UG admissions interviewing
Will Smith
2014 intake admission
Background (1)
700
600
500
400
Home/EU
Overseas
300
200
100
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
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Recovering numbers after slump from 2002-2006 (-50%)

University target for the department is 115 Home and 11 Overseas

Increased from 88 Home in 2009
Background (3)
The UK model:
1.
Apply via UCAS (5 choices) supplying “predicted
grades”
2.
Interview (some universities)
3.
Receive offers (conditional or unconditional)
4.
Make firm and insurance choice (four possible
states: CF, CI or UF, UI)
5.
August: results and confirmation
6.
Clearing
Background (4)

By interview time, they have already applied
(chosen York as one of five options)

Assuming they perform acceptably at interview,
we want them to put us as first (firm) choice

“Conversion rate” = % that firmly accept our offer
(recently 25-30%)

Two goals at interview:
 Maintain high conversion rate
 Convince remaining 70-75% to pick York

Interview is key part of conversion
Background (5)
Competition is intense. Principle competitors:

Cambridge

Warwick

Bristol

Bath

UCL
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Southampton

Imperial
Background (6)

Our advertised standard offer is AAA at A-level
(including maths) or equivalent

In practice, we take students with lower grades
than this when results are released in August in
order to meet our targets

Government-defined threshold for “quality”
student is ABB – in the present climate, we will
not be rejecting students at this level

Hence, we interview students with lower
predictions than AAA (don’t be surprised to see
BBB – adjust interview accordingly)
Why interview?

Differentiation
 To
help choose among equally good
applicants
 To get additional evidence that could offset
disappointing results in August

Courtship
 To
encourage applicants to attend a visit and
to affiliate more strongly to York

Guidance
 To
review programme choice and confirm it
Advance preparation

Prepare questions and tasks so you have a
choice

Look at the UCAS forms for the day

Sort out the room
 tidy,
appropriately lit, chairs at diagonals if
possible, clock visible to interviewer
 divert
your phone, turn off your computer
screen and silence any beep signals
 if
tools required, make them available
The shape of the visit day

11:15 Interactive information session

12:15 Lunch

12:45 Year in Industry presentation

13.00 Research presentation

13:20 Interview, campus/lab tour

15:30 Finish
Conduct of the interview








Keep to time
Keep smiling
Greet the student, introduce yourself
Check name against interview report sheet
Explain timing and structure of interview
Ask questions, administer tasks
Ask ‘Do you have any questions?’
Keep to time
Interview topics

The interview covers the following areas

Settling-in question about interests or
activities as signalled on UCAS form

Discussion of current studies – use openended questions that allow elaboration

Why York?

Why X, where X is the subject or the
course?

Subject-based question or task
Things to avoid - 1

Don’t ask questions or do things that could
be seen as discriminatory
 No
questions specifically for males or
females
 No
questions about child care
 No
chat about unusual names or dress

Don’t ask about other UCAS choices

Don’t quote from the reference or cite
predicted grades
Things to avoid - 2

Don’t ask about a disability or about special
needs
 If
the student asks you about disability
support, provide any information you can or
refer them to others but make it clear that
the discussion is not a factor in academic
selection


Don’t say anything that implies prejudice
about the type of school the student attends
Don’t do most of the talking yourself
Subject-based questions
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

Sorting / searching are good areas. They
are accessible and can be adapted to suit
the candidate's knowledge and ability.
Choose an interesting and accessible
aspect of your research. Needs prior
thought. Examples

Videophone : reducing required bandwidth.

Mobile robot : what does it need?
If testing specific skills (eg. Maths), again
this needs planning.
Subject-based questions

Don’t assume any detailed specific
knowledge in CS, when asking a technical
problem. Observe reasoning, give help
when needed, are they teachable?

Try to finish on a high note – ask an easier
question, if you have to.

Don’t be afraid to ask a pure maths
question, if the student appears weak in this
area.
Subject-based questions
There is a wiki for sharing interview questions
here:
http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/admit/wiki
Please make use it (and add to it!)
Completing the paperwork

Most interviewees will be made an offer

The written report helps


With the offer letter

With feedback if requested

In August, when near misses are looked at
Remember - students can ask to see the
interview report
Sample written comments
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Although reserved, he came across as the
strongest candidate of the day.
Very clear in discussion of technical topics.
He has programmed a 'countdown' solver.
I am concerned at his lack of computing
background – late interest arising from
open day. Worth the risk.
He does not really understand the meaning
of CS.
Feedback

Over the years at York we’ve had

Praise for
Friendliness… so keep smiling
 Good organisation … so keep to time

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Complaints about
Running late
 Interviews being too tough, too easy, not as
promised, about disability
 Interviewers being lascivious, confused,
rude, prejudiced
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