Admissions Tests and Interviews at Cambridge and Oxford 2012

Dr Andrew BellTutor for AdmissionsGonville and Caius CollegeUniversity of Cambridge

From sixth-form to university

• no, or very few, re-sits• no bells, few collective timetables• integrating elements in linear courses• formative and summative assessment• learning “the wrong way round”• rapid progress• students do not work to a mark scheme• self-motivation and self-discipline

What do we look for in applicants?

• Very strong exam record, especially in Years 12 and 13

• Excellent school/college reference

• Appropriate choice of subject and course

• Good test performance (BMAT) and high-quality submitted written work (Arts subjects)

• Academic potential, meaning: knowledge and skill; logic and clarity of thought; intellectual flexibility; imagination

Selection criteria

Admissions decisions are based on:

• A level (or equivalent) grades and subject combinations

• AS grades and (Cambridge) unit marks

• GCSE grades

• UCAS personal statement and school/college reference

• Submitted work (where requested)

• Test results (chiefly Oxford)

• Interview performance

Application

• Students apply via UCAS to Oxford OR Cambridge by 15 October

• Cambridge applicants also fill in an online questionnaire after they have submitted their UCAS form; this essentially gathers AS scores

• Many Oxford applicants sit an aptitude test in early November; so do Medics and Vets for Cambridge

• Most applicants choose a College but many take the ‘open’ application route; choice of College has no impact upon likelihood of success

• Typical Oxford offer: mostly AAA (A*A*A Maths)

• Typical Cambridge offer: A*AA or A*AAA

Use of Contextual Data

Both universities use contextual data to help make admissions fairer

So, we look at:

The performance of the applicant’s school or college at GCSE or equivalent level, and the performance of the applicant’s school or college at A-level or equivalent level.

But also at

Whether the applicant come from a low participation neighbourhood (LPN)

Or from an area of relatively low socio-economic position (ACORN information)

Or whether they have spent significant time in care

These allow us to see achievement in context.

A very strong examination record

• We seek students whose academic record places them in approximately the top 3% of the ability range

• Most – though by no means all – successful Cambridge applicants have an AS UMS average (across their best or most relevant three subjects) of comfortably above 90%

• The mean AS average of students receiving offers from a range of Cambridge Colleges in 2010/11 was 94-96%

• There is no minimum required number of A*s at GCSE, though most successful applicants achieved A* in most of their GCSEs

Interviews

• Normally two or more interviews, each usually lasting 20−30 minutes

• Conducted by lecturers and predominantly academic and subject-focused

• Discussion-based and intellectually challenging

• Check the websites for videos and further information

Interviews: what are we looking for?

The last piece in the jigsaw rather than the ‘final hurdle’

• Academic ability and potential to be successful

• Self-motivation, commitment and serious interest in the chosen course

• Ability to think independently and critically

• Use of existing knowledge to assess new problems

No trick questions!

Interviews: what to expect

• Focused and challenging questions

• Applicants are usually asked to talk about:• Academic work completed in the last year or two• Relevant wider reading or work experience• Subject-related issues that are very readily visible in the

wider world• ‘Prompt’ material

• Prompting from interviewers

• Questions to interviewers

Interviews: How to prepare

• Refresh your memory about:

• the course for which you applied

• recent school/college work

• UCAS personal statement

• submitted work

• Wider reading

• Practise discussing academic work and ideas

• Vocational subjects