archived from email inbox on 14 June 2025
approx. 150 words
1) EDUCATIONAL GOALS
2) ASPIRATIONS
3) ACHIEVEMENTS AND HONOURS
4) ACADEMIC AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND
5) SPECIAL INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCES
6) ANYTHING ELSE
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My academic history reads like this: 6 years at Raffles Institution, graduating with A Levels in 2010 as well as studying part-time at Institut Al-Zuhri, culminating with a SPU (Sijil Pengajian Ugama) diploma. In school, my extra-curricular activities ranged from leadership positions in MCS (Malay Cultural Society) and as a PSL (Peer Support Leader) for juniors to various self-initiated community projects with groups such as underprivileged children as well as being a part of the school floorball team. Serving NS (National Service) for 2 years as a Corporal in the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) was also an enriching experience that I feel not only helped me mature as a person, but as a Muslim. (97)
It is this desire to figure out How To Be Good that drives my application to study Human Science at IIUM. Despite my secular academic background, I believe that with hard work and Tawakkal, I will be able to cope with the demands of this institution. As an aspiring writer and journalist, I feel that the Islamic grounding studying here aims to provide will serve me in good stead not only to understand but strive to tackle the many ills that plague our global society and Ummah today. (90)
Someone once said that the value of a real education is not only about teaching you how to think, but also what to think about. (25)
I agree. (2)
curator’s comments
- I remember that including six sections into 150 words was the hardest part about writing this – hence the word counts at the end of each paragraph as a personal act of resistance/pride? Although I might not have included them in my final submission, I’m quite proud of the (2) at the end and what it says.
- 12 years ago, I summarised eight years of life experience into 97 words. It should be no shame then that I struggle to be as concise today in cover letters and resumes with 2.5x the experiences, shrunken attention spans and footnotes to footnotes of reflections for the years past.
What’s clear is that I can’t narrate chronological milestones like I used to. It has to be broad strokes and trends, punch-tuated with specifically chosen details. Not cos I’m exceptionally experienced or wise, but because I’m old. - “aspiring writer and journalist”
- “Islamic grounding” – it did. More ways than I could imagine then, going beyond theory and knowledge into action and practice.
- “Someone” – Alhamdulillah for that one DFW video that I probably saw on Tumblr first.
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