Regarding the Oxbridge interview, you must have seen such interview tips when browsing the official website:
To sum up: the interviewer is not trying to know if you can find the right answer or how many questions you can answer correctly, but to see how well you can use your existing knowledge to solve questions that you are not familiar with, not just saying what the interviewer wants to hear, but thinking and answering in your own way.
But such a statement is very general, how can applicants do this, express themselves in the interview and impress the admissions officer?That's what we're going to do today.
There are always various rumors about the Oxbridge interview, because everyone's discipline is different and the college you are applying to is different, so you can't generalize about the interview style and process.
The interviewer will ask you some strange questions that you simply can't answer, confuse you, and once the language is not well organized, it becomes gibberish.
This is not an extreme example, but the norm during an Oxbridge interview.
01 "Out-of-the-box" thinking
The interviewer will ask you a slightly "out-of-the-box" question, which requires you to have an "out-of-the-box" mindset!
Although it may seem abstract, it is actually easy to understand:
Out-of-the-box thinking is the ability to think outside of generally accepted norms and rules.
In the field of science, the highest achievements are often achieved by those who allow themselves to be "non-standard", "non-standardized".
They do not acknowledge universally accepted, imposed beliefs, and they are accustomed to examining everything around them for themselves in order to generate a personal view of what is really good and what is bad.
For people who think "non-standardly", finding a solution means not only finding the right answer, but also finding several.
Previously, **shared the four levels to have during the Oxbridge interview, which is similar to the last level (with the ability to draw inferences).
A person who thinks this way rarely makes mistakes, but the most important thing is that he is not afraid to make mistakes.
He knew better than anyone that in arguments, including with himself, the truth was born.
02 Aeronautical Engineering
There are some Oxbridge interviewers who will ask questions that you haven't prepared for or studied.
For example, if you take a test of a university knowledge point that you have not learned, you can say that you have not learned it so you don't understand it, but the interviewer will tell you what this knowledge point is a little bit of guidance to see if you can apply it vividly.
It's impossible to know exactly what questions the interviewer will ask you, and Oxbridge interviews are more like they're set up for people who aren't fully prepared.
So, what should we do and what we shouldn't do when faced with a "sudden and unexpected question" in order to help ourselves grasp this best opportunity to answer the question in a way that will impress the interviewer?
Dealing with this situation depends on what type of problem it is.
When the interviewer asks this kind of question, you need to distinguish in your mind: whether it is a question that requires your expertise to answer or a question that you can find the answer to through logical thinking.
Answer with professional knowledge
If it's a question that can be answered through logical thinking, it's a good thing that you don't know the answer!This is also intentional on the part of the interviewer.
The solution is to ask your own questions, ask the interviewer for help, and at least fully understand the academic content of the question, and then explore potential ways to think and express it confidently.
Don't be afraid to ask follow-up questions during the interview!It's all about showing your interviewer that you want to make sure you've gathered all the necessary information before putting together all the questions and giving a comprehensive answer.
Because Oxbridge's interview questions are more routine, this kind of critical thinking is often required to find answers.
The trick is to give yourself enough time and space before you start answering.
Just like asking questions, don't be afraid to pause for a short time and give yourself plenty of time to think;This is much better than if you were just talking gibberish and only concentrating.
Use logical thinking to find answers.
If it's a question that requires your expertise to answer, it's a little more challenging than the second type of question.
While the interviewer won't ask you anything that isn't mentioned in your PS or written work, they may ask you about relevant topics or current events.
If you are applying to a mathematics or other science major, they may assume that you have some knowledge of the undergraduate syllabus.
If you are majoring in liberal arts or social sciences, you may also have some unexpected academic problems - such as the new work of the author of a book you mentioned in PS, a certain formula or concept, or political and economic social development issues...
In this case, you may be confused at the time, unable to talk about it or not remember at all, then you can do two things:
On the one hand, you can say something like, "I haven't talked about this topic in detail lately, but .......""Then go ahead and try to fix that. (The interviewer will naturally understand and will not deliberately make things difficult for you).
On the other hand, if it is true that it is impossible to answer because of a knowledge barrier, it must also be said honestly. You can ask the interviewer to help you explain, and they will be happy to help.
The interviewers are also students, and they know that nervousness can seriously affect our memory, so they will actively guide you to recall what you can apply to the topic.
02 Impress admissions officers with sincerity.
Last but not least, sincerity is always nirvana throughout the interview!
If you're not sure about something, don't be afraid, just say it and say you don't remember.
Remember, as stressful as the interview environment is, the interviewer is also interested in bringing out the best in you and seeing what the strongest you look like.
They would rather explain the problem further or change the subject than watch you struggle in a dead end.
However, we can also better prepare ourselves to avoid this.
For example, re-read and think about anything you've submitted, including ideas and literature you've mentioned in your PS (in our experience, interviewers will almost certainly mention the books you cited in your application if they ask you about your PS).
Think about some of the common questions and think of some icebreakers for yourself in addition to the questions they might ask you.
Therefore, mock interviews are really crucial, and you can also look at other people's interview experiences and familiarize yourself with questions about various interview styles.
In short, our main advice is: don't be afraid to ask questions for clarification.
Allow yourself to pause briefly and gather your thoughts instead of rushing to give a well-thought-out answer.
If you come across a question that you won't answer, be honest.
If you really can't make a valuable point about an issue, don't try to accomplish something by boasting. Keep in mind that the interviewer, although it may not seem that way at the time, is on your side and wants to help you get the best possible outcome in the interview.
Here are some of our collection of Oxbridge interview questions, which often don't have a standard answer, but are very good thinking exercise questions.
You can use the method I introduced to find your parents or friends to do simulation exercises. Remember, don't be afraid to make mistakes and not know.
do you think you are clever?
Do you think you're smart?
my son hit someone today. was he wrong? what should i say to him?
My son hit someone today, was he wrong?What should I say to him?
how would you market a rocket band?
How would you go about selling the Rocket Band?
how do you know the moon isn’t made of cheese?
How do you know the moon isn't made of cheese?
here's a cactus. tell me about it.
It's a cactus, tell me about it.
how do you organize a successful revolution?
How do you organize a successful revolution?
do you believe that statues can move, and how might this belief be justified?
Do you believe that statues can be moved?How can this belief be justified?
if you could s**e either the rainforests or the coral reefs, which would you choose?
If you could save a rainforest or a coral reef, which one would you choose?
is it easier for organisms to live in the sea or on land?
Is it easier for organisms to live in the ocean or on land?
why do lions h**e manes?
Why do lions have manes?
why is there salt in the sea?
Why is there salt in the sea?
explain how a perm works.
Explain how perms work.