new year, new me- JADYPM

happy new year everyone! yay for me being 18? well, i don't feel any differences. [except for 18+ movies at the cinema, yay] so, i'm looking forward to a better year. i hope the first year as a school-leaver will be an opening to a great one. i haven't figure out any new resolution besides last year's; losing weight and get straight As [plus having an iPhone]. so, my new year's resolution for this year is to complete last year's resolutions- just like any other year. okay, actually this post is not just for the new year, but i actually wanted to share my experience during my interview the day before yesterday for Japanese Associate Degree program under Yayasan Pendidikan Mara (JADYPM). i really really hope this post will actually help the future batch of 98' or any other batch after this, ye adik adik. so, here it is.

first thing first, you will definitely receive a text message from the people from YPM something like this;

'NUR ADILAH BINTI NORSHAM & 97*************. TAHNIAH ANDA LAYAK UNTUK TEMUDUGA bla bla bla'

then, you will be nervous to the max [trust me].

and, first of all, i dm-ed my ex-senior, Kak Sharina [future Cambridge engineering student] to ask her opinion about engineering and whatnot. well, she did say a little a bit about that line and encouraged me to attend that interview to at least gain some experience. and she told me to ask my other senior who actually studies under that program, bro Idham Syahmi [i didn't know him but after getting his number from KZ, i whatsapp-ed him to ask about the interview and the program. it was very very helpful. thank you, senpai wannabe! hopefully, i'll see you if ada rezeki!]

i also did few researches on this program and read a few reviews on the interview.

about this program [you might want to write this down]

-JAD is a twinning program which offers only two courses- ME (mechanical engineering) and EE (electrical engineering)

-might be the shortest route for you to obtain your engineering degree [only 3+2 years]

-3 years 'diploma' in Malaysia and 2 years in Japan

-first year is called matrix year- tough year though. 90% of Japanese language on the very first sem [you will be treated like kindergarten kids learning ABCs]

-after completing your studies, you can either stay in Japan or fly back to Malaysia to start working or you can apply for scholarship to continue your Masters.

-YOU WILL SOMEHOW LEARN ENGINEERING SUBJECTS FULLY IN JAPANESE

-any dropouts will be penalised! any failure that leads to dropout also will be penalised! [so study hard is a must!]

and this year it's a little bit different because there is no spm-subjects-oriented test before the interview like before [lucky me!] before, there is a test of 20 MCQs consists of physics, addm, chem and english questions and they said it was super hard. but as for this year, there is none. i just have to undergo the interview with the senseis. but i don't know what is like for next year, but just get ready for even some practical addm/ physics questions by the interviewers. plus, this year was based on the trial results, not like few years back, they used the SPM results itself.

and so, before the day, i prepared some script based on the questions i got from the former candidates. here are some questions you should be expecting-

introduce yourself [make sure you brag about yourself but not too much]

why did you choose JAD instead of other programs?

why Japan even when you didn't even study Japanese language before?

why did you choose ME/EE engineering?

how did you know about this program?

have you ever encounter any high-pressure situation before?

who are you in school?

why should we choose you?

tell us about your co-curricular activities at school.

do you know anything about Japan?

what do you know about technology in Japan?

why Japan instead of other countries like Korea, France or Germany?

-they usually ask about the program itself, Japan and engineering. so, if you are really interested, please do your best and show you really are! if you don't, better don't. it worth a try but yeah at least prepare something before you go. in an interview, always say to yourself that they need you not you need them. convince yourself that you'll get it somehow. treat the interviewer like your friends but don't go beyond the limits. if you are paired, give some space for your partner to speak for himself/herself [same goes if you go with three like me, you might want to still brag about yourself but don't be selfish and give chance to others!] if you can enter alone, it will be better!

so you want to know about how they chose us?

1- 300,000 application forms were accepted

2- 700 were called for interviews all over Malaysia

3- 300 will be chosen for an intensive Japanese language class for 5-6 weeks

4- after SPM results are out, only 150 will be chosen to the real program!

so, above all,

if you are selected, do your best, if you want or not, who knows it might be your destiny! right? so, just a simple touch about dressing-

GIRLS

-baju kurung [not too bright, dark colours looks sophisticated and elegant- not too flowery too] OR shirt with pants + blazer

-dull-coloured heels [not more than 2 inches] or flats 

-dull-coloured bags [not too big, not too small] or you can just bring file! it is easier.

-hijab which matches the top not too stylish- a simple one will make you look serious on going for an interview

-pony-tail hair or proper bun

GUYS

-shirt and pants- make sure you get them ironed! [dark colours or white or maybe office-like colours will be just fine]

-shoes- don't forget to polish them!

-bring a proper messenger bag or just don't bring any. same for both, files are the best! don't bring a backpack or a rucksack!

after all, try to look your best, okay?

GOODLUCK!

p/s: thank you to bro Idham Syahmi, amirul azizi, ain nabilah and few others for the help!

p/s/s: "thanks sebab tiba i terbuka pintu hati nak kenal you,"

p/s/s/s: will be continuing my short stories sometime later, sorry

lastly,

"2014 was 'buaya yang tenang jangan disangka tiada air' because it was TERBAIK DARI LANGIT,"

love,

d.