Your Interview

Here's some things you might want to think about before your interview - hope this helps

(Also, don't forget your personal statement) 

Interviews are designed to be supportive and to help you in moving forward – there aren’t any trick questions or ‘right answers’, but it’s always really helpful for us to work with students who’ve prepared beforehand.

There’s no rigid script and different interviewers will approach matters in different ways, but questions will usually explore the following areas:

Do you know what you want to do in the future ? Does it involve going to university? Do you  wish to enter a particular field of employment? Have you thought about what you need to do to realise your goals? Do you have a ‘plan B’?

In this context, of course, many of you will still be trying to decide upon your future goals; you will perhaps talk to us about ‘keeping your options open’ or ‘following your interests’ , but some of you will have definite career goals and will need to consider your choices carefully.

We might, as part of this process, consider the requirements of particular universities or employers. It’s hard, of course, for any student to have answers to these questions, but it is useful to work with people who have a sense of where they might be going in life and what they need to get there.

Are you familiar with the courses that we offer?  Have you looked at the prospectus, online or on paper?  

This section is not a test on this or that detail of the prospectus, but it is useful if you have done some homework and looked at the courses we offer and thought about how they meet your needs and skills.

What do you feel that you will achieve in your final exams? How are mocks or report grades going? What are your areas of strength? Are there areas that you are worried about, in terms of how well you will achieve? (You should never be afraid to discuss any such concerns – it helps us in advising you appropriately)

Are you aware of the entry criteria for the particular courses that  you are interested in? How do these fit in with your understanding of how well you are doing in particular subject areas?

Why have you chosen the subjects that you have chosen? Were there other ‘strong contenders’ in terms of choices?

Have you thought about our wider "additional studies"provision? Do you wish to pursue arts or sports or performance or other interests whilst you are here? Will you take the opportunity to develop your skills via formal qualifications in languages, maths etc.? Will you join one of the more career-focussed additional studies groups in areas like law, medicine or teaching? 

How well do you know the college? Do you have any questions about college life?

Are you considering a range of other courses or institutions in the area?  How does this fit into your overall plans and aspirations?

Have you thought about travel arrangements to and from college?

Are there any issues with regard to your studies or support that you wish to raise with us? 

We hope that this helps. 

Good luck with your interview!