NTU Non-Academic Achievement Interview

[Elijah]

Update: I just called NTU to check; the non-academic achievement admission staff told me that the first batch of results will possibly be sent out next week by mail. Good luck to all.

 

[SG_Oops]

Update: I just called NTU to check; the non-academic achievement admission staff told me that the first batch of results will possibly be sent out next week by mail. Good luck to all.

Hello,

does anyone know if they'll also send out email notifications?

 

[hangoku]

oh so its not out yet aye.
i was thinking i failed the interview.
i'ma cross my fingers and pray hard.

 

[Elijah]

No, they will only reply by post, not by e-mail.

 

[velasco]

btw guys what are your respective courses you applied for?

anyone went for a teaching one?

 

[flabbyblob]

hey guys, need your advice!
this is my third time applying to ntu (just ord-ed), and this is the first time i've managed to secure this interview. funny, was unexpected, because i do not have really outstanding achievements, just listed the community work i've been doing to date, as well as leadership positions in school. nothing national or even representing school level kind.

my grades are b,c,d (old syllabuses), and i applied for mat eng, psychology, sociology and so on. but what i'm really interested in is psychology (have applied for it in all 3 yrs), mat eng was placed first because it's my last chance and i was thinking to secure a place anyhow first with a course that's easier to get in based on the minimum entry grade released based on last year's cohort.

so my qns are,
1) is the interview going to be based on my 1st choice, or just to enter the school?

2)if the interview is based on my 1st choice, should i be frank with them about wanting to go into psychology instead, like what do you think?

3) are they going to ask me qns like what i know about mat eng (because i know nuts about it, but its one of the eng courses which "readable" , (i have no physics background apart from that in sec skl) the maths and physics are only in the first yr, the remaining yrs are about the properties of materials and its application) and why i want study that and stuff, or just regarding my activities?

that's alot of words i've written, but pls tell me your opinions and what you know!
my interview's this sat at 1400hrs.

 

[expert128sg]

hey guys, need your advice!
this is my third time applying to ntu (just ord-ed), and this is the first time i've managed to secure this interview. funny, was unexpected, because i do not have really outstanding achievements, just listed the community work i've been doing to date, as well as leadership positions in school. nothing national or even representing school level kind.

my grades are b,c,d (old syllabuses), and i applied for mat eng, psychology, sociology and so on. but what i'm really interested in is psychology (have applied for it in all 3 yrs), mat eng was placed first because it's my last chance and i was thinking to secure a place anyhow first with a course that's easier to get in based on the minimum entry grade released based on last year's cohort.

so my qns are,
1) is the interview going to be based on my 1st choice, or just to enter the school?

2)if the interview is based on my 1st choice, should i be frank with them about wanting to go into psychology instead, like what do you think?

3) are they going to ask me qns like what i know about mat eng (because i know nuts about it, but its one of the eng courses which "readable" , (i have no physics background apart from that in sec skl) the maths and physics are only in the first yr, the remaining yrs are about the properties of materials and its application) and why i want study that and stuff, or just regarding my activities?

that's alot of words i've written, but pls tell me your opinions and what you know!
my interview's this sat at 1400hrs.

Just in case no one answers you...I try my bez to help ba..(all the below statements are based on my own opinion only...might be right might be wrong, take it with a pinch of salt ba)

Qns: so u wan to go Uni just for the sake of the paper and not interest?

1) Din they tell u that ur interview is based on which choice? and the faculty u gona report to? Based on the faculty you shd be able to guessed which choice of urs offer you the interview mah...

2) Not too sure if it helps mah...cuz if it is mat eng who interviewed you, they will be the lecturers from the faculty, guess they wont be interested to know that your interest doesn't lies with them.

and u dun get the interview for the past years might be due to the fact that u put mat eng as 2nd choice thus they throw u out alr....thus u din rcvd any acceptance letter (i suppose)...

however this year u place them as first, thus they offer u the interview...

3) not too sure about that....from the interview i went, they normally asked:
y u wan to study mat eng (i change it frm my course to mat eng for better understanding)?
y place it as first choice?
did u apply in other uni the same or related course?
ur hobbies?
ur free time wad other things u do other than ur hobbies?

Hope it helps...not too sure if it doesn't hee

 

[hangoku]

so my qns are,
1) is the interview going to be based on my 1st choice, or just to enter the school?

2)if the interview is based on my 1st choice, should i be frank with them about wanting to go into psychology instead, like what do you think?

3) are they going to ask me qns like what i know about mat eng (because i know nuts about it, but its one of the eng courses which "readable" , (i have no physics background apart from that in sec skl) the maths and physics are only in the first yr, the remaining yrs are about the properties of materials and its application) and why i want study that and stuff, or just regarding my activities?

that's alot of words i've written, but pls tell me your opinions and what you know!
my interview's this sat at 1400hrs.

1) yes. it'll be based on your first choice. (they even write what your first choice course is on the attendance sheet)

2)it's honestly up to you to be frank. im in no position to give advice on this.

