Oxford and Cambridge University Interviews: A Guide for Students

Have Oxford or Cambridge Universities asked you for an interview?  If so, well done!  This means that of all the many thousands of applications they receive each year, they are interested in YOURS.  Now that that you’ve come this far, how can you ensure that you make it through the Oxbridge interview stage of the application process?  Here are some answers to commonly asked questions:

When are the interviews?

Oxford and Cambridge University interview potential undergraduate candidates in December.  For Oxford this takes place over a two period (you can view that full two week schedule for Oxford University here for entry in 2012, or deferred entry in 2013).  For Cambridge University some candidates may be interviewed earlier than December, but most students are interviewed in the first three weeks of December.  You might only get a week’s notice that the university is interested in interviewing you, so make sure you don’t have any other commitments at this time and you are able to travel to Oxford or Cambridge if you are asked to come.

What about international students?  Do they have to go to an interview?

Basically, yes.  However, if it is extremely difficult for you to travel to the UK, Oxford University may be willing to conduct a telephone, video or internet interview.  The main exception to this is applicants for Medicine.  All potential Medical students must attend interviews in Oxford in person.

For Cambridge University, you may be able to have you interview outside the UK as the University conducts interviews in several overseas locations.  For example, in 2011, interviews will be held in China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan and Canada, as well as the UK.

How many interviews are there?

At Oxford there is often more than one interview at more than one college, so you will probably need to stay for a couple of days.  However, the university will provide accommodation and food for free at one of the colleges.  If you are interviewed at Cambridge, there are usually two interviews which are about 20 to 45 minutes each.  Like Oxford, if you need to stay the night, the University will provide you with accommodation.

What are they looking for?

You interviewers will be looking for your potential academic ability.  This means that they are assessing your enthusiasm and commitment for the subject, your ability to think clearly and logically, and your willingness to debate and development an argument.  In order for them to do this, the interviewers will need to ask you questions that may go beyond what you have studied and learnt at school.  Therefore, be prepared to answer and discuss topics that are outside your A level curriculum.  To help you with this, you should read widely around the subject (which if you are passionate about your subject, you will already be doing) and think critically about what you are reading.  In addition, the interviewers may ask you about your UCAS personal statement, or about some of the written work you have submitted, so bring these with you to the interview and be prepared to answer questions about them.

What type of questions can I prepare for?

You should not have rehearsed answers that sound like short speeches, as this will come across as unnatural.  However, you should do practise interviews with a friend or teacher beforehand and you should think about possible answers to the following questions:

Why do you want to study at Oxford/Cambridge?
Why do you want to study your chosen subject?

When will I find out the results of my interview?

You will be informed of the university’s decision by the end of January, though you may hear earlier and many Oxford candidates will hear by the end of December.  You will receive a letter that will explain whether your application has been successful or not, and if it has been successful, what the conditions of the offer are, such as what grades you will need to get in your A levels if you have not already taken them.

If you aren’t offered a place, don’t give up!  There are many other excellent universities you could attend.  Alternatively, you could wait a year and reapply, or apply for post-graduate studies after you have completed your first degree elsewhere.  There are many students who aren’t able to get into Oxford or Cambridge as undergraduates, but later go on to do research there.

Lastly, good luck!   

Drink yourself smarter

Can water make you smarter?  It can certainly help you to study better.  Since your brain is about 77 to 78% water, if you’re dehydrated, so is your brain.  This results in fatigue, headaches and an inability to concentrate, all of which will prevent you from studying effectively.  Therefore, you must make sure that you are always fully hydrated.  The easiest way to do this is by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day.  This will help to replace the water that you lose through urine and sweat.  If you live in a hot climate or if you exercise heavily, you will need to drink more than that to replace the extra fluid lost through increased sweating.

In addition to helping your brain function at maximum capacity, drinking sufficient water every day will help our overall health as 'water is essential for the body's growth and maintenance' (BBC Health).  All About Water lists 10 reasons why we should drink water.  Some of the reasons they mention are an increased metabolism, increased energy levels,a reduced risk of certain cancers, reduced joint and back pain, healthier skin, improved digestion and improved circulation.

