Accepted into Apple Developer Academy 2026: A Journey I Never Planned

Coming Back After Almost a Year

Hello guys, welcome back. It honestly feels a little surreal writing this again after almost a year of silence. Back then, I had no idea what my next post would be about. And somehow, here I am now, writing about something I never once planned for.

I’ve officially been accepted into Apple Developer Academy 2026 in Central Jakarta — their fifth and newest academy in Indonesia.

What makes this story funny is that joining Apple Developer Academy was never part of my imagination, let alone my life plan.

Something I Never Even Considered

I had heard about ADA before. A senior from my campus organization once got accepted there, so the name wasn’t unfamiliar. But at that time, it felt like something completely out of my league. Too competitive. Too difficult. Almost impossible for someone like me.

So no — applying to ADA was never on my radar. Not even once.

I just assumed it was one of those things that other people do. Not me.

The Friend Who Wouldn’t Take No for an Answer

Everything changed because of one person: my close friend, Nawa.

2025 had been a crazy year for us. We built a really solid team and somehow managed to win both national and international competitions together. From the outside, applying to ADA probably looked like the most logical next step.

But me being me, I was still stuck in my pessimistic mindset.

I’m the type of person who avoids goals that feel unrealistic. If something feels too far out of reach, I usually don’t even try. I’d rather not fail at all than fail after trying.

So when Nawa told me to apply, my first response was a straight-up no.

But he didn’t let it go. He kept pushing. And eventually, I gave in.

Not because I suddenly believed in myself — but because I was tired of saying no.

Applying With Zero Expectations

When the registration opened, I chose three locations: Batam, Central Jakarta, and Surabaya.

After the document screening stage, the next step was the online test.

This part is honestly embarrassing to admit.

While my friends were studying together seriously and preparing like their lives depended on it, I was being lazy, unmotivated, and completely unserious about the whole thing. I even took the test two hours before the deadline.

It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t do things last minute.

I didn’t expect anything from it. In my head, it was just: “I applied. Whether I get in or not is a future problem.”

The First Shock

Then the announcement came.

I passed the online test — but only for Central Jakarta. Batam and Surabaya rejected me.

I remember staring at the result in silence for a few seconds.

I was genuinely shocked.

Most of my friends who had worked insanely hard for this stage didn’t make it. And somehow, I did. That result messed with my head a little. It felt undeserved, confusing, and exciting at the same time.

That was the moment I felt my first tiny spark of hope.

For the first time, I thought: “Wait… what if this actually works out?”

Taking FGD Seriously (Finally)

The next stage was the FGD (Focused Group Discussion).

This time, I didn’t mess around.

I started preparing properly. I read about the academy environment, tried to understand what they were looking for, and looked up tips from past participants.

By the time FGD day arrived, I was honestly pretty nervous.

But I got incredibly lucky.

My group was amazing. Everyone was cooperative, open-minded, and easy to work with. We shared ideas freely, built on each other’s thoughts, and came up with a solid innovation based on the given case study.

Everything felt smooth.

Too smooth.

When Things Felt Too Easy

So smooth that I started worrying.

Because when I talked to my friends who also reached the FGD stage, most of them said they got destroyed by the observers. Their ideas were heavily challenged. Their arguments were constantly countered.

Meanwhile, my session felt calm and constructive.

And instead of feeling confident, that made me anxious.

I kept thinking, “Why does this feel too easy? Did I mess something up without realizing it?”

The Moment That Changed Everything

Then came the final announcement.

I passed.

Not even waitlisted.

I just sat there in silence for a moment, staring at my screen.

I felt grateful. Relieved. And honestly… kind of emotional.

I had been confused about my career direction after graduation. I didn’t really know where I was heading or what I was supposed to do next.

And suddenly, Apple Developer Academy became this unexpected answer.

Looking Back at 2025

When I reflected on everything, it all started to make sense.

In 2025, my friends and I decided to form a “super team” and seriously compete in IT competitions. That decision gave me experience, confidence, and a real portfolio.

Without realizing it, we were quietly building the foundation for this moment.

I’m deeply grateful to Nawa for forcing me to apply.

I’m also grateful to Humam, Rama, and Figo, who also got accepted into the Jakarta academy — and yes, we’re teaming up again.

Life is weird like that.

Sometimes when you’re completely lost, a path just quietly opens itself.

Final Thoughts

I wrote this mainly to share my story — and maybe to remind anyone reading this that you don’t always have to feel ready to try something big.

Sometimes all it takes is one annoying friend who refuses to let you give up on yourself.

Thanks for reading my yapping this time. See you in the next post.