Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Admissions Assessment (PBSAA); 2x interviews
Interview 1: interpreting graphs; Interview 2: personal statement
Prepared to expand upon content of personal statement
Writing essay plans
The interviewers are not looking for a finished product - you're there to learn!
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.
Test taken:
Number of interviews: 2
Time between interviews: 3 hours
Length of interviews: 20 minutes
Online interview: No
Both of my interviews were very similar in format. I was first given a novel stimulus, such as a graph, and asked to explain what I saw. I was then asked questions about details in my personal statement and any further reading I had done. The questions were mostly centred around biological and mathematical themes.
The most useful preparation I did was talking through my personal statement with anyone. I mostly just had my mum ask me to expand on points I'd made and try to explain them to her with her limited scientific knowledge. I found the hardest part articulating what I wanted to say and ensuring it had a logical flow so I often would formulate arguments about anything from the news, etc, to ensure I could continuously talk without waffling.
I also looked into other recent news surrounding subjects I had written about in my personal statement to ensure I had up to date knowledge. The one thing I wish everyone knew is that it is vital to have read in-depth everything on your personal statement and be able to talk about it in detail. I think my preparation really helped me be more confident in what I was saying and express my interest in the subject.
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The main piece of advice I would give is that they are not looking for a finished product. It is better to admit when you dont know something and ask for help or make a mistake than to act as though you know everything. Make sure you listen to what the interviewer is asking and any advice they may give. Also, your personal statement is vital - this is all the information they have about you so they will use it as a starting point to know more.