MARA Interview Review

Assalamualaikum and a very good day everibadi. Yes, it's quite too late to post about this but since I'm still remembering it from A to Z, why not?

I couldn't sleep last night. Obviously because it was the nervousness. I slept at 5am, after the whole guling guling here and there sampai cadar tercabut and stuff.


My interview was at 3pm, Panel 5, Bangi. My house was really close so it took only about 10-15 minutes drive. I text-ed Syalin before she entered the interview room and biasalah, chit chat. When I arrived there, we sat at the cafeteria and met Syalin's mum and dad. Another chit chat. Then it was 2.45pm, so I registered, went upstairs and sat outside the room. I met this girl from Seri Puteri, Amirah. She was really friendly, so we talked about stuff. Then a guy came, God knows where's he from! And nearly 3pm, another 2 girls came, Shazana and I have no idea what's her name, sorry short term memory. Before all 5 of us were there, Amirah and I talked to the pak cik outside our room, guarding our stuff. He asked which course, which country blablabla.

'Okay, boleh masuk.'

I stepped in first, and saw 3 people at the long table, 2 ladies and a gentleman. All Malay, of course. After giving our salams and sitting down, it all began. Cewah.

'On your table, you have a task. There's only 4 pieces of paper, so please share among yourselves. E2 and E3 please share (saya la tu, E3 :D ). Someone, can you kindly read the question?' Amirah stood up and read it, 'There are 8 people on a hot air balloon blablabla. You must save only 4 out of all of them. Choose someone for each person and discuss the pros and cons of the person, on who should be saved and why. After that, come to a conclusion to whom should be saved (something like that).' 
Choices; Tony Fernandes, Dr Zety Akhtar, Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Rozita Che Wan, PM, MARA's president (Ibrahim ahh ops :p) and I don't remember the rest.

Then we could start.

E1: So we each choose one, okay?
E4: Let's see who are the most important people.
E3: Set the priorities straight.
E4: I think it's fair if we vote.
E1: Okaaayyy, how?
E4: We write in on a piece of paper ~
E3: We don't have much time.
Panel: Okay, since we only have five of you, we'll cut it down to 5 people on the balloon. Save only 3. Tony, Zety, Khairul Fahmi, Rozita and Ibrahim.
E3: Okay, let's see who the VVIPs are. Which contributes the most to country.
--discuss--
Panel: Okay, E1 is Khairul Fahmi, E2 Rozita, E3 Zety, E4 Ibrahim, E5 Tony. (Haa, amik kau.)
So we gave the pros and cons of each person. Then we jumped into conclusion WAAAYY too early. Our choices to save were Tony, Zety and Ibrahim.
Panel: You guys are done?
Angguk angguk. Now ppl, that was not suppose to happen. Since when jumped into conclusion too early, the questions from the panel where like bullets! 
Panel: WHY Khairul Fahmi Che Mat shouldn't be saved? He unites Malaysians. He makes Malaysia proud. WHY Zety over him?
So each of us gave our ideas. About how they are other great sportsman other than Khairul Fahmi. Yes, he is super duper brilliant at being a goalkeeper, but what about Lee Chong Wei? He unites Malaysians as well. 
Panel: But Zety has successors. Someone else can replace her. Blablabla
So started the brief debate.


Then came to the Q&A.


Panel: E2, why UK, not other countries? And why architecture? (Then she asked E5)
During this part, maybe the nerves struck the guy or something, but he couldn't speak. Speechless, as he put it. So the interviewers were a little confused. 
Panel: So, since you guys are taking architecture, which building you find unique? Why?

Okay, at this point, I was like, HOOOOOOLD UP! I'm taking QS, NOT architecture. Different stuff. But I said it to myself, not to them.
E4 started with this huge library from Egypt, E1 about the Coliseum, E5 about apa tah, E4 about the one in Dubai and E3 which was myself about... KLCC! Hahahaha okay first thing, I didn't study on buildings and names and stuff. But since I was stuck in the whole I-am-taking-architecture thingy, hentam je lah. But they all nodded so, walaa! Dapat juga kelentong. I wanted to budge in saying I AM NOT TAKING ARCHITECTURE LADIES AND GENTLEMAN but since it was under the same course and code, I just went with it. And Alhamdullilah, they didn't ask when it was built and all. See, use the closest example you can find. Tak payah sampai Rome segala. And act confident eventhough you are shaking inside. 

We asked the Panel some questions, and they didn't answer me :l 
'Why does our course have the 3+2 years in UK? What's that?'
'Did they say in different countries for each of them?'
'No, 2 years in Intec, 3+2 years in UK.'
'Why didn't you ask that before coming here? You're taking that course.'
OKAAAAYYYYY, kena balik. 'That's why I'm asking...' lol nvrmnd.

Then it all ended. Phew. I could have a stroke by the tension in there! Then the panel asked the guy to stay for a while because he didn't seem to be passionate about this MARA thingy. Kesian dia.

So, at the end of the day, I have no idea if I have a chance to get this loan. If I do, Alhamdullilah. If not, my place is somewhere else. For those who has an interview tomorrow or the day after or anytime soon, just don't chicken out or be TOO nervous. It's a fun fun experience and you will have some laughs in there. But my room had a certain tension because of something else kihkih. No worries (Y). Some may look intimidating, but everyone is just the same.

--I accidentally said EFFECTFUL. I was like, what did I just say? 'You mean effective?' LOL Angguk dgn yakin walaupun malu sejuta batu--    

Thank you guys who wished me luck and prayed for me hihi. Merci. 
Special GOOD LUCK to Kina and Zyqa :)
Till next time, adios.