So I guess as everyone clicked the "submit" button, your heart was like palpitating for the next few days because you are worried and you are also anxiously waiting for that one call/email. You are not alone! Because I happen to be one of them as well. 

And on 6th of July, some of the Polys already started to call their shortlisted candidates via phone or notifying them via email. (As seen from twitter, if you search for DPA/Poly/Shortlist) And definitely if you were one of those who knew about it, you will feel even more anxious because you'll be thinking that oh. ''Did they reject me? Am I not good enough? Why didn't they call me?'' And more hopefuls were called up days later as the dates for interview are nearer and nearer each day, (most polys starting next week) 

As someone who has submitted two choices, I was definitely very worried. In fact ever since I heard the people getting called by TP and such I started panicking and went on twitter to search for those people who got in and hopefully, ask them more. So I came across this guy who was also DPA-ing for Mass Communications in Ngee Ann Poly, and so because of some happenings, I know that today (Friday) was the day that FMS will be notifying the hopefuls of the 2016 Mass Communication Course. And yeah, I wasn't one of them. As far as I know, only 27 out of the 157 who applied got shortlisted. Now, I do not know if there's a second round of shortlisting from the first pool of people, but I think that chances are low since DPA is only for 2.5% intake of the 2016 cohort; even courses like International Business have only just 1 slot for the DPA procedure. 

How did I feel? To be honest,  I felt disappointed. Reason being that I have been in NP for a radio module and the lecturers and staff have commented that I have a good voice, I have the potential etc to do well in the course and also by CNOS4's emcee who's a part time lecturer there as she heard me promoting for challenge two in Cineleisure. And for that module I got an A for it, which was the highest grade and less than 10% of the people who took part in the module as well got it. I thought I should have more chances since I included it in my write up, (After all AEM serves as an extra in your applications to show that you have already achieved something, albeit a small one) 

Then, I felt sad. I cried in fact. I mean, it's been 43 weeks since I waited for this DPA thing to happen, from like September 2014 and I was telling Mr Harry this year in the Ngee Ann open house how much I was looking forward to the DPA in July. Time flies, and now it's July! And yet, the doors shut on me even before I managed to step in. I felt hopeless because I feel that if I were to have a chance to pass this DPA procedure, I will have the extra drive to do even better than what I am doing now and to achieve that perfect 10 or lower for the course. It's like telling you that even before your national exams. you already have a school! In fact in your favourite school and course. But then.. 

I thought for a while.. And I started to change my thoughts and mindset a bit. From a more negative one to a more positive one. 

I thought, what went wrong? My write up? My school? 

For DPA, we are required to submit a min of 1 choice of course and type a 600 character paragraph on why we want to enter the course // our achievements. Now the thing is, I truly feel that we are worth more than that 600 characters. Why let that 600 characters determine who we are and our worth? I understand that, these 600 will be able or it may be sufficient enough to sieve out the ''true potentials'' of the particular course. But has it come to the idea that, not all of them typed it themselves? It may be all written by the teacher (fully written and not edited) and such. So why deny the chances of other people who wants it badly as well just because you are not satisfied with what they wrote? I mean it's not wrong but it's not right. Let's say if a student have difficulties and their teacher steps in for advices and they changed or she edited a bit, then fine, but all? After that write up it will then be the interview. So what makes them think that those who were rejected will not be able to do well in the interview? Now, I understand that the polys are busy and it's impossible to even interview everybody... but then why not? Equal chances.. 

For DSA, there will be auditions held and they will then proceed to shortlist. At least, they gave everyone a chance to prove themselves and not just by that 600 characters write up. While I believe a write up can tell you about a person, meeting and talking to them in reality is even more effective. My schoolmate had a good write up of why she wanted to join Mass Comm but she was also denied of a chance. So what determines a good write up? The amount of achievements one has? The amount of difficult words one used? 

At least, tell us what went wrong. 

To those of you who have gotten a call or email, I congratulate you and wish you all the best!

But for those of you whom are still waiting or are disappointed because you didn't had a call or email, don't worry. It's not the end yet. Teachers always like to say that there's still chances like the JPSAE JAE etc, but then I also hope that none of you will give up and continue to mould the key to that door but this time with extra effort and hard work. Things happen for a reason and we face rejections in life. But that will not let us be weaker instead it will encourage us to be stronger. Remember, we are worth more than that 600 characters. While such procedures do give us the drive to do even better, your future too motivates you. My friend told me that the safest way is still doing well for Os and you have the power to choose. It's kind of late now but it's never too late to wake up and to know what you want and set your targets and aim for it. O's written papers will be starting in 96 more days, it's up to you! Work for it and you'll get something out of it; the power to choose. 

I know it's hard but in life, truly nothing is really easy. When we take our As or Uni's exams we'll look back and say that oh, O's are easy just like how PSLE meant peanuts to us back then. 

Just remember, at one point of time, you tried your very best to impress and to step into that door. But somehow, things didn't go the way you want. You tried. 

"They haven't seen the last of me, they haven't seen the last of you."

I'm happy that I have encouraged most of my friends and classmates to apply for it and I hope that they'll get a call//email. 

All the best everyone!