Cambridge Interview Preparation 2024: What to Expect and How to Prepare

24th October, 2024

The Cambridge interview process is renowned for its intensity, designed to push students beyond their comfort zones and test how they think critically under pressure. At Enjoy Education, we offer bespoke, one-to-one interview preparation to help you navigate this challenging process with confidence.

What to Expect from a Cambridge Interview

Cambridge interviews tend to focus on academic discussion. The interviewers, often leading experts in their fields, are not only assessing your knowledge but also how you think, adapt, and explore unfamiliar ideas. Each interview is tailored to the student’s subject, with some including written or practical tasks.

For example, students have reported questions like:

  • Engineering: “How would you design a bridge that could hold more weight than an average structure without increasing material use?”
  • Economics: “Why don’t all countries print more money to pay off their national debts?”

Key Preparation Steps

  1. Master Your Personal Statement

    Cambridge interviewers frequently refer to the personal statement. Students are expected to be able to elaborate on any books, theories, or experiences they have mentioned. Ensure that you can confidently discuss the topics you’ve highlighted. For example, our Director of Studies Liane was studying Pride and Prejudice as one of her A Level texts and was drawn into a conversation about whether Jane Austen was an ironic writer.

  2. Stay Updated on Subject-Specific News

    Particularly for subjects like politics, economics, or geography, interviewers might use recent events or developments as a springboard for discussion. Stay informed on current affairs related to your field. Great places to look include the LSE Blogs (https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/), Politico (https://www.politico.eu/uk/?geo-redirect) and the Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/).

  3. Be Ready for Written and Practical Challenges

    Some Cambridge interviews, involve practical tasks or problem-solving challenges. Familiarise yourself with subject-specific problem sets or past interview questions. For example, our Consultant Felicia was asked during her Geography interview at Cambridge to respond to a journal article on guerrilla warfare – whilst she wasn’t expected to know about the topic itself, the interview focused on analysis, bias, paper sources and impact on society.

  4. Multiple Mock Interviews

    At Enjoy Education, we provide mock interviews conducted by Cambridge alumni who replicate the real interview environment. Practising with different tutors helps students adapt to the unpredictable nature and changing styles of Cambridge interviews.

  5. Thinking Aloud

    The Cambridge interview is as much about your thought process as it is about your knowledge. Practice explaining your reasoning, especially when you’re working through unfamiliar problems. This approach will demonstrate your intellectual flexibility.

Example Cambridge Interview Questions by Subject

  • Law: “Should there be a right to offend in free speech?”
  • Natural Sciences: “Explain the thermodynamics of why a hot cup of tea cools down when left out.”
  • History: “What are the ethical implications of how we record historical events?”
  • Medicine: “Why do we give antibiotics to humans, but not to plants?”

Final Cambridge Interview Tips

  1. Don’t Be Afraid to Admit When You Don’t Know Something

    Cambridge interviewers are testing how you respond to unfamiliar ideas. If you don’t know the answer to a question, admit it and explain how you would approach the problem instead. Be curious about the Professor’s take on the issue, how it is being studied in the department and whether this might be something included in the Undergraduate degree.

  2. Take Your Time to Think

    It’s better to take a moment to formulate a thoughtful response than to rush into an answer. Silence can feel uncomfortable, but using that time wisely shows that you’re considering the question carefully.

Cambridge interviews are designed to push you to think critically, engage deeply with your subject, and adapt to new ideas. Get in touch with Enjoy Education to book a bespoke Cambridge interview preparation session today. Our tutors, many of whom are Cambridge alumni, are here to provide personalised guidance to help you succeed.