A Journey Beyond The Logical Mind

Salam to all.

This post is gonna be both informative and boring. It's up to you to make the call.

First, no, my interview is not on the 9th of April 2007. Apparently, my brain takes a while to register that we are now in 2008 and no longer in 2007. Sorry for any inconvenience caused (I bet most of you didn't even notice it, right? Haha!).

Second, Amiirah gave me this VERY VERY USEFUL link last night. It is about a person's experience of the MARA interview. Seriously, after reading that particular post, I felt sooooooooo unprepared, which is the last thing I would ever want to be, knowing that my interview is next Wednesday.. Next Wednesday?????? Waaaaaa! mau pengsan ooo!!! This is the link. Leokid's Interview 101

Third, I want to share what I've got. I stumbled upon this site,Interview-Oxford University Student Union. Useful, it sure is. But it's kinda long and there are some infos that are not directly related to us. That is why, I'm presenting the summary of that gainful article.

(Note: You refers to readers and me)

Okay, let us start from the beginning, shall we? Why are we interviewed in the first place?

The interview process is designed to assess your academic potential, giving the tutors a valuable opportunity to meet you in person, discover how you think and decide whether or not they’d enjoy teaching you over the coming years.

Note that the word used is Academic POTENTIAL. They are not looking for Academic 'High Acheivers' or a 'Know-It-All'. The interviewers are searching for that fiery spirit in you, your deepest interest, your extreme thirst for knowledge, and your willingness to study both hard and smart. They wanted to see whether or not, money is well spent on you.

Although you might think that your past exam results would somehow influence their judgement (let us say that your result is just barely above average), I believe that if you are given an interview, that means they have seen the potential in you. The interview is just to prove whether they are right or wrong. And of course, if you wanted to get that scholarship so badly (like in my case), you will definitely have to PROVE THAT THEY ARE RIGHT! My views is supported by this statement.

Oxford tutors want students who display enthusiasm for their subject, along with a natural flair and ability. They’re not looking for applicants with an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the textbooks they’ve read, nor people who won’t be any fun to teach.

See?

Moving on to how to prepare for the Interview.

One of the best ways to prepare for an interview, and demonstrate an interest in your subject, is to read widely from lots of sources.

There you have it. The key word here is Interest. Once you have it, you would do everything for it. A doctor-wannabe, I am ultimately psyched when I am watching a medical television program (eg. ER, House MD, 3lb), reading articles on common diseases (provided that the article is not too boring), and when I am on my way to see a doctor. But interest alone is not enough. Yes, I watch almost all episodes of House Season 3, but still, it would be rather useless if I didn't take some time to do a little bit of research about the illness highlighted, right? You get what I'm saying? (This is extremely a no-no phrase during an interview)

This is especially important if you are applying for a course not normally studied at school or college so that you can show a little bit of background knowledge (you won’t be expected to have a detailed understanding of specific or technical topics). It’s good practice to take a critical view of the ideas and arguments you encounter, not just when reading, but also in school, college and the media.

Before we all go for the Interview, it would be neccessary to practice first.

This gives you some experience in talking about yourself and your work, and constructing arguments in an unfamiliar setting. Good people to ask include a teacher or someone else familiar with your subject, but preferably not someone with whom you’re very friendly.

It would be valuable if we could get the feedback from others so that we could improve our performance during the real thing. Ask them to be frank and sincere with their comments, although it will be a good idea for them not to use harsh words as it could kill that little confidence we have.. And pretend like you don't know each other... If you're alone, you can always practice with your reflection in the mirror..

One thing to keep in mind is:

If you submitted any written work as part of your application, re-read it, thinking about how you could expand upon what you wrote. Look over your personal statement again. Both of these may be discussed in your interviews, and you’ll do a lot better if you can remember what you originally said.

The interviewers would find that you're not serious with your application should you give a totally different answer during the interview right?

Finally, think about obvious questions that are often asked at the beginning of an interview to help you settle, and how you might answer them.

The question that they will DEFINITELY ask includes:

1. Tell us about yourself.
2. Why MARA and not JPA?
3. Why medic and not biotech?
4. Why Ireland and not Australia?
5. Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
6. How would you contribute to MARA?
7. Are you single? (soalan ini selalu ditanya Ucop di Group GPSM dan saya yakin seyakin yakinnya soalan ini takkan ditanya~)

Tick, tock, tick, tock and the interview is nearing. What to wear????

You don’t need to wear smart clothes to interview, and there’s no advantage to wearing a suit. The best clothes are ones you feel comfortable in – after all, you’re being judged on your mind, not your fashion sense!

I couldn't agree more. Comfort is what makes you feel good with yourself. If that new baju kurung makes you feel itchy here and there, no matter how good it looks, throw it away (not literally of course!). The same goes for shoes. If that Crocodile high heels that you just bought makes you unstable (With a high possibility to make you fall flat on your face), don't wear it. Simplicity is THE concept to adhere to. Keep your tudung styles simple and neat, no need to lilit lilit your tudung~~ It is not advisable to try something that you're not familiar with, no matter how tempting it seems.

