Any advice for English interviews? I'm applying to Downing
Hey, of course! First of all, congrats on getting an interview! :)Okay, so my first advice would be to not get panicked. Very easily said I know, but I got incredibly worked up about my UCL interview then fucked it up, so I went into my Cambridge one with the attitude that I was there to enjoy the challenge and show my enthusiasm and that mindset was really conducive to a calm and enjoyable interview experience :)But in terms of when you're actually in there, just don't be afraid to talk through everything you're thinking and your reactions to what they ask/give you. If they ask something that throws you, just consider for a moment (they don't mind a thoughtful silence) then talk your way to an answer. They're most interested in how you think, how you make connections and interpret things, rather than how much you know, so make sure your interviewer has access to your thought process by speaking it out loud :) And don't be afraid to ask questions! If they say something you don't agree with or fully understand, question it - it's not rude or dumb, it shows engagement and critical thinking which they LOVE :)And finally for prep, just be familiar with texts you referred to in your PS and on your SAQ, and with anything else you really like. Oh, and try brush up technical poetry knowledge - you'll almost certainly have a written test analysing a poem, or at least be given one in an interview to look at and talk about, and I found learning stuff about the technicalities of poetry beyond that which is covered at A level lit was really helpful - take a look at Lennard's poetry handbook if you're not sure where to look for this (not all of it haha but parts that catch your eye as useful) or even something like Stephen Fry's book on poetry, think it's called The Ode Less Travelled :)But above all, honestly, ENJOY IT! It's a chance to discuss a subject you presumably love with experts, to question and explore ideas and meet a challenge you haven't had before. Oh, and you maayyy meet some people on interview day who seem super confident or whatever but don't feel intimidated by any other candidate. Everyone's in the same boat and none of the cocky people I saw on interview day were here when I arrived in October :)
