Oxbridge interviews

[December and January are common times when interviews for entry to Oxford and Cambridge Universities (known as Oxbridge) take place. Here is a little contribution that may help any prospective candidate and their teachers.]

What is the purpose of the interview?

The purpose of interview is to see if you suit the teaching style of these universities. The interviewer wants to see how you think, speak, and discuss geographical concepts and ideas, and how you can relate these to your own work such as your NEA. Expect to be asked about both your personal statement and your NEA (and/or EPQ), whether you have completed the latter or not.

The interviewer WILL have read your personal statement, and WILL ask you questions on it, so be aware of what you have written.

· If you quote a book you have read, be prepared to talk about it – ditto a podcast or television show or lecture that inspired you.

· You may be asked to present a counterview to your statement e.g. re the above – what are the alternative views/perspectives on the topics you wrote about?

· You may be asked to say how the issue(s) you mentioned in your statement has progressed in recent weeks prior to the interview – be aware of current events around your stated areas of interest.

· You may be asked to provide detail of any related activities you have been involved in.

The interviewer WILL NOT have read or know much (if anything) about your NEA/EPQ. So, be prepared to discuss the rationale, the methodology and/or any (projected) results.

You are also likely to be given data/stimulus/reading material that you have not seen before and asked to comment on it. It is not about knowledge, but more about the ability to interpret at speed, argument, and articulation.

You need to be confident, interesting and interested. Show that you care about Geography and the things you have read, seen or experienced. As is the case for much of your studies at A level, there is no such thing as a right or wrong answer. Your opinions and perspectives are valid (so long as they are supported with evidence), so do not be afraid to voice them.

It goes without saying that you should ‘read around the subject’ before the interview (and hopefully throughout your Sixth Form career). This may include books, journals, newspapers, online sources and television/podcast programmes.

Expect challenging questions

On such occasions, give yourself time to think. Say ‘That’s an interesting question’, smile (look as if you are enjoying it), and then carefully assemble your argument. To repeat, there is no right/wrong answer – the interviewer wants to see how you frame your response.

Examples of challenging questions.

Here is a sample of questions I have used as preparation for such interviews.

1. Distinguish between 'risk' and ‘resilience’. (Sub-question…. Where do such concepts arise OTHER THAN hazards?)

2. What would make anyone want to live in a place such as Iceland/UK/Dubai/Huddersfield (i.e. your home town)?

3. Where would you travel to and why? (Assume money is no object)

4. Which of terrorism or climate change is the greater threat to humanity, and why?

5. Why should physical and human geography always be looked at together?

6. Why do you think Japan has a housing crisis, yet its population is falling?

7. Is Fairtrade fair?

8. When writing an essay how do you achieve synopticity?

9. Can we consider nature as natural in today’s world?

10. How can AI help geographers?

11. With smartphones, do we need paper maps anymore?

12. How do we know about how plate tectonics operates?

13. How can development and conservation go hand in hand?

14. Tell me what you know about avian flu/mpox/any new disease.

15. Which country/ies should the UK prioritise in our dealings? USA/China/India/Russia/EU?

16. Why are so many countries angry with other countries?

17. Is there such a thing as ‘Place’ (with a capital P)?

18. Is there such a thing as ‘environmental determinism’?

19. What can geographical study teach us about space exploration?

20. With failures in dealing with climate change and plastic pollution in seas, why is global governance breaking down?

21. Who are the ‘good guys’ in the world today?

You can find some more questions (and advice) here.