Interviewees Guide 2016
Welcome to Christ Church This booklet has been collated by current Christ Church undergraduates to give you advice and guidance over the interview period. We ve tried to pack it full of helpful information based on our own interview experiences, so it is definitely worth reading in advance (a hard copy will be available for you on arrival at Christ Church). The first thing I'd like to say to you all is "don't worry". I know that s easier said than done and however much we try to reassure you I know many of you will. But remember that we ve all been there! The whole experience is both exciting and challenging, and I know some of us would admit that we didn t think our interviews had gone to plan, but the truth is you can t possibly tell. A great piece of advice is to realize that the people interviewing you are professionals and they re really rather good at what they do. The point is to see your academic potential; they ll be able to see through nervousness and confidence alike so try to relax and just be yourself. Undergraduates will be around throughout the interview period, so look out for anyone in a turquoise blue admissions sweat shirt or t-shirt. You ll be able to find us in the Porters Lodge (just inside the gate; an excellent first port of call for pretty much everything) and in the Junior Common Room (JCR). We are here to offer advice and reassurance, and to answer any of your questions, no matter how trivial you think they might be. If at any point you need to contact one of us and can t find anyone, go to the Porters Lodge and ask for an undergraduate helper. Someone will be on call at all times and the Porters will have a mobile number. If this person doesn t pick up, leave a message and you ll be called back ASAP. Christ Church, and Oxford in general, is a wonderful place in which to live and work, so make the most of these few days here. We will be putting on activities in the JCR to give you the chance to meet other people; feel free to drop in and out as you please. Admissions week is always very intense, but we hope you enjoy your first snippet of university life. Good luck!
The JCR You will certainly be seeing a lot of this place. The Junior Common Room (JCR) is where you will find out when and where your interviews will be, so check the boards there early and regularly throughout your stay. Current students and other interviewees will be in there throughout the interview period, so it s also the place to come with any questions, problems or just for a cup of tea. Tea, coffee, juice and biscuits will be served in the JCR throughout the day. There s a TV, pool table and table tennis table and plenty more to help keep your mind off the interviews. The Undergraduates Current students will be around in college to help you with any problems, and make you feel at home. Most subjects will have one or more reps whose names and contact details will be in the JCR, so make a note of these below when you arrive. At some point during your stay, every subject should have a subject tea when you can ask current students about what it s like being at Oxford. Most subjects will aim to do this before the interviews begin. Check the notice boards to find out when and where yours is. The students here have all been through the interview process at some point in the last few years. If you have any kind of problem, please don t hesitate to contact us - we re here to help you! The College The maps are to help you find your way around Christ Church and the University. You may find it helpful to mark on it your room, the JCR, and where your interviews will be. The college is quite large, but once you have learned where all the quadrangles are, it becomes quite easy to navigate. Remember to look around the whole college while you re here; the Cathedral and cloisters are particularly worth visiting, as is the Christ Church Picture Gallery.
Interviews Obviously the main reason for your visit, interviews might seem a very daunting prospect. Most of you will not know what to expect, or may have heard all sorts of stories and rumours about what goes on. While the content and style of interview may vary from one subject to another, in all cases the tutors are interested in your potential, so they aren t out to intimidate or outsmart you. There s no reason to worry about your interviews, and the tutors expect that you may be nervous. The best thing to do is to relax and try and enjoy it. What to wear? Our advice is, again, not to worry. Comfortably smart is probably best. It s definitely not something to lose sleep over. Interviews at other colleges Colleges other than Christ Church may want to interview you as well so you must check the JCR board regularly to find out if you are required elsewhere. If you do see a notice for you, then please take it from the board. This gives you the information you need and tells us you got the message. Please don t worry, being interviewed or not being interviewed elsewhere doesn t mean anything in particular about your chances of getting into Christ Church. It s the University s way of ensuring your chances of getting into Oxford are not affected by your choice of college. If you do have to go to another college for an interview you can either use the map in this booklet, or ask someone to walk you over there if you prefer. If you need directions within a college, the best people to ask are the porters (who are located in the college entrance or lodge ) or welcome panel there. If you will be returning after dark, we recommend that you ask someone to accompany you. If you get lost, give one of the undergraduates a call and we will do our best to find you. Interview Timetable Day Time Room/College Tutor Please do not leave until a notice has gone up in the JCR telling you that you are free to leave.
Entz Entz (Oxford-speak for entertainments ) will be organised for you throughout the interview period. In addition to subject teas, expect film nights, games, and much more. Don t forget to check the boards in the JCR for more information. The City of Oxford Oxford is a beautiful city. The map provided on the next pages will help you to find your way around. Whilst your visit in Oxford is likely to be taken up mostly by the interviews, you will have some spare time during which you can get to know the city that will hopefully become home! The main shopping areas are Cornmarket and the Westgate Centre. For more interesting shops, try Turl Street and the Covered Market. You will also find a multitude of cafés and sandwich shops in the Covered Market and on Broad Street. George and Danver (commonly known as G&D s) is a wonderful ice cream shop situated across the road from college on St. Aldate s. Oxford s museums are world renowned, and include collections of natural history, plants, history of science, art and archaeology (the Ashmolean Museum) and anthropology (the Pitt Rivers Museum). All but the Botanic Garden are free of charge. The University Church of St Mary the Virgin is also worth a look (if for the views of Oxford from the tower alone). Oxford also has two great rivers. The Isis (or Thames) is the larger river, found at the end of Christ Church Meadow. This is where rowing takes place. The Cherwell is the smaller river, which joins the Isis at the Christ Church boat house and runs from the north, down through University Parks to the meadow. This river is where punting takes place, but not at this time of year! Both the Meadow and University Parks are lovely places to go for a walk when you are free from interviews. You are encouraged to make the most of your time in Oxford, but please do make sure that you check the boards regularly, as additional interviews can go up at short notice. Please keep your mobile phone on you at all times, and remember to bring a charger with you!
