Psychological And Behavioural Sciences @ Newnham, Cambridge in 2017

Interview format

2x interviews (1 hour each; 2 interviewers in each)

Interview content

Discussed experiments; looked at graphs; personal statement

Best preparation

Did not do much preparation; talked to some ex-students

Final thoughts

Interviewers don't want you to fail

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

I had two interviews, roughly an hour apart and about half an hour long. They were both in the morning and I had arrived and stayed at the college the night before. In both interviews I had two interviewers.

What happened in your interview? How did you feel?

We went through a few experiments, looked at graphs, and talked about a few items on my personal statement.

How did you prepare?

I did not prepare in any great way. My school had a few ex-students come in and causally talk about their experiences, but none had taken my subject so I was unsure what to expect.

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

I wish someone had really emphasised to me that my interviewers do not want me to fail. They are not trying to catch you out but just want to see how you think. I feel knowing this would have removed some of the pressure.