The next step after the administration process is Leaderless Group Discussion and interview. The process usually take 2 days, depends on your luck, some people finish it in 1 day. A day before the said schedule on their timeline, you will receive an email with details about the venue and which group are you in. All participant need to be there at 8 AM, my location was at STAN Student Center, Bintaro. Luckily my aunt lives in Bintaro, so I stayed over at her place which is 10 minutes away from the venue. Without further due, I will tell you about the process
December 2nd
I couldn't sleep the night before, I guess I was nervous. I woke up around 5ish, because we had to be there on 7.30. I left around 6.15, because I didn't want to be late. When I got there, the place is already crowded with hundreds of participant, I found an empty seat next to someone, I didn't really remember his name, we had a short conversation. There are lots of great people there, some of them are younger than me and yet they are on their way to get a PhD. While sitting there, I saw a familiar face, apparently he's my colleague, so I came to say hi. Long story short I met a few new friends, and a girl that apparently sat on the same class with me back in the university (both of us didn't know each other back then).
The process on the first day was long and torturing, some lucky people get to home early because they had their interview early in the morning and LGD right after, some of them had to stay until at the end of the day just for documents verification. You need to bring the original of documents you have uploaded when you submit the application with you (minus the essays).
After a long and exhausting waiting period, finally it was my turn to have LGD. Based on the advice that I saw on other people blog, you shouldn't try to be a leader in this discussion, and try not to be dominant. You have to express your opinion but never ever ever ever tear down other people, because it less likely you will pass this round if you do that. The topic of my discussion was the sexual harassment at school (JIS case). I suggest you to discuss with some people when you're waiting for your LGD turn, as you might pick up something from their knowledge and it could be useful during the group discussion. Here are some of the topics that was discussed that day:
December 2nd
I couldn't sleep the night before, I guess I was nervous. I woke up around 5ish, because we had to be there on 7.30. I left around 6.15, because I didn't want to be late. When I got there, the place is already crowded with hundreds of participant, I found an empty seat next to someone, I didn't really remember his name, we had a short conversation. There are lots of great people there, some of them are younger than me and yet they are on their way to get a PhD. While sitting there, I saw a familiar face, apparently he's my colleague, so I came to say hi. Long story short I met a few new friends, and a girl that apparently sat on the same class with me back in the university (both of us didn't know each other back then).
The process on the first day was long and torturing, some lucky people get to home early because they had their interview early in the morning and LGD right after, some of them had to stay until at the end of the day just for documents verification. You need to bring the original of documents you have uploaded when you submit the application with you (minus the essays).
After a long and exhausting waiting period, finally it was my turn to have LGD. Based on the advice that I saw on other people blog, you shouldn't try to be a leader in this discussion, and try not to be dominant. You have to express your opinion but never ever ever ever tear down other people, because it less likely you will pass this round if you do that. The topic of my discussion was the sexual harassment at school (JIS case). I suggest you to discuss with some people when you're waiting for your LGD turn, as you might pick up something from their knowledge and it could be useful during the group discussion. Here are some of the topics that was discussed that day:
- Sexual harassment (JIS Case)
- Minerba Law (prohibition to export raw mineral)
- Halim Airport as commercial airport
- Food resilience (ketahanan pangan)
There might be some other topics, but those all I know. Before the discussion start, they gave you 10 minutes to read the case, I suggest you to bring pencil and paper so you can write the idea of what need to be discussed, and outline your thought. It's also important to write conclusion, to prove that the discussion reach something. They won't collect your papers, so don't worry if you have a bad handwriting. They will remind you about the time, usually 10 minutes before it ends, you only have 30 minutes to discuss, so make your point brief and clear, and stay in the topic.
Oh other thing about the first day, lesson learned, they only give you breakfast, so bring your own lunch, and water. Because it was hard to find a store, as you need to get out from the STAN Campus to get foods.
I only had my LGD that day, and after that I had to wait for document verification process, which end up like chaos since they no longer call you by name, but you just stand in line since it's already passed their scheduled time.
December 3rd
After the long day yesterday, I could stay in a little bit more on the 2nd day. My interview scheduled to start on 10.55, so I planned to be there around 8.30, to avoid traffic jam and other things that could happen. The 2nd day was way more decent than the first one, the participants is less than the day before, maybe because some of them are already completed their LGD and interview on the first day.
As expected, the interview started later than scheduled, I think mine started around 12ish instead. The interview process was rather short, around 30 minutes, here's how it went (as I remembered). I'll write this one down in Bahasa, so you know where the part it change to English:
I entered the room and met the interviewers, there are 3 of them, 2 male and 1 female, I shook their hands and sat down:
Male 1: Selamat siang
Me: Selamat siang pak
M1: Perkenalkan diri anda, nama, asal universitas, kerja dimana, dan mau kemana?
Me: Nama saya Asri, saya lulus dari F**I jurusan manajemen keuangan, saat ini saya bekerja di I*M Indonesia sebagai staff HRD handling compensation, benefits dan Payroll
M1: Rencana mau kuliah kemana
Me: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
M1: Kenapa?
Me: (this is where the part you bring out the best of the campus you aimed for)
M1: Sudah punya LOA
Me: Sudah (I hand over my LOA to them)
M1: Unconditional?
Me: Iya
Female: Coba ceritain kelebihan and kelemahan kamu
Me: Kelemahan saya adalah saya kurang sabar, namun saya sedang berusaha memperbaiki hal itu, dan menjadi staff HRD sangat melatih kesabaran saya, karena saya harus berurusan dengan karyawan yang frustasi. Kelebihan saya adalah saya pekerja keras dan pantang menyerah, menurut saya nothing is impossible when you try your best and put everything on it, ga ada yang mustahil kalau mau berusaha, segala jenis masalah pasti bisa diselesaikan
F : Ok, can you give example of your strength, you said that you're a hardworker. (this is where they change to English)
Me: Ok, do you want me to explain in Bahasa or in English
F : Up to you, in English if possible
Me: Ok, ....... (I explained my self quite decent in English, I guess hahaha)
F : Ok what do you think is the main problem of the society?
