Andreas Kallinos

University College, Biochemistry

I had two interviews; the first was at the college that had originally invited me for interview and the second was at a different college, both taking place on the same day.

I was asked why I had chosen Biochemistry and not Medicine, because in my personal statement I said I wanted to work on the medicinal aspect of biochemistry, but all other questions were subject-orientated: I was asked to identify a few compounds and functional groups from a handout and we discussed their chemistry and purpose in metabolic processes.

I felt very comfortable during the interviews; they were more of a discussion than question-and-answer. The interviewers were friendly and I felt they wanted me to be comfortable while talking. There aren’t necessarily any right or wrong answers: you are essentially answering questions based on what you currently know. Some help and hints are given if you get something wrong and you are always asked to explain the thinking behind your answer.

Living in college makes life easier. The college library is open 24/7 to borrow books or do some work. The same applies to the computer room, where you can type and print out your essays or assignments or do some internet based research if you do not have a personal computer in your room.

The University's departmental libraries offer a greater selection of books, articles or pieces of published work that a student may have access to. Being taught by world-class academics who are currently doing their own research is a very fortunate thing for any student and it helps us to grasp the concepts of our subjects better and perhaps even inspire us for our future careers.