最常见的大学面试问题，你该如何应对呢？
面试，对于很多大学来说，是在同等优秀的申请者中做出决定的很重要的一种手段。但遗憾的是，许多申请者往往在面试的压力下崩溃。要知道，面试成功的关键在于充分的准备。所以我们将为各位学生提供一些具体的指导，希望对大家在面试中的发挥有一些积极的贡献。
Why did you choose this subject?
This is probably one of the most important questions you can be asked during a university interview. The interviewers are looking for people who can demonstrate a genuine interest in the subject they’re applying for, and will want to know that you’ve chosen the subject for the right reasons.
你为什么选择这个科目?
这可能是你在大学面试中可能会被问到的最重要的问题之一。面试官在寻找那些对所申请的科目表现出真正兴趣的人，他们也想知道你是否出于正确的理由选择了这个主题。
What to say？
“Because I enjoy it” – you’re more likely to be committed and to succeed if you genuinely enjoy the subject you’re studying, and you’ll probably also be better at the subject. Someone who’s genuinely interested in the subject will engage more with it, produce better work and contribute more usefully to class discussion.
“Because it fits in perfectly with my career aims” – this shows them that your choice of course is part of a well-considered long-term plan, meaning that you’re more likely to be committed to it.
A related answer might talk about the degree enabling you to achieve certain other things, such as “help change the world” for politics, or “find a cure for cancer” for medicine, and so on. These are exaggerated examples, although there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious and having big aspirations when it comes to your subject!
该说什么？
“因为我喜欢它”——如果你真的喜欢你正在学习的科目，你更有可能全身心投入并取得成功，而且你可能也会在这门科目上做得更好。真正对这个科目感兴趣的人会更多地参与其中，做出更好的作品，并在课堂讨论中做出更有用的贡献。
“因为它完全符合我的职业目标”——这向他们表明，你的选择当然是一个经过深思熟虑的长期计划的一部分，这意味着你更有可能致力于它。
一个相关的回答可能会提到你的学位能让你实现某些其他的事情，比如在政治上是“帮助改变世界”，在医学上是“找到治愈癌症的方法”，等等。这些都是夸张的例子，虽然雄心勃勃，但当涉及到你的科目时，这并没有错！
What not to say？
“Because it had the least number of applicants per place” – admissions tutors aren’t going to be impressed if you’ve chosen their subject because you thought it would be a soft touch or easier to get into.
“Because I’m not likely to get the grades for [more competitive course]” – similar to the implication that their subject is the soft option, it’s going to look equally unimpressive if you say that you’ve chosen a particular subject – perhaps a less popular one – because you didn’t think you’d get the grades for a more competitive subject. What’s more, you should never introduce any negative thoughts about your grades – keep the tone of everything you say positive.
“Because my parents/teachers told me I should” – the admissions tutors will want to know that the motivation for studying the course comes from you, not from external influencers. Someone who is only applying for a particular subject because they’ve been told to is likely to be less motivated to see the course through to its completion.
“Because it will enable me to earn lots of money” – while earning potential can be a powerful motivator, it’s better to use your answer to this question to demonstrate genuine engagement with the subject, rather than focusing on longer-term financial gain.
不该说什么？
“因为它的申请人数最少”——如果你选择了他们的科目，招生老师不会对你印象深刻，因为你认为这是一门更容易成功的科目。
“因为我不太可能获得（更具竞争力的课程）的分数"——类似于暗示他们的主题是最容易的选项。如果你说,你选择了一个特定的科目，也许是不受欢迎，因为你没想到会获得一个更具竞争力的科目的成绩。更重要的是，你永远不要对你的成绩有任何负面的想法，你说的每件事都要保持积极的语气。
“因为我的父母、老师告诉我应该这样做”——招生老师会想知道学习这门课程的动机是来自你，而不是来自外部的影响。因为被告知而申请某一特定科目的人，很可能不太有动力完成这门课程。
“因为它能让我赚很多钱”——虽然赚钱的潜力是一种强大的动力，但最好是用你对这个问题的回答来证明你对这个问题的真正投入，而不是专注于长期的经济收益。
Why did you choose this university？
It’s not just your particular subject that admissions tutors want to see that you’re committed to. They want to know that you have a good reason for choosing their university, because they’d like to know that if they offer you a place, there’s a good chance that you’ll accept it. They also want to know that you’ve done your research, so this question is a good opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the university.
