Natural Sciences (Biological) @ Christ's, Cambridge in 2018

Interview format

Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA); 2x interviews

Interview content

Interview 1: general motivations, maths and earth sciences questions; Interview 2: biology and chemistry questions

Best preparation

Revised A Level syllabus

Advice in hindsight

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Final thoughts

Try to think out loud throughout

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: Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA)

Number of interviews: 2

Skype interview: no

Time between interviews: 30 minutes

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

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

My first interview was based around maths and earth sciences: we spoke briefly about why I applied for the course but the main part of the interview focused on problem solving questions which I was asked to work through aloud. My second interview focused on biology and chemistry. I was asked which aspect of biology I found most interesting, before working through some biology questions with graphs and models. I also did a few chemistry questions based around a model of an organic molecule. The atmosphere was very calm. I was panicking a lot at the beginning of the first interview, and I thought I had ruined my chances of being accepted during the first maths section. This strangely relaxed me because I assumed I would be rejected and consequently relaxed for the remainder of the interviews.

How did you prepare?

Before the admissions assessment, I completed several past papers and practised some simple mental maths. My teachers were very helpful; my chemistry teacher in particular talked me through some questions and set up a mock interview. Before the interview, I reviewed the books I mentioned in my personal statement. I also checked I understood all the A level content so far, which I think was particularly useful.

What advice do you have for future applicants?

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

I think the interviews were much more relaxed than I expected. The interviewers are looking for you to show them how you think, not what you know. The key is to think out loud, even if you’re just wildly guessing. While doing this, take on board anything the interviewers suggest as they will point you in the right direction. I think they are trying to see how you would function in a supervision.