Hello all! I am finally back with a new post! I have seen some of you struggling on your write ups via twitter and I am sure this blog post can rather give you some of you tips! Other than that, I would like to share with you what DPA is like, and what are some of the things you should expect this year!

Some background story of me if this is your first time reading my blog - I am a Year 1 student currently in Ngee Ann Polytechnic majoring in Mass Communications! I got in the school via DPA in August last year.

Last year at this time trust me I was frantically searching all about MASS COMM DPA NP etc.

Here are some blog posts for you to know more about my journey!

1. 600?
2. DPA, again
3. Direct Poly Admission & it's surprises
4. O's Results and thoughts

This year MOE has announced that both DPA and JPSAE (which is like dpa but happens AFTER you receive your O level results) will be folded into ONE exercise called "Early Admissions Exercise" which will take place during the usual DPA period.

So, please do not think that after your results you can still JPSAE to the school of your choice! It's either now, or never.

• Write about accomplishments that are RELEVANT to the course. For e.g. - winning top 10 for sports day isn't relevant to the course of arts. So there is a no need for you to mention it at all. Instead, if you have taken part in some art competitions and won prizes; go ahead and mention! 
• Show your aptitude by mentioning the AEMs you have attended (best if it's relevant to the course of study/by the institution you're applying) with the grade attained.
• Talk about your CCA if it's related to the course & the achievements. 
• If there is space, mention how can the school help you to achieve your career aspiration.

"I have a strong passion for broadcast media and I love to talk, I feel that I am not only very eloquent but the best speaker in school as claimed by my peers and teachers. I have won awards in my competitions such as the YMCA PESA, where I won a bronze honour roll. Also I took part in the radio module AEM last year in NP and I got the highest grade which was A. I think that with my special voice I can definitely contribute to the broadcast media industry in future and NP's MCM is the right place for me to begin this lifelong journey. My passion is what it takes to be and do the best out of me."

I suggest you to not type on the application form itself as there is a timer where the page will auto log out, hence do plan your draft carefully and consult your teachers if you can! Or you can ask me as well via (Like my page then PM me from there :))  Facebook or Ask.fm (I don't have notifications so I'll try to reply ASAP!)





Basically to show what are some of the stuffs that you have done that is related to the course, and more about your results and achievements.

Here are some of the must brings (no matter which course you are applying!!) as part of your portfolio!

Results slips are important, and if you look clearly... I had 2 F9s when I went for the interview, so please do not think that you're not worthy enough to apply for EAE! 


CCA records to show what are the activities that you have been involved, if your CCA grade is a D7 or E8 I do suggest that you don't bring if you feel that it may affect the impression of you towards the lecturers who interviews you.


AEM Certificates if any! Do bring along to show that you have indeed completed a relevant module that's related to the course. Trust me, this cert aids you A LOT!


If you have already taken your O Level Mother Tongue Examination earlier last year as you are taking Higher Mother Tongue, do bring along the certificate as well to show that you have already took one subject and you're more driven to do even better in your subsequent papers!


Testimonials are important as the lecturer can briefly read through what does the teacher think of you! I had 3 because I was kinda "kiasu". Testimonials from form teacher and CCA teacher is highly recommended!


Any school awards that proves your character!


These certificates will showcase the competitions that you have joined, especially if it's related to the course in a way or another.


Now that I have gone through the basic things to bring, I will now show you what else I brought since I was going for MCM's interview. 

So what do I mean by relevant information? I actually took part in an audition to be 987's be the one but failed (which I believe is due to my age :p) but I did well during the audition and got in round 2 and had comments from Kimberly and Gerald that they both liked my voice a lot. So since MCM does radio production etc and they were also involved in the audition, I decided to include to show them that hey! I am passionate about broadcast media and so I joined to prove myself.

That instagram post was really, crazy. I showed them how much I wanted to be part of DPA//MCM. That post was posted right after my test during AEM (which I done well) and it's sort of like a testimony//evidence of my goal. If you look closely, one of my lecturer actually commented as well and yeap, I am here!


I have been blogging for a long time and since in MCM we also learn about marketing and reviewing I decided to show some of the ads and reviews I did. I included my most viewed post which was the Owndays post as well with it's statistics printed on top.


As dumb as I could be, I only started having adsense (after rounds of application and missing letters from google) on May 2015! Which explained why were my earnings lesser as compared to today.
By showing them my adsense earnings I can say that readers to click on ads on my blog that allows me to do what I like while making money.


I joined the competition CNOS last year, since it was related to social media I decided to include it as well, after all "mcm".

