INTERVIEWS- FAILING (University of Cambridge in general)

Member Name: eppingboy

Product:	University of Cambridge in general
Date:	30/11/00 (592 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great uni

Disadvantages: my own nerves

in November 1998 I attended an interview at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge. Being the first person from my family to go to uni and a rare Oxbridge applicant from my college I was naturally rather nervous. Indeed I believe this rather than lack of academic ability contributed to my rather inauspicious interview performance. I tried too hard to compensate for my working class background and I suppose the only person I was fooling was myself. I had 3 interviews, and as was usual at this sort of thing one interviewer played the bad guy. The aggressive, assertive manner of the first Cambridge academic took me by surprise and knocked the little confidence I entered the room with. The next two interviews went better but I still think I knew the outcome long before I received confirmation of my suspicions. However, far from discouraging comprehensive school students from applying, I would actively encourage them. My failings were caused by lack of confidence and lack of practice in interview situations. I genuinely believe that there is no reason why diligent working class students cannot make Oxbridge.

Summary: