Getting through to interview at any university is very exciting and a real achievement, but it can also be pretty daunting. At Barts, the interviews are quite traditional panel interviews. You have two members of staff and a student on the panel. You will be sent an article with your interview notification. At the interview, you will be asked your opinion on and have to discuss at interview. The Barts interview is really friendly and quite relaxed so it shouldn’t be something to worry about. Below are five tips on how to make the most of your interview!
1.Read the article well in advance (but it shouldn’t be your only preparation!)
The article that you are sent before your Barts interview may seem like the most important thing but just because you know they’re going to ask you about it doesn’t mean it’s the only thing they’re going to ask about. So take your time, get to grips with the content but don’t forget to think about other possible questions. Remember, they just want your opinion on the article to see that you’ve thought about it!
2. Know a little bit about the place
Every year at the Barts interview they ask about what you know about the course and why you like it. Barts has a spiral curriculum, so look into that and be ready to answer a few questions on it. They might also ask your opinion on the healthcare demographic of the local area – for example, tuberculosis is an uncommon problem, but common to the area. Also have a think about which clubs and societies you might be interested to join – so take a look at the Student Union website beforehand. I also went to a campus tour before my interview – this allowed me to get a feel for the place before I needed to talk about it.
3. Talk to the other candidates in the waiting room
There is nothing worse than the awkward evasion of eye contact in an interview waiting room. Everyone thinks this is the right thing to do, but just because you are all competing for places doesn’t mean that everyone in that session couldn’t get a place, so be nice! It’s great to chat to other people in the same boat and it feels good to recognise a few of the friendly faces from your interview come September.
4. Make use of current students
Current students are very happy to talk to you – it’s why they signed up to help out! Ask them what life at Barts is like or how their interview was. These are people who have been exactly where you are not too long ago and they made it through, so be reassured by that!
5. Breathe, smile and relax when walking to your interview station
Like I’ve said already, the Barts interview is one of the most relaxed and friendly interviews you will have, so enjoy it. When you sit down at the table, remember they only want to get to know a little bit about you and how you think – it isn’t an interrogation. It’s an opportunity for you to show that you are more than just a well written personal statement and good grades, so take advantage of it!
Words: Ruari McGowan