And I mentioned about the opportunities I had for e.g. being emcee for a while to promote my stuffs and getting good comments from Soo Wei who is also a part time lecturer in NP MCM. Xiaxue, prominent blogger also commented that she liked my confidence a lot! *fangirls*


Lastly, I actually included a viral video which I did. I decided to private it as it was getting too much attention and I had people adding me on facebook/messaging me etc. so yeah! However, since youtube is sort of related to MCM as well, might as well?


Yup, so those are the things that I included in my portfolio! Don't worry if you do not have many stuffs to show because quantity isn't everything!

• Do not be late! (Being late gives the interviewers a bad impression of yourself)
• Do NOT wear too revealing/inappropriate attire. Such as high slit skirts and low v tops. Or even jeans, shorts. The best attire? School uniform! 

17 of us in total! We were all from different faculties and courses. Good to also build your network, you never know when you need help!


Taken during day 2 with our CULs. They were the most amazing seniors ever, they bought huge dominos pizzas for us, we had heart to heart talk sessions where more stories about polytechnic life was told. Well, what happens in loft stays in the loft!


Other than my orientation group mates, I also met lovely girls who stayed in the same apartment as me! They were from other courses too, so yeap!




 After 8 weeks, it was closed by a memorable overseas trip to Koref Malaysia.. followed by that final moment we all yearned for.


With some of my onederful group mates, my very first group of friends.

After months and days, I finally received my O Level results on 11th January 2016, which was on Monday.

Some of you may not end up in your dream course, but always believe that "Everything Happens For A Reason" and that in time to come, you'll realize that "Hey! I actually like what I'm learning now" 

Wow, I am finally breaking silence to majority of those (for the exception of my close friends) on what happened during that DPA selection process and how did I manage to get in - when I didn't in the first place?

I believe in life, there are things we want to give up on. Relationships, friendships or even studies.

I made a decision, recently.

To give up on Combined Science.

It was really difficult, because I worked hard for this subject in the past couple of years. But then I realized, as I transit to Upper Secondary; things were very different.

I remembered in my first Chemistry lesson, we were given a test. Of atoms, molecules and solutions.

Out of 15, I scored 13, The highest. I didn't study beforehand because it was a surprise test and my chemistry teacher was impressed, for I was absent frequently in class.

As time moved on, in 2014 (Sec 3) I got hospitalized and stuffs, I felt that I wasn't catching up. To be honest, I was those type who could only ''study by themselves''. And so, I read my textbook and wrote notes.

I tried to understand by myself, I thought I could.

In my Mid Year examination, I topped my Physics class by getting 43.5/65 just by doing the physics practice papers in topical form thrice. Once with guidance & answers, twice and thrice just by myself. I did it!

But for chemistry? I failed. I remembered I got 23.5/65.

In my End Of Year examinations, things took a change.

I passed my chemistry with 33.5/65 marks. However, the paper was easy. And my marks for physics dropped because I didn't do enough practice.

In secondary three, I maintained my science results at a B4-C6 grade.

Background information of me, I was faring poorly in primary school for science.

Remember OAS 60 marks MCQ? It was suppose to help you score yet it was the factor that killed me instead. I never passed my MCQ until prelims. But I still failed in the end for overall.

To me, primary school science was rubbish. It was totally different from secondary school science (for the exception of Systems aka Biology in secondary school). I found it harder. Why would you know the results of some random experiment and knew what things to use etc? Damn.

In Secondary School, during Sec 1, I scored an A1 for science. It was easy, for me. First lesson was on laboratory rules and the dos and don'ts. Then things got interesting. I basically never failed science in secondary school until I went upper secondary.

The situation now.

I failed my MYE back then in May, scoring only 24/85 for Chemistry and 42/85 for Physics. Overall, I failed. I got an F9. Shocked? Not really, because I realized I was losing interest in the subject.

Although for MCQ, my physics got a 14/20, my paper pulled me down due to careless mistakes. I didn't practice, that's why.

But even if I passed Physics, I would still fail.

In my class, there's a guy; just call him X who's very good in his Chemistry. And it was really, good. His paper scored 57.5/65 And with MCQ I think it was 70+? He wasn't that good in physics, but even if he failed, he would still secure a B4 at least.

I wasn't in the same situation as him. I didn't had a strong physics foundation neither do I look like I could ever understand chemistry.