你为什么选择这所学校？
招生官希望看到的不仅仅是你的特定科目。他们想知道，你有充分的理由选择他们的大学，如果他们给你一个很好的机会，你会接受它。他们还想知道你已经做了研究，所以这个问题是一个很好的机会来证明你对大学的了解。
What to say？
“Because the facilities here for my subject are second to none” – this shows that your subject has been at the forefront of your mind when making a sensible choice of university, again demonstrating your level of commitment to it. You can mention specific facilities to show that you’ve read into it thoroughly.
“Because I liked the approach this university takes to my course” – even within the same subject, every university takes a slightly different approach to the way it’s taught and structured. The university question is another good opportunity to show that you’ve really thought about the course and gone to the effort of finding a university whose approach to the subject you agree with. You can even name specific modules that set this university’s course apart from the others offering the same subject.
Along similar lines, you could also mention the university’s great reputation for your subject, or the presence of certain lecturers you feel inspired by (though don’t let this last point dominate your answer; lecturers often move about or go on sabbatical, so even if there’s a particular academic you admire, they may not end up teaching you).
该说什么？
“因为我的学科设施是首屈一指的”——这表明在你选择大学时，你的学科一直处于最前沿，这再次显示了你对所选大学的认可程度。你可以提到具体的设施，以表明你已经彻底了解了它。
“因为我喜欢这所大学对我的课程所采取的教学方法”——即使是在同一学科中，每一所大学在教学和结构上都有些微不同。这个问题是另一个很好的机会，表明你真的认真考虑过这门课程，并努力寻找一所你认可其教学方法的大学。你甚至可以命名特定的模块，将这所大学的课程与其他提供同一学科的课程区分开来。
同样的，你也可以提到这所大学在你的学科上的声誉，或者某些讲师的存在让你受到启发(尽管不要让最后一点主宰你的答案;讲师们经常四处走动或休假，所以即使有一个你欣赏的学者，他们可能最终也不会教你)。
What not to say？
“For the nightlife” – this shows that you’re motivated by the wrong things. University is primarily about studying, not about partying the night away, and answering this question in this way may raise alarm bells, making interviewers question whether you’d be committed to your studies.
“Because it was cheaper than the others I looked at” – even if this was one of your reasons, it’s best not to mention it; although finance is an understandable concern, it’s better to focus your answer on your course.
“I couldn’t decide where else to apply” – this tells the interviewer that you didn’t put much thought into your decision.
不该说什么？
“为了夜生活”——这表明你的动机是错误的。大学的主要目的是学习，而不是彻夜狂欢。用这种方式回答这个问题可能会给面试官敲响警钟，让他们质疑你是否会专心学习。
“因为它比我看的其他学校便宜”——即使这是你的理由之一，但也最好不要提它；尽管考虑财务问题是可以理解的，但最好还是把注意力集中在你的课程上。
“我无法决定还能申请哪里”，这就告诉面试官,你的这个决定并没有经过深思熟虑。
What did you read on the train?
Questions like this – or more simply “what are you reading at the moment?” – are designed to spark discussion. Be prepared to answer questions about whatever you mention here.
你在车上读了什么书?
像这样的问题——或者更简单的“你现在在读什么书?”——旨在激发讨论。准备好回答你在这里提到的任何问题。
What to say？
A seminal work related to your subject, or something more obscure.
For scientists, a reputable publication such as Nature, Scientific American or New Scientist would be acceptable (this shows that you’re keeping abreast of developments in your subjects), providing you can talk about specific articles or discoveries that interested you.