As well as drinking water, you should also eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, as these have very high water content and contain essential nutrients.  For more about the importance of eating healthily and the affect on studying see the earlier article You are what you eat.  For more advice about studying and how to improve your ability to study effectively get the Super Fast Guide, StudySkills, How to be smarter instantly.  I'm off now for a glass of water!

IELTS – How to prepare and practise for the exam

If you need to take the IELTS test in order to study or live in an English speaking country you will need to do several things first:

1.      Register for the test.  For information and advice about this see the article, ‘IELTS – What is it and how can you take it?’

2.      Find out what the test involves.  How many papers are there?  What are you expected to do in each paper? What are the examiners looking for?  For help with this, I suggest you get the Super Fast Guide to the test ‘IELTS: How to succeed in the test’.  You can also visit the Super Fast Guides website for some extra tips.

3.      Practise doing the test using example exam papers. There are several ways you can do this: 

a)      You can get sample papers and exercises on the internet, for example at the British Council website, Learn English. 

b)      You can buy IELTS practice materials directly from the IELTS website. 

c)      You can buy an IELTS text book with example tests and exercises, such as Barron’s IELTS.

d)     You can attend an IELTS preparation course, for example at your local British Council.

Whichever method you choose, you should practise as much as you can before you take the test. If you have good self discipline, you may find it is better to study alone at home with practice materials using methods a), b) or c).  However, if you have the time and money, you may find that method d) is better for you, because taking a preparation course provides you with a teacher who can give you guidance and feedback on your work, as well as answering any questions you may have. You will also have the support of working with other students who are planning to take the test. 

Use whichever method works best for you, or a combination of methods, to practise for the test and good luck!  I hope you get the score you need.

How to get certification to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL)

Super Fast Guides published this article on WikiHow earlier this summer.  For people who are interested in TEFL and teaching Engish abroad, we are republishing the entire article here:

  

Would you like to travel the world teaching English? Getting certification before you go will help you to get a good contract and show you what to do before you enter the language classroom in a foreign country.

Steps

1. Choose a good course. The main, intial qualification is called the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) or Cert TESOL (Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language).
   
2. Don't waste money on an 'introduction' or 'starter' course. They aren't worth anything to potential employers and are a waste of both your time and money.
   
3. The CELTA course generally takes 4 weeks, full time and can be very intensive. Alternatively, you can study part-time over approximately 12 weeks.
   
4. Take a good, accredited course, even if it costs more money and takes more time. You will find that it is worth the investment when you start looking for jobs. With a proper certificate you are much more likely to be offered a good contract with decent conditions and salary.
   
5. Get a recognised qualification. The two most recognised certificate qualifications are: Cambridge University's ESOL (English as a Second Language) CELTA and the Trinity CertTESOL. International House, London regularly offers Cambridge CELTA courses, both full-time and part-time, as well as an online course.
   
6. The course is a combination of theory and practice. There are input sessions which explain the theory of language teaching, grammar, vocabulary and skills teaching. There are also practice sessions in which you are expected to plan and deliver an English language lesson to a group of foreign students. In addition, you will observe other experienced teachers teaching so that you can see best practice.
   

Tips

• If you would like to make a long-term career out of teaching English as a foreign language, you might want to take the Diploma course, the DELTA, after you have gained a couple of years' experience.

Warnings

• The course is very intensive. Try not to do it when you have other commitments.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Teach English As a Second Language Worldwide
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.ihlondon.com/celta-23/blended-celta/
  
• http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=2093
  
• http://www.superfastguides.com/Language-Learning.html
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Certification to Teach English As a Foreign Language. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

UK University 2012?

Are you planning to go to a UK university in 2012?  The start date may over a year away, but the time to begin working on your application is now!  If you haven’t done so already, you need to start thinking about which course you want to study and at which university. 

Have a look at this application timetable, which was published earlier this year on the Guardian website:

• 15 October – Deadline for submitting an application to Oxford and Cambridge, and for dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine and veterinary science courses.

• December 2011/January 2012 – Interviews for Oxford and Cambridge and some courses at other universities.

• 15 January 2012- Deadline for all other courses, except some art and design courses (see below). If you do apply after the 15 January deadline, the individual institution can decide whether it wants to accept your application.