Main reasons why I couldn't study Chemistry would be because I am not a maths and science person, something that I have emphasized for the 100th time since I blogged on this blog. And my interest was really low. I preferred Biology but in my school, the combination of Physics/Bio stopped due to lack of teachers and only the NA classes could have. You may ask, what about express? There is, however it's a pure biology subject hence the teacher was assigned to them. Thus, the amount of teachers were limited and the subject combination was stopped in 2014 although the 2013 batch of Sec 4s had a 100% pass in O levels. Also, due to the fact that the teacher's style of teaching didn't suit me. She is a good teacher; don't get me wrong. Especially when in smaller groups and in 1 to 1. But in class I just couldn't understand nor get her.

I got a mixed response from my juniors as well as my cohort friends. Majority of them didn't understood her and relied on themselves, and one of my junior didn't understood her too however he told me he is trying his best to understand. But, at the same time one of my junior was doing really well in pure chemistry and she told me that she's a good teacher.

I realized it's really different for everybody, hence I feel that I am pretty unlucky that I couldn't understand the way she teaches. But still, I could absorb some of the key things taught; yet it wasn't enough for me to score a pass.

My marks for chemistry deteriorated day by day and for prelims; I admit I didn't put in any effort at all to at least read something related to chemistry BUT that was my best in the examination with everything I could ever remember written on the paper. I scored 15/85 for prelims. As for physics, no longer that Rachel who would do lots of practices I ended up scoring 25.5/85. I passed my mcq, though. I finished the physics paper 2 in 15 minutes time. So, I don't expect much as well.

Reason behind why I didn't even  bother to read up on the subject even for prelims was because, I made a decision on the midnight of Chemistry paper day that I would want to ''drop'' combined science.

I am a reader of Regine's (my junior's sister cum my future mcm senior in NP) as I found out her blog while I was researching for Mass Communications and tada! I found her, and she was my junior's sister. She too, dropped her combined science and I read about it about last year, when it was nearing october.

I didn't had this thought at all but eventually, the thoughts of dropping combined science resurfaced in my mind. And on that night, I stared at my chemistry notes and told myself, that I couldn't understand science at all. Is it time to give up?

I thought and I thought. And I eventually came to a decision. However I really never heard anyone; besides Regine who dropped science; hence I became anxious and asked her a lot of questions through my junior and eventually just DM-ing her on twitter to ask her my burning questions regarding the dropping of science. Before that I texted my English Teacher cum FT who was away at that point of time of my decision. However, she said it was impossible to drop science officially; the only way to drop it was that students don't attend the exam at all.

And after discussion, she told me to talk to my science teacher. Being closer to my physics teacher, as she was my FT during sec 2, I confided in her instead of my chemistry teacher although she is also the HOD of science as she has a on and off bad temperament sometimes.

After telling my science teacher, she told me that since I have thought it far and considered possible consequences, she was with my decision and she understood me.

So, here are the main reasons behind my decision.

• Science was not a subject that is required in my L1R4. 

I think we all will experience failure whether is it towards our studies or life at some point of our life, for me it's the former; that is what I'm facing now.

After receiving back my preliminary results, I think I had a slap from majority of the subjects that I am taking. As I observed no improvements or constant results (except HCL).

Not sure if 10 was that unlucky number, but for 4 of the subjects that I took, my usual score dropped by 10 marks.

Subjects that I was good in it, suddenly became a nightmare for me; sort off. And after reflecting and analysing the problem, I figured out why. And I'm pretty glad.

• Maths

I'm not sure if you guys read my previous post, titled "600", if not scroll down and read that first.

Many things happened, and all I want to say is that I am very thankful for everything that happened on me.

This particular week was extremely difficult for me because I had a bad cough and sore throat days before my O levels' english oral on Monday, 17th August. And on monday, I had a high fever of 38.3-38.9 degrees. I know that I would definitely fail to do well in oral if I forced myself to stay, thus I chose to go home, although I know that it means I may risk to have a harder text and spoken interaction questions on Day 5 (wednesday) as compared to the Day 3 slot I was given. However, things went pretty well. But I still had the fever and only recovered yesterday night, and my cough is still present..

But finally, things ended off great, today as I received good news. What happened was really, a miracle but I do not want to explain further yet, just that I want this post to be dedicated to those of you who didn't make it for the DPA, despite getting called up for interview, or you did not even have a chance to go, at all.

To me, it really sucks when I know my close friends didn't make it or to anyone of you out there who didn't make it and you have to see people being really happy about it while feeling really really bad deep inside your heart, am I right? I know how you felt because I felt the same way as you when I heard my friends getting called and I knew that I was rejected earlier.. trust me, no matter how many times you tell yourself, ''Fine, I'll just work hard, I'll do better in my Os to get in'', you still feel really bad inside. The first thing I want to tell you is,