For non-English subjects, you could say a work of fiction if it’s highly relevant and you think they’re likely to have read it – e.g. “Pompeii” by Robert Harris if you’re applying for a Classical Archaeology subject (this would spark discussion of historical accuracy).
该说什么？
与你申请的科目相关的开创性研究，或一些晦涩的作品。
对于科学家来说，像《自然》、《科学美国人》或《新科学家》这样有声望的出版物是可以接受的(这表明你跟上了你的学科的发展)，这样你就可以谈论你感兴趣的特定文章或发现。
对于非英语科目，如果和英语高度相关并且你认为他们可能读过的话，你可以说一部小说。例如，如果你申请的是古典考古学专业，你可以说罗伯特·哈里斯的《庞贝》(这会引发对历史准确性的讨论)。
What not to say？
Anything not subject-related.
Anything you haven’t actually read.
Anything popularist or discredited.
不该说什么？
任何与主题无关的东西。
任何你还没有真正读过的东西。
任何大众化或不可信的东西。
What can you bring to the university?
Avoid humorous or overly self-aggrandising answers here; instead, focus on selling yourself (modestly) to the interviewer and highlighting the key traits that make you a good person to have around. Support what you say with concrete examples of your experience.
你能为大学带来什么?
避免幽默或过度自我夸大的答案；相反，你应该把注意力放在向面试官适度地推销自己，突出你身上的关键品质，让你成为周围人都喜欢的人。用具体的例子来支持你的观点。
What to say？
“As an enthusiastic member of my school debating society, I enjoy academic debate, so I think I’d be able to contribute a lot to class discussions.”
“I’m good at organising things, and keen to get involved with running events for the department.”
“I love giving presentations, especially preparing great handouts, so I think I’d be particularly useful when it comes to group work.”
该说什么？
“作为学校辩论社的一名热心成员，我喜欢学术辩论，所以我觉得自己在课堂讨论中可以做出很多贡献。”
“我擅长组织活动，也热衷于参与部门的活动。”
“我喜欢做演讲，尤其喜欢准备精彩的讲义，所以我觉得在团队合作方面，我有积极的作用。”
What not to say？
“A wicked sense of humour.”
“I’m great at rugby.”
“My hamster.”
不该说什么？
“一种邪恶的幽默感。”
“我很擅长橄榄球。”
“我的仓鼠。”
What are your weaknesses?
The key to an effective answer to this question is to turn the negative angle into something that isn’t really a negative.
你的缺点是什么?
有效回答这个问题的关键是把消极的角度变成真正正面的东西。
What to say？
“I’m a total perfectionist – I sometimes spend too long agonising over work to get it just right.”
“I spend far too much money on books.”
该说什么?
“我是一个十足的完美主义者——有时为了把工作做好，我花了太长时间。”
“我在书上花的钱太多了。”
What not to say？
“I’m really lazy.”
“I take criticism really personally” / “I can be very aggressive if someone questions my opinion.”
“I don’t have any.”
不该说什么？
“我很懒”。
“我把批评当成是针对我自己的”或者“如果有人质疑我的意见，我可能会很有攻击性。”
“我没有任何缺点。”
What work experience have
you done?
Admissions tutors will be interested in the work experience you’ve done, especially if it relates to your course. Even if it doesn’t, though, work experience develops your maturity and gives you transferrable skills.
你有哪些工作经验?
招生官会对你的工作经历感兴趣，尤其是与你课程相关的工作经历。即使没有，工作经验也能让你更加成熟，并赋予你可转换的技能。
What to say？
Subject-specific work experience is ideal; you can then say things like “it taught me that this is definitely the career I want to pursue” or “it gave me an interest in this particular aspect of the course” or “it taught me about the challenges this industry faces”.
“Handling this difficult situation in my part-time job taught me that it’s important to persevere, even when you feel like giving up – something that applies to any situation, but especially academia.”
“I spent the summer working as a personal assistant to a researcher in a research and development lab, which taught me to be very organised. It also gave me a unique insight into how academia can be applied to the real world.”
