General View
The interview is a process which the University of Cambridge uses to select the applicants it gives an offer to. It is arguably the most important factor determining the success of one’s application.
• Generally viewed as a daunting but unique experience; most students only go through the interview process once and learn a lot from it.
• The interview can be done in Malaysia or in Cambridge. Normally, there is only 1 interview if the interview is done in Malaysia (or more than 1 if it is done in Cambridge).
Questions Asked
• Personal Statement (PS)
• Pre-University courses’ material
• General Questions (to gauge the thought process of applicants)
My perspective/ experience/advice
• Prepare to be asked questions on your PS. Anything that you write in your PS can be questioned and thus thorough research should be done before the interview.
• Revise Pre-U material especially the topics written down in the COPA form (questions will usually be asked from topics stated there).
• Voice out your thoughts during the interview; this will help show the interviewer how you think to solve a problem or debate a point.
• Speak confidently and clearly during the interview so that what you say can be well-understood! If you don’t understand the question, don’t hesitate to ask the interviewer to repeat it.
• Dress smart and don’t panic! Many applicants tend to panic in the interview either because they are nervous due to the occasion or get intimidated by the questions. Some mock interviews should help overcome this problem.
• In a way, the interview can be seen as a mock supervision. The questions will not be straightforward and thus not panicking and giving up goes a long way in showing one’s willingness to learn and ability to understand a new material.
• Try to make the interview an enjoyable experience for both you and the interviewer by smiling, being polite and happy. Being as stiff as wood with a sullen expression doesn’t help one’s chances, at least this is what I think.