3)yes they'll ask you qns about mat eng. but more like why did u choose this course, what about it interests you. but more emphasis is placed on your non-academic achievements rather than the course.

hope it helps.

 

[velasco]

how many interviewees will be there on each session?Is it general or based on your courses applied.
I tried googling but noone went for the teaching one. I only applied for that but got called up for an interview this saturday.

I'm so scared man, could it be my results really really bad they need to put me thru this ?
My NAA are not that lavish too, alot of Malay-based achievements , concert bands and I did put alot of skills like photography and NS-related skills.

Must you really have like a really outstanding portfolio to be chosen?

 

[Elijah]

It's based on your first choice, so you'd better be frank. However, the interviewers scheduled for your interview are based on your first choice too, so I think it will be awkward telling your interviewers from X course that you actually want Y course.

According to the admission board, they will try their best to put you in your course of choice, and the admission rate is higher than 1/10, but varies from year to year. Your NAA should reflect your course of choice, and if it doesn't, you would better start thinking about other achievements that are relevant; your objective is to convince your interviewers that your NAA are relevant to your course of choice.

As of all interviews, talk non-stop. Anticipate all their questions and answer them before they are asked.

You MUST brief them on:

Yourself,
Your NAAs,
Why you want the course,
What you have done to show interest in the course - this is where your NAAs should justify your claims,
and any additional things you may want to add.

There will be 3 interviewers, + 1 admin staff.

When you reach the location, attendance will be taken by 2 staff. You will sit and wait for your turn before being brought into your respective interview room by the admin staff. There, you will be introduced to the 3 interviewers - possibly 1 admin officer + 2 profs - and interview will commence.

My best wishes to those who are attending the interview.

 

[flabbyblob]

Thanks Elijah and guys for your advice and add ons, they were really useful in helping me prepare for the interview

I also called the admissions office, what the lady in charge of queries ascertained that the interview is based on the first choice. Once you have been called up for discretionary interview, your grades are not really that important when you are being considered for admission, should you do well in it. If they are unable to put you in your first choice, they will consider you for the next choice and so forth.

She also mentioned something about if you have been called up for this interview, should you not excel in it, you will still be assessed on a different scale compared to those who did not, with both NAA and grades taken into consideration. (This I have no idea they're going to do it, and I'm not entirely sure if what I understand's like this). In any case, I believe that as long as you have been called up for discretionary interview, it must have meant that your NAA were impressive enough to catch their attention, for them to take notice of it. Whether you do well in the interview anot, the NAA should have an impact on your application. At least you had a chance to submit your supporting documents for their purview, compared to thousands of others who were not required too.

Just to share, I'm quite blessed! She told me that I'm actually not going considered for my first choice, mat eng, and instead, psychology's the "first choice" known to the interviewers. Which is really great that I'm no longer in the dilema. Because apparently, my combined sciences do not qualify me for any eng courses in NTU. Hahah.

 

[hangoku]

hey guys!

just to let ya all know
i checked my joint acceptance and got an offer from ntu econs!
and i went thru the discretionary!

good luck ya all!

 

[Elijah]

Wow! Congratulations! Did you mean you checked it through here?

https://jointacceptance.edu.sg/pls/webexe/joint_accept.login

I just checked mine but it said

Error: Invalid Application Number or Identity Card/Foreign Identification/Passport Number or Date of Birth!
For Applicants who have been offered Admission to Undergraduate Courses by NTU, NUS and/or SMU.

Have you received a letter from NTU?

 

[angelaloha]

HEY.

i would like to know if we get in through DA, will we be bound to a CCA? means like we get in through a CCA and must stick with it for 4 yrs? :/

thnx!

 

[Potatoe]

eh no la. this is not JC anymore leh. there is a ridiculous amount of ppl in ntu/nus going to sch without any cca whatsoever. not that i'm encouraging you not to, but for most of them it just isnt a priority. its a different case if you're staying in the hostel.

 

[angelaloha]

oh! thnx for yr reply. but cause i heard friends telling me this is similar to DSA for sec schools and JC. going in through cca so they'll bind u to a cca. that's the only thing i'm worried. :/

 

[Kinniez88]

Hi, if our rp quite far from 10th percentile, do we still have a chance to be called for the interview?

 

[kingfisher1]

For students who applied under the non-academic achievement category, Universities still have a minimum score in mind when they carry out the shortlisting.

The University still want to maintain quality and they want the students who were admitted to be able to graduate. While they will assess based on CCA, Leadership, entrepreneurship, etc., the minimum standard must be there. Although the University is allowed to take in up to 10% under this category, I do not think they go all the way to fill up the quota. For popular programmes, I would imagine that the selection would be more stringent.

 

[kingfisher1]

The bigger and older autonomous Universities take in a certain number of students under discretionary admissions/non-academic achievements. Th eselection process is different and shortlisted candidates under this category are being interviewed.

Do the smaller newer Universities have this category?