05. Interviews
So you’ve made it to interview. This part can be a little daunting, but hopefully exciting, too! This post goes through what to expect, how to prepare, and what it’s like on the day.
What to Expect:
At Cambridge, the large majority of applicants will be invited to interview sometime between late November and early January. Luckily, for Architecture, interviews are much more conversational than many other interviews at Cambridge. This means that it is very unlikely that you will be suddenly put on the spot and by the end most applicants have shaken off their nerves and are just having a chat with their interviewer.
You’ll either have one interview or two — with separate interviewers for both. They should each last around 20 minutes. One interview might be based solely on your portfolio, and the other on more general academic interests; or you could have two portfolio interviews. You’ll have at least two interviewers with you in the room, who may or may not specialise in architecture!
Again, it is important to check if your interview will be in person or online as they can feel completely different even if the questions asked are very similar.
Your portfolio interview(s) will very likely take the form of a presentation and discussion of your artwork. Non-portfolio interviews could take many forms, but are likely to be full of interesting, challenging questions. However you answer, your interviews are trying to see how you think, more than what you know.
How to prepare:
There are a number of things that can be helpful to prepare for. The first is to…
Keep reading, listening, watching, looking, visiting, and engaging in art, architecture, space, literature, and everything you’re excited about in architecture. One of the biggest things your interviewers want to see is your passion!
Check out who’s interviewing you! When you get your interview date, look up your panels. There’ll be likely to ask different questions using different language depending on their day job! It’s also helpful to know your interviewers’ names and faces beforehand and knowing a bit about what they are interested in can’t hurt (although do make sure you’re still talking about yourself!).
Re-read your Personal Statement. It’s often a starting point in interviewers, so make sure you really understand what you wrote a couple months ago. Have your opinions changed or developed at all since then? This is a great chance to further discuss what you’re excited about in architecture.
Practice presenting your portfolio. Think about how much time you want to spend with each piece, and be prepared to answer further questions about your work. What’s most important is your ability to succinctly explain your pieces.
On the Day:
Keep calm and know that your interviewers are human too. More than being about what you know, it’s about how you think. Think aloud and explain your thought processes as you go, and if you don’t know something — just say! Your interviewer would much rather put you at the edges of ground you’re familiar with than in areas you know nothing about at all.
You might also be asked to respond to totally new information — you could be presented with an image of a building and asked what you notice in it, or given a quote from an architecture critic or theorist and asked whether you agree with their opinion. In either case, make sure to explain why you find a certain part of the image interesting, or why you agree or disagree.