Me: I think the main problem is corporate governance
F : No, I mean the society, people around you, masyarakat sekitar
Me: Ah ok, I think it's education, people think that education is less important, some people choose to work instead of completing their education
F : So you think people that choose to work is bad?
Me: No, I have nothing against people that are working. But sometimes people choose to leave their basic education, for example some of my family member didn't even completed their elementary school, and what happened is their stuck with what they are doing now, and there are not much left room for improvement, that's why I think education is important so you can have a broader range of career.
F : Ok, apa rencana anda setelah lulus? (I don't remember whether she asked in English or Bahasa)
Me: .... (I do remember that I answered in English)
F : Kamu pegawai swasta, ini yang biayain negara lho, apa kontribusi kamu?
Me: (This is where she challenged me, I kinda struggle answering this, trapped in my own answer, after a long debate I said this to them) Ketika saya menjadi pemimpin di perusahaan saya ini saya akan bekerja sama dengan institusi pemerintah, caranya adalah dengan menjaga hubungan baik dengan teman2 LPDP yang saya temui saat ini, tujuan LPDP adalah mencetak pemimpin bangsa, jadi tidak menutup kemungkinan bahwa nantinya saya bisa bekerja sama dengan mereka yang menjadi pemimpin di institusi pemerintah.
F : Ok, kata kamu pendidikan adalah masalah utama, what is your plan for the betterness of education? (she really said betterness, and that's not even a word -_-)
Me: Saya berencana menjadi dosen
F : Dosen? hahaha.. mana bisa kamu pasti sibuk kerja (for some reason they are kinda willing to do anything to bring you down)
Me: Pasti bisa kan ada kelas weekend, dan malam
F : Kalau itu kan kelas eksekutif, kata kamu yang penting pendidikan menengah kebawah?
Me: (damn she got me there -_-) ok, saya tidak memiliki kapasitas untuk mengajar anak2 usia dini, karena expertise saya memang tidak disitu, yang bisa saya lakukan adalah membantu sekolah2 di sisi manajemen, salah satunya sekolah tempat ibu saya mengajar, yang diperuntukan untuk anak2 special needs
F : Siapa saja yang bisa bersekolah disana?
Me: Siapa saja yang mau bersekolah, murid2 disana beragam, dari yang kaya hingga kurang mampu
F: Ok, (asking to her fellow interviewers) ada yg mau ditanyakan lagi? abis ini kita break dulu kali yah
Male 2: Ok, ekspektasi gaji kamu berapa sih ketika lulus?
Me: Mungkin naik sekitar 50% dari yang sekarang
M2: ok, tapi kalau kamu kuliah kan kamu harus start over, saya liat gaji kamu disini kan lumayan, kenapa ga lanjut kerja aja, gajinya kan bisa naik terus, drpd kamu kuliah trus start over
Me: Menurut saya ada hal2 yang lebih penting dari uang, yaitu pendidikan, pengalaman, dan mindset (heh??? I don't even know why I said that.. It kinda sounds silly now that I realize hahaha.. I told them about my AuPair story, to prove that experience is more important than money)
M2: Kamu terlihat punya banyak pengalaman, kenapa ga apply beasiswa lain aja? kan kamu banyak koneksi
Me: (Sir, seriously, I was traveling not working duh!!!) Saya sudah research, beasiswa lain tidak available untuk saya, karena beasiswa tersebut untuk pegawai negeri, dosen, dan BUMN, sedangkan saya adalah pegawai swasta
M2: Kenapa baru sekarang? menurut kamu ga terlambat kamu kuliah sekarang
Me: Tidak ada kata terlambat pak untuk pendidikan, ilmu itu terus berkembang, dan kita harus selalu belajar untuk bisa lebih maju
M2: Ok, dari saya itu saja
F: (asking to M1 & M2, anything else? showed my LOA to M1) yang ini udah ditanya?
M1: Kayanya udah, hmm udah blm yah?
F: Ok, kenapa kamu pilih VU?
Me: ????? (are we going back to the beginning???) Tadi bukannya udah dijawab bu waktu di awal2?
M1: Udah kok udah, dia udah jawab tadi
Me: -____________-
F: Ok, itu saja, terima kasih atas waktunya, selamat siang, dan semoga sukses beasiswanya
Me: Ok bu, pak terima kasih (stood up, shook their hands, and left)
Ok, the conclusion is... I have no idea about that interview, at some point I did ok, but there are some parts where I struggled, so if you asked if I satisfied with how I answered those questions, the answer is no, I could have done better, and think thoroughly before I answered, but things happened very fast, and I couldn't think anymore, so I just answered with the first thing that popped in my mind (not a good example I know)
So, now what I can do is just hope and pray. Ask God to have mercy on me, and leave everything on His hand, if getting this scholarship is His plan for me than be it. I do believe that God has planned the best for me, whatever it is. Before I close this post, there's one verse in the bible that help me through this scholarship process, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer - Matthew 21:22 NIV". This verse was said a couple times in the new testament, and I believe it is for a reason. So believe in whatever you pray for. Remember to do your best and let God take care of the rest
Update: No, I didn't get the scholarship, but it's not the end of my journey. There will be more scholarships available :)
Update: No, I didn't get the scholarship, but it's not the end of my journey. There will be more scholarships available :)