Preparing for a HSPS Interview - Wish I'd Known (Expert Cambridge Application Advice)
Prior to starting my application, I distinctly remember being told by a brother of my friend, who had applied for HSPS the year before, that he had been sent out of the interview after failing to answer the first question (‘Explain this glass of water in regard to HSPS’) in a satisfactory manner.
The interview preparation process is always daunting, because of such horror stories, but also because no one really knows what to expect prior to walking into the actual interview, as every college and admissions tutor is different. However, having been given the fright of my life by the above, here are some of the things I found useful not only in preparing me academically but also in instilling confidence for the interview.
(1) Read –
It seems obvious, but I don’t think anyone really does enough of it before the interview. There is an infinitely broad range of questions that you could get asked, and the more reading you do, the more likely it is you’ll have something to say about all of them. I remember during my interview I was asked about structure and agency, two concepts which I only knew about because I’d read an introductory sociology text even though I had applied only wanting to read Politics and International Relations. I would make sure to read said introductory books for all of the topics within HSPS – The Oxford ‘Very Short Introductions’ are good generally, and for politics, I’d read Wolff’s ‘Introduction to Political Philosophy’, and for sociology, ‘Thinking Sociologically’. Moreover, make sure you’ve read around the areas mentioned in your personal statement – if you talk about Hong Kong Democracy and why that makes you passionate – make sure you’ve read more than the one book you mention on the topic, as otherwise, its difficult to show you’re engaged and passionate about it.
(2) Record yourself answering practice questions –
Look up questions that you could possibly be asked and record yourself answering them. I know it’s cringey to listen to the sound of your own voice – believe me, I hated playing these recordings back – but they were by far the most useful thing I did. These meant that I got good at answering questions in a way that explained my thought process – even if I wasn’t sure of my answer being correct. This is an essential skill – frankly, admissions tutors and professors have been studying the topics you’re talking about for decades and you’re never going to be able to add anything novel to their studies. However, you can show that your thought process is thorough and able to consider the variety of permutations of a question, by structuring your answer correctly and talking about why you think the answer is x.
(3) On this point, think a bit once you’re given the question, even if it’s a question you’ve answered before –
This is useful for two reasons. Firstly, pausing after the question will make you seem more teachable – they want students who are willing to think hard about the implications of each question given, not those who will blurt out the first answer that comes to their head. Secondly, chances are, even if you think you know the answer, using the thinking time will make sure you have a more well-planned, interesting and balanced one.
Say the question is ‘Why is meritocracy good?’ – you might have a variety of answers off the top of your head – its good for society because those at the top will necessarily be the best at what they do, it’s good for the individual because it encourages hard work, but these aren’t organised ideas, and if you think harder, you’ll also achieve more analytical depth. You might decide, after thinking on it for ten seconds, to organise your question in terms of the variety of benefits for society and then the benefits for the individual, followed by questioning if meritocracy is necessarily good, and what meritocracy means in practical terms.
(4) Don’t be afraid to admit you just don’t know –
Admissions tutors are looking for teachable students, and trying to bluff an answer, and worse, insisting that it’s right in the face of criticism is a problem for indicating this. If you don’t know, it’s best to just make it clear that this is a topic you haven’t thought about before. If you have a few general ideas you could suggest in response to the question, just state that you’re not sure this is correct, but you think x, y and z might be related. Admissions tutors will understand that it is not possible to have read every book in the world in preparation for their interview, and the ability to admit that you’re struggling is a valuable skill.
(5) Lastly, don’t worry!
I know this is slightly contradictory, but you’ve got an interview because they think you are good enough to be at Cambridge, and this is your chance to prove that. Don’t shy away from the challenge and think as hard as you can to respond to all of the questions – you will be okay and you will produce an answer. This extends after the interview as well – there’s no point spending an entire month biting your nails because of that one agonizingly long pause after a question when you had no clue what to say – once you’ve done the interview there’s nothing you can do to change the outcome, so just relax and congratulate yourself for all the hard work.
Practice questions:
What is the greatest threat to Free Speech in Britain today?
Is there a trade off between privacy and security?
What is a current affair at the moment that you find particularly indicative of a world issue?
Should elected leaders be limited in the amount of time they can serve in office?
Do you find structure or agency to be more important in capitalist systems?
How would you conduct an anthropological study of your school?
Please feel free to email me or sign up for classes with me if you have any more questions or want more tips – otherwise, good luck! You’ll smash it!
This article was written by Rachel (Cambridge - Human, Political, and Social Sciences).
If you find this content useful, please visit Rachel's profile for further information on applying to Oxbridge. Alternatively, book support now with Rachel, using the form below.
Author: Rachel - Cambridge
BA in Human, Social & Political Sciences
Having experienced both the rigours of the application process as well as having helped several students, formally and informally, with the university application process, I understand what admissions tutors seek in students.
