Are you ready for your Oxbridge interview? We are here to help with practice interviews.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐎𝐱𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎? 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲? The interview is a vital part of the application process. Whilst there is no way of knowing what may come up in an interview, practising the skills required to analyse and “think out loud” are extremely beneficial. Oxbridge tutors are not wanting to see what candidates know or have learnt; they want to see how candidates apply what they know to new situations and how they vocalise their thought process. This is an often underestimated skill.

𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. • Meeting someone the candidate does not know (as opposed to a teacher from their school) is a more realistic set-up • Learning to “think out loud” and to be challenged on the spot • Experiencing a style of interviewing different to what they may have experienced at school • Individualised feedback on how to improve from a highly experienced Oxbridge expert

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? • The interviewer absorbs the UCAS Personal Statement and sends through stimulus material in advance. The candidate prepares this prior to the interview. • 30-minute interview online with the candidate, immediately followed by oral feedback. • After the interview, an individualised hardcopy sheet outlining observations, strengths, and weaknesses. Tips and suggestions are then made for the interviewee to work on in preparation for the interview.

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰? Interviews will be with Lindsay McDonald who was whole-school Oxbridge Coordinator at Tonbridge School for over 10 years. Lindsay has conducted practice interviews in all subjects. Feedback from his former pupils has included comments such as: “𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑴𝒓 𝑴𝒄𝑫𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.” Longer sessions on interview preparation and the whole Oxbridge process are also available from Minerva Tuition.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧: Email: valerie.weston@minervatuition.com Phone: +852 6156 5705. We would be delighted to hear from you.