After submitting your Application Form it is likely that you will be called to an interview at the universities of your choice. Below we have provided some tips to help you prepare and get through the interview process.

Before the Interview
 

• Find out as much as you can about the interview – What format does it take? How many people will be in the interview? Should you wear a suit? Is it a formal interview or a casual chat? • Do your homework – Know the university you are applying to. Ensure you read the prospectus and have some intimate knowledge about your chosen institution at hand. You will b expected to have some basic knowledge about the university to illustrate your commitment to study there. • Refresh your memory – Remind yourself why you took certain A-Levels and which ones you enjoyed most. You may be asked questions about specific elements of your A-levels that relate to the course you are planning to take at University. • Read over your UCAS application – Your UCAS application is the key document that your interviewer has access to so it is likely to form the basis of any interview. It will help to refresh your memory. • Know your stuff! – It is quite likely that you will be asked specific questions relating to the course you wish to apply for. These questions may be technical in nature so ensure you are aware of current developments by reading websites and publications that cover your subject area. • Practice your Interview techniques – Ask a teacher or friend to role play the interview with you. Tell them to make it difficult – the harder the better. In this way you will certainly be prepared for the real interview. • Talk to current Students – ask for any interview tips or any advice they can offer. • What do you want to say? – Are there any points which you wish to present in your interview? Prepare a list of points that you want to make. Remember that the interview is an opportunity for you to ‘sell yourself’. • Prepare answers for common Questions – You can expect certain questions to be raised in your interview. For example; Why do you want to study this course? Why do you want to study at this university? What career path do you expect to follow? • Your questions – The interview is not just one way traffic. It is also an opportunity for you to raise any questions you may have regarding the course or university. Prepare these in advance. In order not to look ‘stupid’ try and ensure that these questions are not answered on the website or prospectus. • Plan your journey – Like any other interview, you do NOT want to arrive late. Leave plenty of time available to take into account traffic/ transport issues on the day. You also need to be aware that universities are generally quite large – it could take another 10-15 minutes to find the correct room/ building on campus.

Interview Day
 

• Sleep Well – Ensure you get a good night’s sleep the night before your big interview. Go to bed early to be fresh and ready in the morning. • Have a good breakfast – Eat a full breakfast to set you up for the day. Depending on traveling time and the time of your interview you may not eat for several hours. • Arrive early – You should add 30 minutes on top of any other travel time in order to find the specific location on campus. If you arrive on site very early go and find the room in question first and then you can have a look around before your interview. • Be Presentable – It may not be necessary to wear a suit and tie, particularly if you are going to be on site all day. However you should not dress scruffily for the interview as you still want to make a good impression. (You can always dress scruffily for the next three years if you get in!) • Turn off your mobile phone – One sure way to start on the wrong foot is to have your mobile phone ring during the interview. It is guaranteed to distract and embarrass you. Your interviewer will not be impressed either. • Contact the university – If the worst should happen and you cannot attend due to an ‘emergency’ contact the university immediately to make them aware. In most cases they will re-arrange the interview to another day. You should also contact the university if you are running late due to traffic/ transport problems –don’t call the university five minutes before your interview time when you are still 10 miles away – call them well in advance. If you do not attend your interview and you do not contact the university in question this is likely to have a very negative impact on your application to the university in question

During the Interview
 

• Body Language – be positive in your body language. Make eye contact with the interviewer, sit straight and confidently and smile! • Be Enthusiastic – Make sure you appear enthusiastic to the interviewer – they want to see that you want a place at their university. • Relax – Take a deep breath and relax. It is normal to be nervous and it will be expected but everyone is at their best when they relax a little. • Be Yourself, be Natural – The Interviewer wants to see the real you and find out more about you as an individual. • Listen Carefully – It is important that you listen carefully to the interviewer. Ensure you are answering the questions asked rather than going off at a tangent by quoting prepared answers! • Take your time – When responding to questions, you should not blurt out the first answer that comes to mind. Take your time and formulate good answers. Don’t feel pressured to answer immediately. • Be honest – Be honest in the answers you give. Alternatively if you do not understand the question ask the interviewer to clarify the question accordingly. • No Bluffing allowed – It is fair to assume that the interviewer will have a much greater knowledge of the subject in hand than you will. So don’t bluff! • Ask Questions – You must ask questions – it shows interest. Use a mix of your prepared questions and questions that have come up during the interview process.

After the Interview
 

• Don’t Worry – The interview is over. All interviews are different - some are designed to be harder than others and stretch candidates. • Hang around – Take advantage of being at the university. Make the most of it by talking with other students, looking round the campus, have a look around the city or town, even visit a local pub – you may be lucky enough to find a student there to socialise with! • Debrief – Review the questions and answers from the interview. Make notes – are there answers you would change if asked the question again. Bear in mind that it is likely you will still have other interviews at other universities so this knowledge will prove to be useful. • What did you discover? – Remember that the interview day provides you with an opportunity to find out more about the course and university. Now that you have a more informed opinion, do you still want to study the same course at the university? • Discuss your interview with others – Discussing the interview with a third party enables you to achieve feedback and another opinion. This advice can prove useful for other interviews at other universities. • Move on – There is no point in worrying unnecessarily about the last interview you had. It is now over. Move on and prepare for your next interview.