Tips - JPA Interview

Before the interview

1. Prepare smart dress (formal)
2. Prepare documents (e.g IC, interview letter, etc.)
3. Prepare your mental and physical

During interview

1. Check at a information board on the venue of your interview
2. Wait calmly, you may need to reorganize your documents, do it calmly
3. Once you're called to the room, walk confidently
4. Greet the interviewers
5. Sit according to what have been arranged for you
6. There are two parts of interview: Introducing yourself, and topic discussion.
7. For the part I: Introducing yourself, you'll be asked either in Malay or English. If you're asked in Malay, answer in malay and vice versa.
   
8. You would be asked about the country you would like to pursue your studies
9. For this question, please prepare a good reason for it, at least not too , not simply "Australia, because it is near to my country" because I'm sure the interviewer would reply, "Then it is better for you to study in Malaysia.
10. JPA would be extremely happy if you would like to study in Malaysia (cut off budget)
    
11. For part II, you would be given a topic and have to discuss with your group members. It would take approximately 30 - 45 minutes.
12. After given a topic, one person should volunteer to start. If you start the discussion, you'll show you have confidence and have a good leadership.
    
13. However, if you don't have ideas, try to become the second by agreeing, or arguing the statements made by the first person.
14. This would make sure, you would be in the discussion. It is a bit risk if you start late because the topic could be converging or diverging, making you blur.
    
15. If you have to many ideas to talk, don't dominate the group. You'll lose points for doing so because you become so arrogance with the ideas that you have, and become ignorance.
16. But, you'll gain extra point for inviting those who talk only few or didn't talk at all, because you respect others and convince your leadership skills.
17. The most important things about JPA interviews is talk and talk. Don't think too perfect about your words, yet not too nonsense or annoying.
18. Don't talk about political issues, race issues, religious issues and issues that against the constitution of government.
19. After finish, you may leave the room with smiles.

After the interview

1. Go back to your home or outing with your friends
   
2. Prepare for another interview
   
3. Go to http://spmleavers.blogspot.com to check for updates, also share any updates in the shoutbox

All the best!

What is the next step?

#1 Scholarship

Try to search for as many scholarships as you can. There is no harm to apply. During the holiday, explore the internet (appropriate stuffs). We have limitation to give everything, advertise everything in this blog.

#2 Interview tips

We will posting interview tips soon. Please or BUZZ! us if interview is around the corner so that we will not forget. For this moment, if you want to start reading on interview tips, you can click the links below:

INTERVIEW MARA (I)
INTERVIEW MARA (EXPANDED) (II)
INTERVIEW BNM
INTERVIEW PETRONAS/MISC

INTERVIEW JPA
EDU.ILUVISLAM (a subdomain of the famous www.iluvislam.com)
RECOM.ORG (Reborn Community - The WorldWide Malaysian Students Network)

We will update more links later. I will also list out possible people to ask for fast inquiry for specific scholarship. We will find more experts about interview.

#3 English

English is very important. If you don't know what to do during the holiday, I would suggest and recommend all of you to polish up your English because it is essential for your future. You could read more English articles on the internet, news and watch English movies.

#4 Ask questions

If you have any questions on what to do during this long break, scholarships, courses and country (for example, you would like to ask what interesting about Canada?) - ask either in the shoutbox "Leave a message" section or through instant messenger where you can see under "Discuss - Need fast inquiry?" section.

Yayasan TM Scholarship 2009

Please click the image above to enlarge the image for further information on the scholarship offered.

To apply, click here.

Closing date: 22 March 2009.

JPA or MARA?

These sponsors again make people in dilemma. Let me add some statistics and details of both scholarships:

JPA

• For medic, JPA limits sending students to UK, if you try applying medic (not mideast), you might get Poland, India, or Indonesia.
• For engin, JPA sends students to various places including Kolej MARA Banting (KMB) to UK, INTI International University College to US, INTEC UiTM to US or New Zealand, KBU International College to Australia, or Taylor's College to Canada.
• For most of straight A1's Engineering students, they were offered to KMB (UK). However, Canada is a very great country to go too.
• Group style interview: You'll be credited as long as you talk.
• Recommended for those who achieve good result.
  

MARA

• MARA sends more people to UK last year (KMB) for medic
  
• If you don't surpass the qualification in syaratpiln2009, you may go for MARA. There are students who were called for a second time interview for medic mara whom firstly got B3 for Biology. There are still chances when you apply MARA.
• Easier to get.
  
• 2-to-1 interview: Just answer the questions
  

JPA? MARA?

Both of these sponsors often make SPM leavers in dilemma.

Which one is easier to get? Interview? Contract after the graduation?

JPA-

• Open to all Malaysians
• 55% bumiputra, 45% non-bumiputra
• Contract after studies
• Full Scholarship
  
• Strictly to SPM leavers who qualify exactly like in syaratpiln2009

MARA-

• 100% Melayu
• No bounding after studies
• Exchangeable Loan (might exchange to scholarship)

Despite these two sponsors are shown to have similar qualifications, there are few significant differences that differ them in term of probability to get. To author's mind, for those who are really confident are only advised to choose JPA.

SPM Results

Generally, SPM results can be divided up into 3 main levels.
Identify which level are you in?

1st level-

• At this level, all spm leavers qualify to apply both JPA / MARA or even any other scholarships (Bank Negara, Petronas, Sime Darby, etc).
  
• All important subjects as stated in 'syaratpiln2009', they have scored well.

2nd level-

• Merely same like the first level, but at this level, there are one/two significant subjects failed to score well. (Eng-B3, Sejarah-B3, Biology-B3, etc)
• Generalization can be made here that SPM leavers with this level of result are not so bad; they still have pretty large chance to pursue their studies either abroad or local.

3rd level-

• Whereas those SPM leavers who are not in either 1st or 2nd level, they can be placed here.
• Highly recommended - local studies (UPU, Matrix, etc)
  
• For example, (3A, 4A, 5A)

Life goes on regardless of which level you are in now.

Scholarship Links

There are a lot of scholarships (local and overseas) available for SPM leavers to pursue studies. Here are some of the scholarships that you might interest in:

• BNM
• JPA/MARA
• Khazanah
• Petronas
• TM
• Shell
• Sime Darby
• TNB