to Thatcher. It was challenging to find links and it really got you to think outside the box. During the interview there were many opportunities to give your own opinion and discover new ones as well and there wasn’t really a right answer which made it interesting.

How did you prepare?

I did 2 mock interviews with teachers and I also ran a history club to give me extra knowledge on different periods of history.

Looking back, what advice would you give to your past self?

It’s okay to disagree with the interviewers when giving an opinion. They like new ideas that challenge you.