It's normal to feel nervous, cuak, gabra and other words similar to those three. I mean, we're humans right? What makes us human, if not our emotions? The key is to be prepared, mentally, physically, and of course Spiritually.It's easier said than done, I know. To make it less stressful, try:

1. To make a trip to your place of interview, so that you can plan which route to take, take note of any landmark so that you're not lost on that fateful day, know the nearest restaurant for you to eat (because I guess all of us might not have the appetite to eat before the Interview right? At least, I didn't, on the day the SPM result is announced, haha~ And after that, I am as hungry as a wolf. Thank Allah, Fitri, Kay Ay and Skud are excellent chefs~)
2. Know what to wear and do a full dress rehearsal. Don't forget to iron them.
3. Keep rehearsing your answers (provided that you have done your research and all). Make sure that your points are not contradicting each other.
4. Take deep breaths.
5. Solat hajat. NEVER underestimate the power of prayers!
6. Call a friend, have a chat to ease the tense.
7. Be nice to your parents.

Jeng,jeng,jeng! The interview is today! Waaaaaaaaa!

Tutors will want you to be yourself and demonstrate your skills and abilities during the interview.

If that is what they want, let's show them what we've got! Yeah!! Zikir 'Ya Jabbar' as much as you can, InsyaAllah, it will help to ease the Interview.

They’re not trying to trick you or catch you out, but rather to see if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your course (this is largely for your own good, as three years of hard work on a course you don't enjoy can be a miserable experience).

That's a total relief right? To know that they are not there to eat us or doing something much worse. Haha~

They’ll ask you questions about your subject and questions that will help them assess you as a candidate.

Remember, they want to prove whether they are right or wrong in seeing the potential in you earlier in the episode. Let us all show that we DO have THE POTENTIAL, alright?

In science subjects, you could be asked factual questions. The tutors will tend to want to stretch your knowledge, and may focus on topics of which you have no experience to see how you respond to new ideas.

SOALAN MAUT!! What to do?? I suggest you read the post by Leokid, to get an idea of how to tackle deathly questions. I'm sooooo impressed by the way he did that!

You probably won’t know the answer to everything you’re asked. If your mind draws a blank, allow the tutors to guide you if necessary.

It could be that you didn't understand the question or whatever, it's okay to ask the interviewer to repeat it. Be POLITE. (Note to self!)

There are rarely simple 'right' or 'wrong' answers; instead the questions are designed to encourage you to think for yourself and develop an argument.

See? They want you to ARGUE with them! Argueing can be fun, but again, be POLITE in stating your views. Keep in mind that your manners are being scrutinized every single second. If they don't like you, you're in trouble~

Remember to be yourself and ask for help if you need it.

Key word: Be Yourself. Be polite at all times, especially when asking for their assistance. NEVER say 'Haaaa??'. Say, 'I beg your pardon' instead. (Note to self, lol!)

The tutors are assessing your ability to learn in an Oxford environment. Teaching in Oxford is centred around small classes and tutorials, and tutors will want to make sure you respond effectively to this style of learning.

The key word is respond effectively. Effectively doesn't mean quickly. Take your time to figure out the best and unique answer, but don't take too long~ Make each answer show your good qualities, but be careful not to exaggerate.

Clarity, along with concise and relevant arguments, is all-important in these situations, as is listening carefully to tutors’ questions.

Make sure that your voice is just nice, not too soft and not to loud. Don't let your nervousness make you speak faster or slower than usual. Just, be yourself! A person once said 'If you are not being yourself, then who would?'.

Tutors are looking to see whether you can explain what you do know, and whether you can work your way through new problems or argue your position.

Be firm with your stand. The interviewers are DEFINITELY trying to belittle your judgement. Whatever it is, don't bow to them!! Be mentally prepared to be bombarded with various tactics to make you question your own judgement. They have a reason for doing it. They wanted to see how you can hold on to your beliefs, with all these pressure pressing hard on you. It is a way to simulate how you would have reacted in a similar situation when you go overseas. They want to send students who are mentally strong, able to fight negative influences and able to stand up to values they believe in. Eg. Islamic values.

Tutors may be interested in how you currently balance your studies and other activities.

Be different in stating your answer. Focus on your strength and find ways to manipulate your weakness into your strength. Sometimes, even if you just did a small part in something, the unique and engaging way of you explaining your involvement will make it look like something big. Trust me.

Blue: refers to the article.

Black: It's me talking to myself.

Keywords:

• Be Prepared.
• Be Early.
• Be Polite.
• Be Yourself. (note that Be Polite is above Be Yourself.)
• Believe in Yourself.

I think that is all for now. FYI, I've been doing this since 8.30 in the morning and now its nearing 1.20.. (But I stopped once in a while to check on Friendster.. They're having this competition.. The person with the highest post count will win~ Whateverla!)

Note: D.O.A. = Dead On Arrival.