• 22 February to 4 July – If you have not received any offers or have declined all offers, you can apply for other courses, only one at any single time, through UCAS Extra.

• 24 March – Deadline for some art and design courses.

• 31 March – universities and colleges aim to send out final decisions for applications received by 15 January.

• 16 August – A-level and AS-level results. Firm offers accepted. Clearing opens.

• September/October 2012 - University terms start

Notice that the deadline for Oxford and Cambridge is 15 October 2011, so if you are thinking of applying for any course at either of these leading universities, or if you would like to study dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, or veterinary science at any UK university, start preparing your UCAS application now and good luck!

IELTS - What is it and how can you take it?

Recently Super Fast Guides published a post on wikiHow called How to Take the IELTS, which has now been read by over 7,300 people!  In case you haven’t seen it, here is a shortened version of the article:

What is IELTS?

   

The IELTS test is an English language test that is taken by over 1.4 million people around the world every year. IELTS means 'International English Language Testing System'. It is an English language test that checks a person's language ability in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

How can I take the test?

1.      Decide which test to take. There are two forms of the test: the Academic module and the General Training module. The Academic module is generally taken by people who want to study at an English-speaking college or university. The General Training module is generally taken by people who wish to migrate abroad, for example to the UK or Australia. However, some training courses require the General Training module, not the Academic one. Check before you take the test.

2.      Find your nearest IELTS test centre. There are over 800 centres around the world, so there should be one near you. In the USA there are 49 centers across the States and there are 47 test centres in both the UK and Australia. In addition, there are test centres in over 130 other countries. You can find a full list of test centres with contact details for each one at www.ielts.org.

3.      Register for the test with your nearest test center. IELTS is offered all year round and some test centres offer the test as often as twice a month, so you might be able to choose several possible dates. Just be sure to register early so you get the date you want as dates often fill up quickly.

4.      Ensure that you have the right documents to register. You will need to give the test centre a completed application form, two recent passport photographs, which are in colour and identical, and a photocopy of your passport or national identity document, which should still be valid when you take the test.

5.      Pay for the test. The fee varies, but it is currently around USD185 in the USA, GBP115 in the UK and AUD317 in Australia.

6.      Bring the right materials on the day of the test. Bring your passport or national identity document. You will also need to bring pencils and pens to write with.

7.      Wait for your results. These will be available 13 days after the test.

For the full article, see wikiHow, How to Take the IELTS
For important information about the test and for essential advice on how to get the score you need, get the Super Fast Guide, IELTS, How to succeed in the exam, available from Amazon 
 

Stress-free studying



A mountain of studying

Students often get very stressed, due to the pressure of exams, assignments and the general workload that is required in order to succeed.  However, stress can have a very negative effect studying as it reduces a person’s ability to acquire, retain and recall information.

This afternoon I came across an article about stress-free marketing written on the website, http://www.stressfreemarketing.us/ which I thought had several points that would be useful for students. 

The article gave this advice:

1. Realize and honor that you can only accomplish certain things during the day. Go to sleep each night saying “I have accomplished everything I could for the day. “
2. Write down a list of your marketing and distribution strategies. Update and prioritize them often.
3. Tackle small projects and complete them thoroughly. There is nothing that adds to stress more than a bunch of incomplete projects.
4. Be comfortable with working no more than three initiatives at a time. You can’t be good at everything, so be really good at a couple of things first.
5. Network with others in the industry but follow your instincts and heart. The world is filled with amazing people some of who had really bad advice.
6. Know that you are a successful person the minute you started moving in the direction of your dreams.
7. Smile throughout the day, even if you don’t see other humans. Laughter is a great stress reliever.

I’ve copied out the points in full, but I think points 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 are good, general pieces of advice that everyone could use, especially students.  These points can help you to reduce some of the stress, which is vital for success.  Next time your studies feel overwhelming, try to smile, think positively and focus on how well you are already doing and not on how much still needs to be done.

Language learning for the holidays

If you’re off on holiday this year, you may find yourself in a country where the people speak a different language.  Although many people speak a little bit of English, especially in tourist areas, it’s a good idea to try and learn at least a few basic words and phrases in the language of the host country.  Not only is it respectful, but it can also be part of the fun of visiting a new place.