该说什么?
有特定学科的工作经验是理想的；你可以这样说:“它教会了我这绝对是我想追求的职业”或“它让我对这门课程的某些方面产生了兴趣”或“它教会了我这个行业面临的挑战”。
“在兼职工作中处理这种困难的情况让我明白，坚持很重要，即使你想放弃——这一点适用于任何情况，尤其是学术界。”
“我在一个研发实验室做了一名研究员的私人助理，这让我学会了如何有组织地工作。这也让我对学术界如何应用于现实世界有了独特的见解。”
What not to say？
“I wouldn’t say I learnt anything from it.”
“I worked in a coffee shop and it taught me that I hate customers.”
不该说什么？
“我说不出从中学到了什么。”
“我在咖啡店工作过，这让我知道我讨厌顾客。”
What do you see yourself doing after university?
This question addresses how much you’ve thought about the future, and how your degree fits in with that.
毕业后打算做什么?
这个问题涉及到你对未来有多少想法，以及你的学位如何与之相适应。
What to say？
A career that fits naturally with what you’re studying.
“I’d like to continue the subject to Masters/PhD level and become an academic.”
该说什么?
一个与你所学专业自然契合的职业。
“我想继续攻读硕士、博士学位，成为一名学者。”
What not to say？
“Travelling.”
“Marrying someone rich so I don’t have to work.”
“I haven’t really thought about it.”
不该说什么？
“旅行”。
“嫁给有钱人，这样我就不用工作了。”
“我还没想过这个问题。”
What achievement are you most proud of?
This is another chance to highlight your suitability for and interest in the course, so try to make it subject-relevant if possible.
你最自豪的成就是什么?
这是另一个机会来突出你对该课程的适合性和兴趣，所以如果可能的话，尽量让它与主题相关。
What to say？
“I felt proud to be awarded first place in a poetry competition with a sonnet I wrote about…” (if you’re applying for English)
“I recently won the XXX.”
该说什么?
“我很自豪，因为我写的一首十四行诗获得了诗歌比赛的第一名……”(如果你在申请英语专业)
“我最近赢得了......。”
What not to say？
“Getting a Guinness World Record for having spending the longest time in a bath filled with Baked Beans.”
“Being made Prom Queen at my Year 11 Leavers’ Ball.”
不该说什么？
“在一个装满烤豆的浴缸里泡的时间最长，创下了吉尼斯世界纪录。”
“在我11年级毕业舞会上被选为舞会皇后”
Why should we offer you a place?
Finally, the question every student dreads. Try to keep your answer short and sweet; if this question comes last, it’s probably designed to wrap up the interview.
我们为什么要给你offer？
最后，是每个学生都害怕的问题。尽量让你的回答简洁明了；如果这个问题排在最后，可能就是要结束面试了。
What to say？
This is a good opportunity to recap what you’ve highlighted already – your strengths, career aims, what you can contribute and so on.
At the very end, if you judge that the interviewers would respond well, you could also lighten the tone and end on a note that injects some of your personality, by saying something like “Also, I’m told I bake a good cake!” (with a grin).
该说什么?
这是一个很好的机会来重述你已经强调过的内容——你的长处，职业目标，你能做出什么贡献等等。
在最后，如果你判断面试官的反应会很好，你也可以放松语调，在结尾加入一些你的个性，比如，“还有，我听说我烤的蛋糕很好吃!”(面带微笑笑着说)。
What not to say？
“Because I’m better than all the other applicants” – trashing your fellow applicants is ungracious, and making an unsupported statement like this is unlikely to convince your interviewers.
不该说什么？
“因为我比其他所有的申请者都好。”——贬低其他申请者是不礼貌的，你做出一个没有根据的陈述是不可能说服面试官的。
以上是我们为大家提供的一些参考回答，当然，这只是一些建议，大家可以根据自己的情况做出合适的反应，准备充分，随机应变，祝愿大家在面试中都能给面试官留下好印象，顺利收获OFFER！
