Interview Preperation Service
The Service in a Nutshell
In a nutshell, our university interview preparation service does what it says on the tin; namely helping you best prepare for university interviews, with the aim of giving you added advantages when it comes to important interviews for competitive university places.
About Me
My name is Iimaan, and as I will be helping you I thought it would be helpful to say a little bit about myself...
I am a fairly recent graduate of the University of Cambridge, where I studied Politics and International Relations. Throughout my time at the institution, I was very interested in working with college students, dispelling the stereotypes they wholeheartedly believed in and advising them with the application process. I even worked with the Cambridge Admissions Office, which meant spending a lot of time with admissions tutors – those people who conduct the entry interviews – and talking to them about what they like to see in candidates.
I soon realised that every Oxbridge interview-preparation book I’d read had given me the completely wrong advice. And while my college had given me someone to speak with, she was a professional from the university whose job it was to circle schools in my area in the hope of boosting applications. What I didn’t have, but really wanted, was to speak to someone closer to me in age, who seemed genuine in their experiences, and who’d recently gone through the interview process. I never did get that opportunity, so I now want to offer the kind of help I’d been searching for.
Our Session
As someone who endured (and survived!) what is known to be one of the most rigorous and challenging interview systems in higher education, I have lots of helpful tips and insights to share including common but potentially nerve-wracking questions like, pre-interview research, demonstrating (and backing up) your passion for your chosen course, and much more besides...
While I have a lot of information to share with you, this session is also a two-way discussion, in the same way an interview might be. The session is designed to be stimulating; helping you get a fresh perspective on university interviews, as well as giving you tips, suggestions and ideas. You’re free to ask questions at any point, and while we cannot, in any way predict what you’ll be asked there are still ways and means of preparing for awkward questions. This is something we can also explore.
While I tend to concentrate on the most important points, it is a flexible consultation and I can adapt it to meet your needs. So if you have anything in particular you would like to discuss, please just let me know (preferably up front) and we can cover that.
Interview Myths
Many students are daunted by university interviews, and especially Oxbridge candidates. The process is infamous, and it’s presented in some quarters as being an almost impossible system to crack. British newspapers publish numerous articles on the topic every winter (when admissions open and close), without fail, but this obsession only adds to the portrayal of Oxbridge having a mythological ‘other-ness’ to it, leaving applicants believing only super-human prodigies could ever be offered a place.
In reality, this isn’t the case. Contrary to popular belief, Oxbridge students aren’t robots who are programmed to survive without food or sleep, laughter or fun. They’re actually just like you. Which is why you – yes you – could, with the right preparation, become one.
Similarly, other university interviews are not as daunting as they are frequently made out to be, and especially if you are well prepared...
Failure to Prepare…
While I cannot, and do not, promise you acceptance into the university of your choice, I can guarantee that you will feel much more confident and informed about the process, and about what is expected of you, after a preparation session with me. You will leave our discussion with a coherent and tailor-made ‘plan of action’ that will help you better prepare for your interview.
There is no one mythical secret to being accepted into Oxford or Cambridge, or other universities for that matter, but after having worked with multiple university admissions leaders I do have insider knowledge of the process, expectations and requirements, and in my experience there are certain things that university interviewers like to see. Some of them are obvious, others not so much.
How do you stand out when you’re competing against others with similar academic records when there are limited places on the course?
This is just one of the issues we’ll tackle together, because you need to know how to stand out, and you also need to be aware of other important considerations.
As someone who has successfully experienced the process at first-hand from both sites of the fence, I am in a position to help you. And I am happy to advise you and give you the benefit of my knowledge and experience. Moreover, as well as advising you on things which are important, and you need to be aware of, for your part you are also free to ask me as many questions as you like - there’s really no such thing as a silly question when it comes to this. I am here to help you, and my job satisfaction comes from helping you that a place on the course that you are looking for.
One thing I won’t do, however, is rehearse answers with you parrot fashion. Yes, some people do this, and some “advisors” may even try to encourage you down that path, but it's not an effective way of passing interviews. On the contrary, tactics like this can frequently backfire. Admissions leaders know when you’ve pre-prepared an answer, and it doesn’t go down very well. There are better ways of going about things, and again this is something I can advise you on.
Anything else?
It's a bit of an aside, but not insignificant, so I will elaborate a little bit more about me... Importantly, I care and I genuinely want to help people progress with their studies, education and career. In addition to working as a professional writer and career advice I also previously did a lot of work helping college and high school students on a voluntary basis. Additionally, the advice I give you will be genuine, with your best interests at heart, and I am a firm believer in the value honesty, as such I won't give you false promises - just good honest advice from someone with a proven record on both sides of the academic admissions fence.
Rates
If you order a stand-alone interview preparation session, the price is £150 for a one hour session. If, however, you order a personal statement along with your interview preparation session, then the interview preparation service is heavily discounted to just £99. Moreover this discount applies regardless of whichever consultant you choose to write your personal statement.
Ordering
To order your interview preparation service without a personal statement please click the ‘order interview service only’ button below.
To order your interview preparation service alongside your personal statement, saving £50, please just use the links on this website to order the appropriate statement for you, and you will be able to add on the interview preparation service at the discounted rate, as one of the optional extras before checkout.
* Please note that discounts apply when ordering both services together Prices are exclusive of VAT, and VAT is applicable for those customers based in the EU