How to answer common admission interview questions

Try and say something more memorable and meaningful, such as that you’re very determined or motivated; you’re a natural leader or a good collaborator; or you’re always keen to have a go when challenges come up. Be honest but focus on highlighting your strengths. Try to back up what you say with examples, too

Unless the interviewers specify that they want you to talk about an academic achievement, this university interview question can be about anything that you are personally proud of. Try and mention an achievement which is quite recent and talk about how it positively affected you. You could talk about a prize you won during your studies, a test you did particularly well in, or a coursework project you were especially proud of.

Contrastingly, this could also be a non-academic achievement; something you achieved in your spare time which got recognition, such as playing an instrument to a high level or running a student society. This activity will not only show commitment and that you’re willing to go beyond what’s expected of you, but the fact that you achieved this whilst also completing your studies shows good time management.

This is asked in order to shed some light on your personality and to find out whether you’d be a good fit for the university. Here you should talk about a proactive hobby that you do often – playing a sport, for example. Explain what it is you like about this hobby and try to mention skills you’ve learnt from it which you will be using at university.

For example, maybe you like that the sport constantly challenges you to improve yourself, or that you enjoy working in a team to achieve a common goal. Avoid bringing up controversial hobbies, or anything that might make you sound lazy or easily distracted (such as online shopping or watching Netflix).

This university interview question invites you to sell yourself, and it can be tempting to exaggerate – but try not to go over the top! Back up what you say with examples; you could mention activities you’ve been involved in at high school that show your contribution to the school’s community, such as a debating society or helping to organize an event.

“Why should we offer you a place?” is a similar question, which might be asked at the end of the interview to wrap things up. In this case, summarize all the key points that make you an ideal student for the course, and for the wider university community.

This question comes up a lot in job interviews too, and the interviewer might ask for more than one strength or weakness. For the strengths part,  it’s tempting to give a clichéd but safe answer, like “I’m a hard worker”. But again, admission interviewers are looking for something more thoughtful, which is backed up with examples.

The weakness side of the question can be difficult, but if you’re honest, and talk about a weakness that you’ve already taken steps to improve on, also explaining how you intend to keep working on this, then interviewers will be impressed by your self-awareness. 

Do:

• Pre-plan some memorable answers: Identify something you can say that will help you stand out from other applicants, ideally a unique achievement or interest that you have which is connected to your chosen degree.
• Re-read everything before the interview: Look back over both your personal statement and any information from the university about the course (e.g. on their website) so that you can both anticipate questions you'll be asked about your background or motivation, and also appear well-informed about the university you're applying to.
• Practice with a friend: Get someone to test you on some common interview questions and get feedback on how you're presenting yourself.

Don't:

• Ask obvious questions: If you ask a question which you should have been able to find the answer for elsewhere (e.g. how much is tuition?), it will give the impression you haven't done sufficient research into the university and the course you're applying to. Use the opportunity to ask questions on more complex issues which can't be easily answered within a prospectus or university website.
• Be late!: Whether your interview is in-person or online, punctuality helps set a positive first impression. If your interview is online, make sure you test your connection and have checked your background before joining the call to ensure you've removed any items which might look unprofessional.