University Interview, in England.?

Question

Well i never did well in the gcse (16+) exams, but i got all As in 5 AS exams (17+) in BIO CHEM PHYS MATH AND FURTHER MATH. I am really interested in biology, but at at 17 i doubt i'm recruitable material in that field. How can I wow the interviewer? Where can i find work experience for my age in london in one of the sciences?

Answer 1

Aged 19 and with a year of my chemistry degree under my belt my local labs still wouldn't take me on this summer. It's pretty hard to get work experience as a scientist. You've got good grades and in good subjects, remember a lot of people of your intelligence and with you interests will be taken up by the medical subjects. There are only a few unis that you will actually give you a rigorous interview. Mostly in your interview you have to prove that you are interested and hard working.

They MIGHT ask you scientific questions at more competitive unis. These are likely to take two possible forms

The first is they quiz you on something you should learn at A-level (uni lecturers know the A-level syllabus so that they can know what to teach the new students). If they do this obviously try to answer but if it is something that you have never heard about there is a chance that it is something that your teacher is saving until the end of the course so don't be afraid to say, sorry I haven't studied that yet.

The second is that they give you some information and see if you can work something out, I have heard of Cambridge doing this for maths applicants. It's a key test of scientific ability: can you use logic to work something out from some given information.

Like I say though, I think even most Russel group universities won't give you a hard interview, they will simply invite you for a short conversation, go through your personal statement and try to tell you all the good things about their department, because a lot of good unis will want you.

When you are deciding where to apply you are clever enough to go to somewhere like Oxford, Cambridge or Imperial college. If you want to go to any of them that is, they are the people most likely to test you, but because they get so many bright applicants I think some people are clever enough to get an offer but just a little unlucky. There are a lot of other good unis in the country for biology that you should have no trouble getting into. In my experience by far the best way to pick a uni is to choose 5 you like the sound of to apply to and then go and visit them all and choose the best one.

Answer 2

just let the interviewer know your keen - give examples like the time when you cut the dog open to see his insides lol

Answer 3

All about passion and interest my friend.

If you are genuinely interested in the field they are interviewing you about then you will naturally digress into areas that show you have knowledge and will demonstrate a keeness to learn.

Also be clear of what you want to get out of the course e.g. at the end of the three years i would like to have a degree that specialises in marine biology etc.

Answer 4

Work experience in science is limited, you really need uni level science. I think the nearest you would get to science is to do some work experience in a hospital lab.  Or you could try a vet's practice, I know that isn't biology but I really don't think you'd get anything more sciencey.

In the interview be yourself. Ask questions, don't forget it's not just them picking students it's about you picking the right university for you.

Answer 5

I take it you are talking about a interview to go to University.  If that is that the case you just need to confident and charming.  Make sure you read up on recent discoveries/what the university is researching so you can pretend thats what you want to study there.  In biology the lack of experience is not a problem as few people have any experience.  Most interviews are quite friendly chats and few are heavy going.  I had 4 and they were all more like converstations than interviews.  (Im doing environmental biology..at quite a good university...not one of those crappy ones)