Here at Zero Gravity, we believe in the power of tech, which is why we have a cutting-edge AI Coach integrated into our platform, which can answer all of your burning questions! Today, we're covering off how to prepare for a university interview.
Tips for interviews - especially for those of you preparing for the more elusive interview processes such as Oxbridge interviews - are surprisingly hard to come by. Sometimes, "just be yourself" isn't going to cut it! Especially when you consider that many people preparing for an interview are paying for mock interview practices, having one-to-one interview sessions with teachers, or have university-educated parents to help coach them through it. Here at Zero Gravity, we're on a mission to level the academic playing field, by actually telling you what you need to know.
This week, we asked our favourite bot: How do I prepare for a university interview? Here’s what AI Coach said:
Do some serious snooping on the uni you're eyeing up: What programs do they offer? What’s the campus vibe? Show your interviewers that you're all about their culture, values, and the amazing stuff they've been up to.
Revisit your application: Blow off the dust on your application by refreshing your memory on your fab personal statement, your accompanying essays, and all the extracurricular activities you mentioned. Get ready to be quizzed on all of your experiences and achievements - especially if you mentioned any texts that you’ve read in there!
Know yourself: Time to dig deep guys! Reflect on your strengths, goals, and what makes you tick. Connect the dots between your background and your passions - and how they align with the uni's vibe. Time to prove why you're the perfect fit for them.
Google like there’s no tomorrow: Look up common interview questions so that you have some killer answers ready to knock their socks off. Think about your academic interests, career goals, leadership skills, and how you've handled challenges. Be real, be you!
Qs for days: Prep some interesting questions of your own, guys! Ask about specific programs, research opportunities, or anything else that sparks your curiosity. Show them you're engaged and genuinely interested in their world.
Dress to impress: Time to get stylish - Dress to impress, whether it's in-person or online. Let them know you mean business. Plus, it’ll get you into the zone: look fly = feel confident (so no jammie bottoms even if it’s online and the interviewer won’t see it!)
Rehearse, but keep it real: Practice makes perfect, but don't go all robotic. Do mock interviews with your squad, fam, and get their feedback. Work on your responses, body language, and overall vibe, but don’t stress about memorising a perfect answer. You’ve got this!
Stay in the know: Keep up with the times. Stay updated on current events, especially those related to your field or the uni's focus areas. Being in the loop shows you're in the game and ready to slay. Scrolling through Twitter can count as research in this instance.
Stay chill and be YOU: On the big day, stay calm and be the amazing person that you are! Take deep breaths, stay positive, and let your personality shine. Speak your truth, and own that interview!
Aw, thank-you AI Coach - even we’re feeling inspired now!
If you're after more tips on how to crush your university interview, make sure you head into the Zero Gravity platform to ask our student community. With over 15,000+ of the brightest minds in the country on Zero Gravity, there's always someone to give you to exact advice you need to get your foot through the door. If you're a school member, you can also sign up to receive mentoring from a student currently at your dream university, who can give you - for free - the tailored one-to-one support that so many people pay for. We also have Goals - content-based modules designed to help you tackle specific ambitions - like killing your interview.
Want to ask our lovely bot something? Send us a message on socials, or log into the platform to ask it yourself by clicking here. We’ll be feeding our AI Coach a new question next week, so watch this space.
New to Zero Gravity? Find out what we're about all about below:
We make opportunity match talent.
The UK has one of the worst rates of social mobility in Europe. Zero Gravity is changing that through the power of tech, with millions in funding from visionary investors.
Our platform is a lifeline, connecting untapped talent in low-opportunity areas to a world of possibilities. Zero Gravity is packed with features designed to take talent to the top – from mentoring, masterclasses, internships and scholarships to personalised career opportunities. Our members get totally free access to a digital community of over 15,000 students, all working together to make their ambitions real.
We exist for those who were told that reaching the top was unthinkable. That Oxford was out of the question. That Imperial was impossible, that the best careers weren’t for people ‘like them’ in places ‘like this’. But refused to believe it inside.
At Zero Gravity, we get out of bed to unlock the ambition of our thousands of members. Our platform ensures opportunities aren’t the reserve of a privileged few, but are instead supercharged across the UK.
Our impact? We double the chances of securing top university offers and career paths, having already enhanced lifetime earnings by £270m. Launched in 2020, we're the first tech startup in the world that is developing technology to identify top talent from low-opportunity areas and incubate it, so talented people everywhere can reach their full potential. We've already powered 8000+ students into Russell Group university offers and are set to power thousands more into top graduate careers, driving change at global companies. We are also home to one of the largest scholarship funds in the UK, having deployed over £850k in scholarships to students from low-opportunity areas. By 2025, we aim to create a £1bn uplift - creating impact that's good for individuals, businesses and society.
Zero Gravity is more than a platform. It's a value-driven movement, powering people to tackle the UK's biggest challenges.
[Last Reviewed by Sophie P. on 9/04/24]