Obviously there is no limit to the amount of language you can learn, but here is a basic list of some of the words and phrases you might want to try and practise before you set off:

 

1.   ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’.

2.   ‘I would like. . .’ and ‘How much is it?’

3.   The numbers 1-100 so you can say how many you would like of something and understand how much something is.

4.   Common restaurant items, depending on where you are going and what you like to eat and drink, e.g. ‘menu’, ‘bill/check’, ‘water’, ‘bread’, ‘rice,’ chicken’.

5.   Common travel and sightseeing items, e.g. ‘ticket’, ‘adult’, ‘child/children’, ‘one-way’, ‘return’, ‘open’, ‘closed’, ‘entrance’, ‘exit’.

6.   ‘Where is the toilet/the museum/train station/bus stop?’

This is certainly not a complete list, but it would be a good starting point if you wanted to learn some of the local language before you set off on your holidays.

Wherever you’re going this year, have a great time and travel safely!

How to get into a top university

Cambridge University.  One of the oldest in the world.

If you are hoping to get into a top university in September 2012, you should start preparing now.  The world’s top colleges, such as Yale, Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge, receive thousands and thousands of applications every year for only a limited number of places, so how can you rise to the top of the application pile and get offered a place? 

The first thing of course is to study, as the top institutions are able to choose only the very brightest students.  However, universities like Oxford receive thousands of applications from students who are predicted to get A* grades, so how do they decide which students to offer a place to?  For example, if there are ten students with top grades, and only one place, how do they decide which student gets the place?  How can you set yourself apart from the crowd?

1.   Know your subject.  Study beyond the curriculum at school and show that you are passionate about the subject.  Read as much as you can about it, as well as related subject areas.

2.   Know the university.  Know why you want to study there.  For example, just saying, ‘I want to go to Princeton because it’s an Ivy League school’ is not enough.  Know who the professors are who teach the subject you want to study and what their specialist areas of research are.  Read some of the professors’ books and be prepared to talk about them.  Research the university as much as possible.  If you can, attend an open day, as this will give you the chance to get to know the university and meet some of the lecturers and students.

3.   Get involved in extra-curricular activities.  Show the university that you are a rounded person by getting involved in several activities outside the classroom.  For example, take part in a school play, be a member of a sport’s team, play a musical instrument, do voluntary work, join a debating society, join local community organisations.  Also, try to take on positions of responsibility, such as Student Council, Head Boy/Girl, or High School President.  All of these activities will give you a well-rounded application form, improve your chances of getting excellent school references and will make your application stand out from the others.

4.   Stay up-to-date with world news.  Show that you have an understanding of the greater world that you live in by staying informed about what is happening in the world and why.  Read a quality newspaper regularly, including the opinion columns, and form your own opinions about recent current affairs.

5.   Speak to other university students.  Try to meet students who have studied, or are studying at the university you want to go to.  Ask them what they think the university is looking for and what studying there is like.  

6.   Study another language.  Many subjects benefit from students knowing another language.  If your first language is not English, spend as much time as possible getting your English up to an advanced level.

7.   Practise doing entrance tests.  Become familiar with entrance tests, such as SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and practise doing them.  If you need to take an English test, decide whether you will take IELTS or TOEFL and prepare for the test. 

      Last of all, if you don't get in the first time, consider waiting a year and trying again. Some students succeed a second time round.

Language Learning

The latest Super Fast Guide is now available on Amazon!  'Language Learning, How to learn any language' is for anyone who needs to know another language.

Like any skill, there is a technique to learning another language, whether it's Spanish, German or even Chinese.  I once knew someone who could speak 7 different languages, including Italian, French, Korean and Turkish!  I asked him how he did it and he just said, 'The first one or two are tricky, but once you know the technique, it's easy.'  I watched him over two years as he learnt yet another language and noted down the techniques he used.  I then taught these techniques to my English students, realising that it was better to teach them how to learn rather that what to learn.  For example, students need to know how to learn vocabulary, such as how to keep good vocabulary records (see our website www.SuperFastGuides.com for an example of this).

The main piece of advice I have is, practise, practise, practise and don't be afraid of making mistakes!  What are your tips for learning other languages?