Maths @ Robinson, Cambridge in 2017

Interview format

CTMUA, STEP, MAT; 2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: Math problems, personal statement; Interview 2: Math problems

Best preparation

Practice problems, talking through maths problems

Advice in hindsight

-

Final thoughts

Think aloud, so interviewers can prompt you if needed

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: Cambridge Test of Mathematics for University Admission (CTMUA), Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP), MAT (Maths Admission Test)

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: no

Time between interviews: None (back-to-back)

Length of first interview: 30 minutes; Length of second interview: 30 minutes

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

First interview talked a bit about my personal statement and asked me to go over some mathematical things I had written in it (so make sure you know what you've written about on your statement). Then a couple of maths questions, one related to geometry and another related to calculus, which is a nice range.

Second interview was all math questions.

How did you prepare?

Past papers, physics and maths tutor websites. Cambridge's STEP support modules online; I also did STEP questions as preparation. After-school lessons with a teacher.

I had teachers help me with interview prep - we practiced talking about maths problems and saying what I'm thinking about. Probably the best preparation was having someone to talk to about maths problems, as that's what you have to be able to do well in an interview.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

The interviewers are looking for how you approach a problem. The questions are meant to be difficult, but just stay calm and be sure to say what you're thinking about - that way interviewer knows how to give you hints.