Food *NOTE* DINNER: Please be in Hall 10 minutes before the stated time for dinner. BREAKFAST & LUNCH: Please be in Hall at some time during the times on the notice below. SPECIAL DIETS: If you have requested a special diet, a dietary requirement card will be handed out with your room key fob. Please take this with you to ALL meals to show to the staff on duty in Hall. Sunday 4 th December: Brunch in Hall: Dinner in Hall: 11.00 to 1.30pm (cafeteria style) 6.20pm and 7.20pm (two sittings) Monday 5 th to Friday 9 th December inclusive: Breakfast in Hall: 8.00 to 9.00am (cafeteria style) Lunch in Hall: 12.30 to 1.30pm (cafeteria style) Dinner in Hall: 6.20pm and 7.20pm (two sittings) Saturday 10 th to Wednesday 14 th December: Breakfast in Hall: 8.00 to 9.00am (cafeteria style) Brunch in Hall (Sunday only): 11.30 to 12.30pm (cafeteria style) Lunch in Hall: 12.30 to 1.30pm (cafeteria style) Dinner in Hall (no dinner on 10th Dec): 7.20pm (one sitting only) Thursday 15 th December Breakfast in Hall: 8.00 to 9.00am (cafeteria style) This is the last meal: please vacate your room during the day and leave by the evening The Nurse and the College Chaplain If you are taken ill during the interview period, please go to the Porters Lodge or give one of the undergraduate helpers a call. The college nurse, Midge Curran, will be available in Killcanon from 9 to 11am on Monday 5 th to Friday 9 th December. After this you would need to visit the college medical practice at 27 Beaumont Street; ask for details at the Lodge. The College Chaplain, Clare Hayns, also has her office in Killcanon. She is another port of call if you are feeling down and don t wish to speak to an Admissions helper. You can reach her on 07801930702.
THE FOLLOWING IS ALL ENTIRELY TRUE Regardless of how often people try to re-assure you, most of you coming to interview will, understandably, be very nervous. Oxford interviews are made all the worse by the large number of rumours spread about them. Allow us to set a few things straight before you arrive. You will be told by the college authorities that interviews are only one of several things taken into account when considering whether to make you an offer - this is the honest truth and a bad interview will not preclude you from being offered a place. Speaking of bad interviews, it is extremely difficult for you to judge how well you have done. It is not the case that an interview which you felt went badly automatically spells the end of your Oxford career. Nor is it the case that if an interview seemed to go well then the tutors did not stretch you because they did not think you would cope with tougher questions. There is a complete mix of people who get offers: some who were quietly confident of success, some who had bad patches in their interviews and some who felt that all of their interviews had gone disastrously. You do not know how the tutors are judging you so try not to worry about what impression you think you created. The undergraduates helping out have no input whatsoever in the admission process, so do not feel concerned about asking for their help. We, and the whole college community, are here to help you feel comfortable. If you want company than we will be there for you to talk to at any point (yes, even at 4am) in the interview period. If you would prefer to stay in your room instead or wander around Oxford then feel particularly at liberty to do so. Do not feel pressured into socialising if you do not want to - these few days are about your doing whatever it is that will enable you to do your best. We do want you to have a good time, and think it is important that you do, but you are here for a serious purpose. The only thing you must do is behave responsibly. If you receive a request for an interview at another college it neither means that Christ Church is seeking to reject you, nor that you did so well at interviews in Christ Church that other colleges are seeking to poach you: colleges look at other colleges candidates for a host of different reasons. Just find out where you need to go, get there on time and do your best! The final rumour to quash concerns the result of the interview. It is not true that envelopes containing offers are full of information and a thin envelope means a rejection. Successful candidates often receive small envelopes with only one sheet of paper in them. Do not try to guess from looking at the envelope: open it quickly and read what it says! BEHAVIOUR AND SECURITY Please bear in mind that your room is someone else s home for much of the year. Please respect it and any possessions that may have been left behind. Alcohol in rooms is strictly prohibited. Whilst the college has a duty of care we are not in loco parentis for you during your stay here. If you go out in the evening, you will be expected to be back by 10.00pm. This is because we have a duty of care to you during the period of your stay here that we must ensure you are safely back in college by a sensible time. Naturally, you are already sensible enough to avoid the risks of latenight drinking, etc. in a busy city (not to mention the probable effects on your performances and chances in your interviews). The fobs which allow you access to College will be disabled a few minutes after 10.00pm each evening. You will appreciate that the Porters, who are responsible for college security, don't know who's an interviewee and who isn't, so PLEASE KEEP THIS BOOKLET, OR A LETTER FROM THE COLLEGE, ON YOUR PERSON AT ALL TIMES. That way, if they decide you look a bit shifty you can prove that you're meant to be here! It may sound a bit over-cautious, but it really is important.