Thursday 14 August 2008

Failed in Monbukagakusho Selection.. Whats next?

In the previous two months I have received several emails from students applying for the Monbukagakusho scholarship in Jordan. Monbukagakusho is the scholarship gifted by the Japanese government to four or five Jordanian students every year to pursue their studies in Japan. Its the same scholarship that gave me a once in a life time chance of studying in Japan..

Given that being selected is hard due to the large number of application, students were asking for help and guidance about filling their application. I tried to help as much as I could wishing them all the best..

Unfortunately a while later I have received emails from the same students saying they were not selected. Some were mad, some were sad, some felt they were unlucky. Some were asking me if the selection is fair, or if there are other external factors affect the selection..

I couldnt answer by email due to lack of time, so I will answer all of them here.

I would definitely say yes, the selection is fair. There are certain criteria that they look for in your application or during the interview. They first scan your appliction and add the points you deserve on what you have written there, then you do an exam (or two, depends on the regulation that year), then an interview. On my year from 100s of students only 4 were selected and travelled together to Japan.

In your application the advice I can say is be as honest as possible. Do not exaggerate in your feelings toward your major nor toward Japan. Do not write poems, just write whats inside your head. Be direct, say I want the scholarship so I can do 1 2 3 in Japan or after the graduation. Be honest, ofcourse. If you have never learnt Japanese, say so. Describe the main idea of your field and show why its important to continue researching in such an area. One important advice is, stick to the rules and guidelines of the scholarship. Read them once, twice, ten times, until you memorize them and understand them all. Its essential that you submit an application restricted to the guidelines of the embassy.

Whats not to do?
Do not give your application to someone else to write it for you.
Do not exaggerate or lie to show yourself better than your real self.
Do not copy previous applications from people who already got the scholarship.
Do not ask people you know in important positions to help you win the scholarship (wasta!).

So whats next?

I can tell you that if you deserve the scholarship you will get it, at least eventually. Yes, if you fail you can apply again. Do not lose hope. Check your application and choose what you think is your weakest point, and work on improving yourself there. You still have a year to apply again so plenty of time to submit a better application.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great advice!
I think you are really wise and know how to be successful!!
I hope all the students applying for it in Jordan will read this.

Anonymous said...

I did ask u last year about the thing! but did not apply! actually most of the guys are irrational when they apply for Japanese Scholerships! I studied it well and decided that Japan is not the best place to go for (that is for me for sure).

Guys think twice before doing things! I mean do not think that because u used to watch anime, then Japan will be a piece of cake for u and u will enjoy life there!

Anonymous said...

>anonymous said...
>Guys think twice before doing things!

You are apparently Sam-kun, right?

It's always easier to justify yourself for NOT doing things,
but it's not easy to find a reason why you HAVE TO do that.

So, if anyone is thinking of applying for the scholorship,
be honest with yourself,
and find your own reason why you have to do that!

Anonymous said...

first what is sam kun plz?

Second! Your logic is pretty much to say the least stupid! Doing and not doing are actions! So I take it you are still a young girl who have no real life exp!

regardless, what u said at the end is actually what I was trying to tell the guys! try to find a real reason (other than pure dreams) to help u orginize urself so that u can achieve ur goal, but if u do not have a reason then do not go for it. It will be a surprise for u!

Kawachan, if u want to discuss the thing, lets keep it away form this blog site, it is not for debating! instead, drop by my site and comment in any of the posts posted by a guy named Yuri and then we will start it away! the site is jordanmafia.net/blog I will be waiting for it if u want! and plz keep it clean without any troubles!

subzero said...

anonynous san,

While I agree that many try to come to Japan coz they think its the perfect place to live in, after watching one or two anime series, I still think its a better option than many others available.

For me, I think if anyone wants to study abroad, nowadays Japan is the best.

And also for me, I think in 30~40 years, Japan will be what USA is today. The ultimate destination of foreigners to study abroad.

subzero said...

kawachan,

I agree. Ofcourse its always easier Not to do the thing. Its easier NOT to work, its easier NOT to submit the homework and its easier NOT to walk even.

But if I had a choice, regretting that I DID something is much better than regretting that I DID NOT do it. I wouldnt like to live the next 20 years imagining how much life would be if I did it. This applies for any decision not only the scholarship.

Still, I think if anonymous san thought carefully before dismissing the decision of applying for the scholarship, I think he might got the right choice.

Anonymous said...

No doubt that far east is going to be the ult place in the coming years for anything!

and no doubt that Japanese education is one of the best world wide and I can tell u it is better than US education.

Yea! But I am saying that a human being try his best and is requested to do so by Allah, but Allah might want him to go for another place! Because Allah knows more than anyone, and because Allah want us to see that success is his gift! And besides u have been doing gradute studies for almost a year now, you know it is all about commitment and tough working!

and am just trying to tell the guys to be more flexible in facing life!

Hope this settels it down =)

Anonymous said...

I feel like spamming =) I did not apply for the Japanese, but applied and succeded in a different thing!

Anonymous said...

so urayamashii for you:)
I also applied monbukagakusho scholarshiop here in my country Kazakhstan, I passed the test, then I went to interview, donno maybe I didn't enter those happy 4 because in the past I have received Mon. Sc. as an japanese studies students, but anyway from embassy I was told that I still have a chance, becasue they send my documents as additional docs, donno, maybe, but anyway, everything is by the will of Allah
waiting for the phone call from embassy..
oooou reading your blog felt so sad, and happy at the same:)
Many things you wrote look so similiar with my feelings when I first went to Japan:)
And I think spending Ramadan in Japan wasn't so bad, I think it was really interesting to get acquantance with other muslims from all over the world:)
Zhanna