Interview Tips

Found this on the website for the Chemistry Department at the University of York, a well respected Chemistry provider which has regularly been placed highly in national press top university polls. Thought it might give prospective undergraduates a bit of an insight into what to expect from the interview process.

The Times Good University Guide 2012

1. Cambridge
2. Oxford
3. Durham
4. York
5. St Andrews


A Typical Interview

Interviewers typically start by asking you specific questions about your personal statement (for example, your interest in a particular area of Chemistry, including practical work) and your reasons for applying to York, before moving on to more open-ended questions about the study of Chemistry.

We are looking primarily for skills and to assess your potential to do well at York. To help you perform at your best, we suggest that you read through your UCAS personal statement, think over what you’ve studied in Chemistry so far and what has particularly interested you.

It might also be useful for you to practice explaining why you are so passionate about Chemistry that you want to study it to degree level, and why you have applied to York. The importance of being enthusiastic cannot be underestimated!

Consider preparing some things that you would like to tell us, and also think about some questions (either course specific and/or more general questions about student life) you would like to ask us.

university interview technique

One of our Chemistry students was interviewed at Oxford last year. The Professor interviewing him casually leaned back in his chair, took a sip of tea and then asked him how he would go about calculating how many molecules of liquid there were in his cup.

Now I like to think I would have been able to answer that, but pressure in interview situations does funny things to people. (As it happens he gave a text book answer and got his place on the back of straight A grades).

Another variation on this is to be asked to estimate how many molecules of air there are in the room.

It struck me that if you are going for interview at a prestigious university, or for a course that requires near faultless grades like medicine, then it might be an idea to share any interview experiences.

Leave any details, challenging questions or even any general tales of woe resulting from feeble interview technique in the hope of serving the greater good, by commenting on this post.