I'm incredibly honoured to have been awarded the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship to pursue Maritime Studies with a Second Major in Business at NTU. In the weeks since the interview, I've spent some time reflecting on what went well and what I could have done better. So, in this post, I'll be sharing three interview questions that I wish I had prepared more thoroughly before walking into that room.

Question 1: What I was involved in outside of school

I kicked off the interview by introducing myself — sharing what I'm passionate about, why I chose this programme, and a volunteer project I was involved in at the time. That naturally sparked the interviewers' interest and led to follow-up questions about the project. I shared the gist of the project — its purpose, why it mattered, and the role I played in it.

Looking back, I think this was one of the most important questions I should've spent more time preparing for, as it was the chance to show who I am beyond academics. From the way the conversation went, it was clear that the interviewers were interested in what I could bring to the university community as a scholar. Talking about life outside of school — whether it's a volunteer project, a competition, or involvement in a student club — helps to paint a fuller picture of who you are and why they should consider you for this scholarship.

If I had a second chance, I would've been more intentional in selecting the project I wanted to highlight. Here's how I think it could've gone better, depending on the type of project I chose to share:

• Completed project: This would've allowed me to share the results, lessons learned, and skills developed. There's more clarity and reflection that can be shared when you have the full story.
• Ongoing project: This was the type of project I shared during the interview, and the interviewers asked where they could find out more about it. Although I didn't have a finished product to present, I realised later that I could've brought along a draft or some visuals to show the progress. That would've helped give them a clearer sense of what I was working on and the impact it was aiming to make.

Question 2: Why I chose this programme (and not another)

Since I studied Law and Management at Polytechnic but chose Maritime Studies — a business degree — as my first choice of programme, one of the questions I was asked was why I didn't want to pursue a Law degree. At the time, I had so many reasons behind my decision that I struggled to organise them properly and ended up sharing whatever came to mind.

Even if you're not coming from a completely different background — for example, a Diploma in Business student applying for a Business degree — there's still a high chance you'll be asked to explain why you chose that particular programme. In my case, I was interviewed by professors from Maritime Studies, so it was only natural that they wanted to know my reasons for choosing this field — whether as someone entering it for the first time or continuing along the same path.

I found that thinking through and structuring my responses beforehand would have been tremendously helpful in keeping me calm and confident during the interview. Here's how I would have approached this question using the Main Point – Explain – Conclude (MEC) structure:

• One reason I didn't choose to pursue a Law degree (if applicable)

While I enjoy studying law, I want to continue challenging myself by working on my weaknesses instead of playing to my strengths (M). This mindset was what initially led me to choose Law and Management in Polytechnic — to overcome my weakness and fear in verbal and written communication in English — a challenge that ultimately served me well (E). I believe that continuing to push myself in this way will help me build a well-rounded skill set, which is essential for my long-term goal of becoming a business owner and leader (C).

• One reason I chose Maritime Studies

I was drawn to Maritime Studies because it offers a holistic view of business through the lens of the maritime industry (M). Before making my decision, I spoke with a senior who was in her third year of the programme to learn more about the curriculum structure, overseas exchange opportunities, internships, and potential career pathways (E). That conversation helped solidify my decision, as I realised that the programme's diverse opportunities align well with my goal of gaining broad exposure to different aspects of business and with my personal growth plan (C).

Question 3: Why I hadn't accepted the admission offer

In my case, NTU’s scholarship interview took place well before I received any updates from NUS and SMU. So at the time of the interview, I hadn't accepted any admission offer yet. Naturally, one of the questions they asked was why I hadn't done so.

Instead of jumping straight into explaining my reason, I began by comparing the strengths of the three universities and shared why NTU best aligned with my goals and interests. Only after that did I explain that a major deciding factor for me was whether I would receive a scholarship, and why that mattered so much to me such that I was still holding off on accepting the offer.

Looking back, the most important takeaway for me is this: be honest about your decision-making process. I was initially worried that placing so much weight on the scholarship might come across negatively. But the interviewers were very understanding. In fact, they reassured me that Maritime Studies students have access to many mid-term scholarships — both from NTU and external organisations — and that many students have successfully received them.

Final thoughts

One of the things that truly stayed with me from the interview was the reassurance that there are many mid-term scholarships available. It reminded me of a decision I made years ago — turning down a course that offered full course fee sponsorship and a monthly allowance, just so I could pursue a course I was genuinely passionate about. That choice turned out to be life-changing, opening doors I never expected and giving me opportunities to grow, learn, and continue searching for my dream.

So if you're confident that a particular programme aligns with your goals — and you've taken the time to think those goals through — be brave enough to go for it, even if it means letting go of a scholarship or other forms of financial support. As the interviewers shared with me, there are plenty of scholarships and resources available during your time at university. From my own experience, when I was pursuing something I was passionate about, I naturally put in more time and effort — and because of that, more opportunities began to open up, like the Temasek Polytechnic Scholarship, the Temasek LEADership Programme, and an overseas study trip to China.

Lastly, this is just my personal experience with the interview. Yours might be different depending on your interviewers and your background — for example, what you studied before university or your involvement in different co-curricular activities. I wish you all the best and hope my sharing helps you feel more prepared!