Oxford University interview questions.

These are some questions asked to potential students when they're interviewed.



What would you say to these? And yes they're all real examples of questions asked.

Does a snail have a consciousness?

How would you measure the weight of your own head?

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Discuss.

Tell me about a banana.

If I were a grapefruit, would I rather be seedless or non-seedless?

Golf is based on luck. Discuss.

How can reindeer tell the difference between spring and autumn?

What percentage of the world?s water is contained in a cow?

The last one would throw me, reckon I could give fairly decent answers to the rest though.

I'll ask my friend who went there if this is true. He's a riot, I'd love to hear his answers.

Does a snail have a consciousness?

It doesn't matter.


How would you measure the weight of your own head?

I wouldn't.


Writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Discuss.

No it isn't. You can express thoughts, feelings and ideas through writing and people will understand. You may be able to express your thoughts, feelings and ideas about architecture through dance, but no one will have a clue what you are trying to tell them.


Tell me about a banana.

Bananas in general or a particular banana?


If I were a grapefruit, would I rather be seedless or non-seedless?

No, if you were a grapefruit you would be incapable of preference.


Golf is based on luck. Discuss.

Over the short term golf is based on luck. Games can be affected but gusts of wind, animal interference, etc. but over the long term a more skilled golfer will achieve better results because the random events even out.


How can reindeer tell the difference between spring and autumn?

If it has been warm and is now getting cold it's autumn, if it's been cold and is now getting warmer it's spring.


What percentage of the world?s water is contained in a cow?

In one cow or in all cows combined?


So................am I in?

No, a snail is ruled by chemical reactions/environmental stimuli and the need to develop the problem solving ability of a consciousness may have arouse but I doubt it developed.

Relax the muscles in your neck on scales or measure and calculate the BMI of you head using bone density and muscle mass

No, the history of music and it's origin are part of what makes that music what it is..... it is as much a part and influence on history as the people who listened to it

A source of energy nutrition, encased in a external shell.

You wouldn't have any preference, if a grapefruit had preference it would cease to be a grapefruit.

No more than anything in life we believe to require skill

Hormonal changes to outside stimuli, it doesn't so much recognize seasons so much as feel horny and look for a female during mating season or get hungry and look for food

Less than a hundredth of a percent

You can measure the weight of your head, by dunking it in a full bucket of water, and weighing the weight of the displaced water.

no that's size or perimeter

Surely that only works if your head is made entirely of water, or something of the same density. Skin, bone, cavities full of air, etc. will not weigh the same as the amount of water they displace.

https://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/how-much-does-a-human-head-weigh-and-how-do-you-measure-the-mass-and-density-of-a-human-head

https://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,,-24444,00.html


https://www.maybenow.com/How-do-i-measure-the-weight-of-my-head-Thanks.-q7279170

Pete is correct.

All those links base it on an assumption/educated guess as to the density of the materials making up your head being similar to that of water, therefore the method is not accurate.

This was my answer from an Oxford and Cambridge grad. Just thought I'd post from someone who went to those schools and might know.
First of all, these do seem likely to be questions that they would present to a potential candidate at the undergrad admissions review... but at which college I don't know. I do know that not all candidates are presented with such questions.
From what I can suspect, the person or persons circulating this was definitely NOT from Oxford or even Cambridge. The first problem is that both Oxford and Cambridge Universities (my lma matae) are unlike the universities in the USA and the rest of the world. Oxford Uni is a system of colleges. Oxfordians don't say we are from Oxford. We identify ourselves with the college we attend or attended.
There is a whole slew of things in which both Oxford and Cambridge differ from all other uni's around the world. We don't have "normal courses" atypical in "learning universities"
All universities in the world are classified as learning universities except Ox and Cam which are classified as "teaching universities" the only 2 on the planet. I know, it conjures up notions of being elitist... but thats not the point of my answer.
In short, odd or weird questions are asked not to elicit answers. The premise is to allow the candidate to reveal himself or herself though his or her ability to present the person's thinking, analytical and speaking abilities.
If the candidate dwells on trying to provide a "correct" answer to the "question" such as using the scientific approach or engage in elaborate acrobatics of "pragmatic reasoning", all it does is expose his or her "level" of maturation of thought process. This is taken in light of what potential that person may have during the time spent at the uni should he or she become matriculated to become a contributor to benefit civilization at large.
I know this is a rather weak attempt to present a definitive answer. However, if you are keen and want a well rounded answer....it would be much easier if we talk.
He sounds stuffy, but he's from California and a hoot!

I'm still kicking myself for not applying to Oxbridge. I did think about it, but you had to get the UCAS forms in a lot earlier and I did mine at the last minute.

I would have loved answering those questions though, think I could give fairly adequate responses.

Talking of difficulties applying to Oxford, they only let people from Scotland in if they have Advanced Highers, which you can only get after doing a higher then doing another year!

Pretty much every uni outside of Oxbridge lets people in based on Highers but those two decide you need an extra qualification just to get in.

How weird. Seems like they just wanted to make it difficult for those who would be paying a slightly lower tuition fee (I think, is that right?). But then they are rather elitist and difficult anyway.