Uni Interviews......

[sputnik found]

hey,

i got home tonight to find in the post a letter address to me, with Cumbria Uni (http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/) stamp on the front of it... Since i have just send my Ucas appillication form off before xmas, i sort of expected this. lol. Anyway, they would like to see me for a interview two weeks on thrusday.

Now with this beening my first Uni interview ever, i would like some tips and advice from people.. please.

In the letter it does say:

Please prepare your portfolio carefully and selectively to show evidence of your creative, design, and technical ability. You should include, where posible, drawings, ideas sheets and design development, finished work, typography and photograhpy.

You should bring examples of orginial work that you have completed. These might included essay; for historial, Contextual or Critial Studies.

The course i have applied for is BA (Hons) Graphic Design

[shiato storm]

well, sounds like you are doing some sort of art or design degree, yes?
pick your neatest and most thorough work as well as original ideas, and also the ones you like the most. I have no idea how to approach something like this (being a scientist) but if you have done something that has generated considerable praise then there's no harm in showing your prospective uni...in fact probably best if you did!
oh, and just be yourself when the time comes (and don't act all 'swiss tony'..."why do i want to come to this university? well, its like making love to a beautiful woman...")

[Alex]

Prepare, and prepare again! I did 4 interviews, and found them all easy (well, as easy as interviews can be) just because Id sat down with my dad, we thought of every question they might have asked (why do you want to do this course, why at this university, etc) and prepared answers. Then just go over them in a role-play manner loads, you may feel stupid doing it but it really works!

Again, im a medic, so I dont know about art related interviews much, but Id imagine they'd want to talk through your portfolio, sort of "what are you trying to get across here" and other arty questions... but like I say, in an interview, preparation is everything!

Alex

[sputnik found]

cheers all. only 5 more left after this one

[Swafe]

my mate did computer science at oxford, and they asked him all sorts of questions, some not even computer related like, what would happen if there was a hole in the earth with no resistance and air pressure, if i dropped a ball, what would happen to it.

he didnt have a clue so prepare incase, luckily i got offers and no interviews so far

[Alex]

I think there are some questions you can't prepare for, just too random But they will want to know about you as well, your interests etc as well as why you want to do the course. They basically want you to show them that you are a "team player" (such a dad phrase) so anything youve done involving other people, joint projects, team sports etc. Basically, the way to look at interviews is that theyre not a chance for people to sit there and ask you scary questions, but a chance for you to tell people how great you are! Just think of all the positive things you've done and be prepared to talk about them, as well as the standard questions.

The standard "why this course" and "why here" questions are only because they only have a set amount of places for the course, and theres no point in them making you an offer unless you can convince them that you'd take it (even if you wouldnt.)

Well, that was a rather disjointed post, but basically what I was trying to say is that interviewers rarely set out to be mean, and if they are mean its just to see how you cope with stress, so relax. They basically want to know:

Is this person going to fit in on this course (personally rather than academically, they already know you've got the ability from your UCAS form, or they wouldn't have given you an interview).

Is this person going to accept an offer if given one.

Thats my take on the interview process anyway

[shiato storm]

my mate did computer science at oxford, and they asked him all sorts of questions, some not even computer related like, what would happen if there was a hole in the earth with no resistance and air pressure, if i dropped a ball, what would happen to it.

which just proves everybodies' point about oxford being utterly poncy and rediculous...really, wtf?!! snobs.

[Sibu]

my mate did computer science at oxford, and they asked him all sorts of questions, some not even computer related like, what would happen if there was a hole in the earth with no resistance and air pressure, if i dropped a ball, what would happen to it.

he didnt have a clue so prepare incase, luckily i got offers and no interviews so far

It performs SHM (simple harmonic motion ) but then i do physics as part of my course so thats why i know that. I didn't get asked any stupid questions like that for my course... And i'm studying computer science as well

[Swafe]

It performs SHM (simple harmonic motion ) but then i do physics as part of my course so thats why i know that. I didn't get asked any stupid questions like that for my course... And i'm studying computer science as well

so what does it actually do ? i always wondered when they asked, i thought either oscilling about the core forever, or stopping at the core

either way, its not related to computer science at all !

[Auran]

I hate questions like that (the ball and the hole), as I just want to argue about the stupidity of the question, or the detail, such as where is the hole etc. I'm guessing that they want the answer that it oscillates back and forth continuously without ever coming to rest. But hey the centre of the earth is a giant mass of molten rock swirling in eddies, so cutting a hole through it would be interesting.... and besides if the ball was rubber it would melt!!

As for advice, what has been said so far is good, as preparation is key. My brother used to assist with Interviews when he was doing his Phd at Bristol and he gave the following advice to my sister (though she got a job instead and went part time in the end).

1. Prepare and understand anything that you are going to have to present
2. When asked about interests be enthusiastic about them and try to show that you are both a team player and able to work on your own (University is about getting on and learning for youself as well as going to lectures)
3. Read round your subject, be aware of latest advances etc.
4. Remember that they have asked you for an interview so they are interested in you, they are not wasting your time for the hell of it.
5. Smile

The only thing I remember about uni interviews (it was so long ago) was the one at Leeds. I walked into the proffesors office and there was a trombone hung on the wall. I asked him about it and whether he still played (which he did) and then spen the next half an hour discussing brass bands (I used to play in one). He then realised that his time was up and that he hadn't asked me any physics questions. Man was I happy as his specialist field was thermodynamics which I hated!!

[Sibu]

so what does it actually do ? i always wondered when they asked, i thought either oscilling about the core forever, or stopping at the core

either way, its not related to computer science at all !

It oscillates about the core forever, as there is never a loss in energy. Stupid question really. But it's often asked in physics

[Twigman]

if the hole goes all the way through then yes it would.
another commone one:
Interviewer: "Can you think quickly and on your feet?"
Interviewy: "Yes, I think so"
Interviewer: "Demonstrate please"
lol 0wned.

[Cat Woman]

A big tip I was given was to not sit down until they ask you to, it shows politeness.If you can get one, a mock interview helps a lot. Im doing fashion and my portfolio started off with some really interesting work, like textural stuff with lots of detail, then the pages were sorted in to a colour scheme, eg) dont have pages of the same colour one after the other-try to keep pages like: red, blue, green etc. Does that make sense?
Also if you take sketchbooks, make sure you flick through the pages and talk while you do it, they usually wont pick it up and look at it themselves. Try not to let their minds wander! Oh and of course eye contact is a must!!

[Elmo]

if the hole goes all the way through then yes it would.
another commone one:
Interviewer: "Can you think quickly and on your feet?"
Interviewy: "Yes, I think so"
Interviewer: "Demonstrate please"
lol 0wned.

*stands up* ok, i'm thinking...... thinking of... trees.... and wind... and the sun....

on a more related note, i didnt have any interviews, it seems i was quite lucky, i just got 6 offers and chose the one i wanted.

[shiato storm]

no interviews...? hmmm...i'm not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing. any open days?

[Swafe]

at cambridge they asked another of my mates 'do something to make me remember you by'

he grabbed his question paper - got a lighter out his pocket and burnt it to a crisp



i spose you could pull yer kegs down or summat, but u wudnt get in then