Unlock the secrets of the Cambridge interview with inside advice from 6 successful students. From handling curveball questions to the perfect outfit, here is how to ace it.
Introduction
If you have ever felt like the Cambridge interview is a complete black box, you are not alone. I remember the sleepless night before my interview at Emmanuel College, over-preparing my personal statement only to discover the questions were nothing like the rumours.
I spoke with five friends who also got in - Medicine to History - to understand what really matters. Spoiler: they are testing how you think, not how many facts you memorised.
Don’t just read - practise speaking
The interview is an oral exam. Books help, but talking out loud matters more.
Action step: grab a friend or sibling and have them throw questions at you. Build logical arguments under mild pressure.
The “think aloud” protocol
Interviewers want your reasoning. When you are stuck, narrate your first steps: “If X is zero, then Y would be…” They will drip-feed hints to see if you can adapt.
Embrace the curveball (yes, even a baby deer)
Curveballs are rare but memorable. One student was asked, “What would you do if you were a baby deer?” He answered logically (“I would copy my mum”), then adapted when the interviewer removed that option.
- Anchor in logic and start somewhere sensible.
- Adapt when they add constraints; they are testing flexibility, not trivia.
The truth about the dress code
Smart casual wins. Most successful applicants wore jeans and a jumper. A stiff suit can be distracting.
Mastering the online interview
- Look into the camera occasionally to mimic eye contact.
- Skip sticky notes - reading is obvious.
- No secret calculators if they are not allowed.
Tools that kept us sane
- BBC News / The Economist: skim your subject’s current affairs for context.
- Google News search: recent developments in your subject beat rote memorisation.
- Library or coffee shop reset: change scenery to reduce pre-interview panic.
Seeing it in action
Hearing the “baby deer” story is one thing; seeing the reactions is another. Watch the full discussion to see how six students navigated wildly different interviews.
Key takeaways
- It is a dialogue, not an interrogation - treat it like a supervision.
- Show your working: thinking aloud lets them help you.
- Do not obsess over your personal statement; know it, but expect anything.
- Dress for comfort: smart casual beats a three-piece suit.
- Getting corrected is fine; adapt and move on.