MADPP Interview Experience

Assalamualaikum and hello guys !

This time I wanna share my experience regarding an interview to join MADPP Program. First of all, I would like to introduce a little bit about MADPP. It's an abbreviation for MARA American Degree Preparatory Program, which is obviously under MARA. In MADPP, students will undertake a few months preparatory in KKTM Ledang, before flying off to USA. MADPP students are free to pursue any field of study within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), except for Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Accountancy, Architecture and Actuarial Science.

So, the story begins like this..

For MADPP Interview, it was held in 3 places, which are KKTM Ledang, somewhere in Sarawak and Pejabat MARA Negeri Sabah. The interview sessions were held in December 2015, while we were waiting nervously for our SPM result haha. Since I am Sabahan, I attended my interview in Sabah, for sure. Surprisingly, there were only two interviewee from Sabah, and we are:-

- Aida Mariah Binti Awang Damit (MRSM Tun Ghafar Baba, a Sabahan, though)
- Muhammad Afiq bin Abdul Wahid (MRSM Tun Mustapha, Tawau) <-- yeah it's ME

Aida did came during the day of interview, but I didn't. WHY?? hahaha. It's because I didn't receive any message or e-mail informing me to go to the interview. I was called only during the exact day of the interview session. WTH!! Haha, anyway I was so lucky since I was offered to attend another interview in the next few days. And of course, I was the only interviewee of the day :(

The interview was divided into 4 session:-

1st Session 

This is an English Test. What ?? Haha. I didn't even expect to have a test, English particularly since I ain't really good in this subject. But yeah, this is a programme to go to the USA, though. Hence it is vivid that they need to know our English knowledge and skill. The test comprises of 140++ questions. It wasn't MCQ, as you might be thinking of. It were just passages with blank spaces, and I were to be crazy since I have no idea on what words should I put to fill the blank spaces. Just to make the sentences complete and sounds nice, I just put certain words notwithstanding the fact that I'd putting myself on the line for my brighter future. Pheww, after an hour, I done, succesfully.

2nd Session  

I drink in some fresh air, allowing the pent-up air to move in-and-out of my body, which might be uncontrollably shivering due to uncertainty. Haha. After a few minutes relaxing myself in the lavatory, I entered the meeting room with hope that I could do better. This time, it was a Business Game (yeah, it might sounds nice since the Khazanah Interview previously had something to do like this). Nevertheless, my jaws opened (literally) knowing that I had to make some products to be sold in MARA Boutique Cafe. And I were just to be given with a bottle of drinking water, straws, paper clip and a rubber band. Ya Rabb, I had no idea on that time, particularly since I'm not a creative yet innovative person. I just hate Arts and anything that requires me to build or create. Pheww. What a mess for me. 10 minutes given were extended to 30 minutes. And I came up with 'stupid ideas' (I could say) since I just created:-

- A couple drinking water (two straws put in a single bottle)
- Lovely Hair Clip (obviously made of the paper clip with some decor)
- Handy Chopstick Case (made up of straws)

Yeah, I admitted my weakness in this task, hence the interviews provoked me a lot. Although I my hands were not doing well, but my mouth and brains were very functional. Thank Allah! Haha. I thought that I did well in presentation, explaining enthusiastically the benefits of my products, in which simply I told them that my products were eco-friendly and some other benefits. However, I didn't highlight on my marketing strategy, but that's a big lesson for me.

3rd Session

Here we are. It was a Group Discussion, initially intended to see who were excellent in working in teams, I thought. But since I was the only interviewee of the day, I had to do by my own. I were given 10 minutes to prepare some points regarding 'The Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Medias'. And TBH the topic was quite easy. I performed well, but the interviewer came up with demanding questions on current issues regarding social media such as:-

- Do you know why China bans Facebook in their country ( I didn't know either China did ban FB haha)
- Do you agree that China has their own social media that can only be used by its citizens?
- In your opinion, why the Malaysia Government set up a policy, requiring companies to have a license to make advertisements through social media?

* and other questions that I didn't remember, badly :(

4th Session

Finally the last session!!! My thigh shivered due to the low temperature in the meeting room. This session, honestly killed me. WHY?? Because this session is everything about current issues and my general knowledge. As a students who studied in boarding school, I didn't really know what had happened in the outside world (even when I'm already homed, since I hate newspaper, TV  news and so on). I didn't blame my school because they did provide newspapers. Certain mind-boggling questions destroyed my day (so hyperbolic! :P) haha, but I would be sharing certain questions that I still remember. Some of the questions were:-

- Do you think the problem of our currency is due to 1MDB issue?
- Explain what is Wasatiyyah.
- Explain what is integrity.
- Lists all Malaysia's Prime Ministers with their titles.
- In your opinion, why Tun Mahathir is called as 'Bapa Kontroversi' , while Datuk Seri Najib is called as 'Bapa 1MDB" ?
- Explain the bauxite issue.

*and obviously other questions that I didn't successfully remember.

In conclusion, I would say MADPP Interview is the hardest interview I've ever attended. It doesn't requires me to show my certificates and co-curricular achievements  (because we didn't apply for this, instead they were the one who chose us). They just tested our skills as we are already academically excellent. They search for well-deserved students, and till now we are still waiting for the interview result.

Thank you.
-