Oxford University has released sample interview questions to cast light onto the applications process in an effort to broaden access.
The list, compiled by the office of Admissions, is gathered from interviewers across all colleges and disciplines. Questions range from “If you were to save either rainforests or coral reefs, which would you save?” in Biological sciences to “Why it might be useful for an English student to read the ‘Twilight’ series?” in English.
Mike Nicholson, Director of Undergraduate Admissions justified the list, “We are keen to show the reality of an admissions interview at Oxford. Many myths persist about Oxford interviews, but these questions show there are no trick questions, no special knowledge is required, and there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers.”
Helen Swift, a Modern Languages interviewer at St Hilda’s said that she would ask a question, “What is laguage?”. She explained, “Although I would never launch this question at a candidate on its own, it might grow out of a discussion. Students sometimes say they like studying Spanish, for example, because they ‘love the language’. In order to get a student thinking critically and analytically, the question would get them to consider what constitutes the language they enjoy – is it defined by particular features or by function (what it does)? How does form relate to meaning? And so on.”
Ben Ellis, a second year historian at St John’s commented, “I was asked questions like, ‘What is the value of popular history, like Andrew Marr’s books? Do you think that British history is more important than European history? Why should it be taught?’ I think they were fair: the questions were about things that we should have had an opinion on.”
Zoe Hallam, a second year PPEist, does not believe releasing interview questions is sufficient to counter the Oxford myths, “Publishing interview questions doesn’t stop people not liking Oxford as it doesn’t tell you about life at Oxford. There are a lot more aspects to being at university here.”
A recent spate of television programmes featuring the classic Oxford stereotypes have caused concern within the University over the effects this will have on broadening access.
In spite of efforts to broaden Oxford’s appeal, the University’s attempts to project a modern and inclusive image have been hampered by a batch of recent television programmes feeding off Oxbridge myths. ITV2’s new drama, Trinity, is set at the fictional Bridgeford University, where the characters and situations in the programme are based around traditional stereotypes about Oxbridge. Channel 4’s “When Boris Met Dave” examines the lives of David Cameron and Boris Johnson when they were at Oxford together in the 1980s, focussing on their time in the Bullingdon Club.
A spokesperson from the University commented, “The high profile given to the Bullingdon club in the national press is a concern to the University, since it disproportionately focuses on the activities of a very tiny number of students, who are in no way representative of the overwhelming majority. The collegiate University spends £2.8m a year on outreach activities, many of which aim to break down stereotypes and misconceptions about Oxford, and many of which involve current students, who are the best representatives of Oxford’s diversity.”
