Aspiring US JETs 2012

[Boogerghost]

What is super crazy to me though is many of the Sapporo girls I see here are walking around in shorts or short skirts or dresses, with, at most, very thin tights underneath them.

Man, hook me up with summa them heated tights of the future and I'm all set.

I just looked at the app, it appears they request that your third choice not be in the same block. I think he should be OK.

Okayama is in a different block, but still pretty close. And I'm a she

Ooooh, gender-assumption-BUSTED! Haha, I understand. Ingrained cultural chauvinism doesn't help with that, but neither does the English language. The relative unimportance of gender-based pronouns is one thing I like about Japanese. Because I'm not sure if "zhe/zher/zhim" will be catching on anytime soon.

I thought about requesting hokkaido, but I figured there were already so many jets there and so many people request it (since there's no getting placed in Tokyo) that it wouldn't be any use. :/

Wait, really? Since when do many people request Hokkaido? Not that it isn't awesome. Do lots of people try to use Sapporo as a "replacement" for Tokyo or something?


I just had one of those moments like, "Oh I should do some more research about my second and third placement choices. Well, I'll wait until I find out if I got an interview. OH WAIT."

[happytofu]

Now I'm curious... did many people request placements, but then leave the explanation blank? I choose Hokkaido and Wakayama, but the strong wording of the explanation section gave me pause, since these requests were fairly casual, based on places I've visited and particularly liked, but nothing more. So, I wrote "N/A".

[giorsh]

Now I'm curious... did many people request placements, but then leave the explanation blank? I choose Hokkaido and Wakayama, but the strong wording of the explanation section gave me pause, since these requests were fairly casual, based on places I've visited and particularly liked, but nothing more. So, I wrote "N/A".

I did the same, I'm pretty sure that section was only for those with strong reasons

[Cliodhna]

Now I'm curious... did many people request placements, but then leave the explanation blank? I choose Hokkaido and Wakayama, but the strong wording of the explanation section gave me pause, since these requests were fairly casual, based on places I've visited and particularly liked, but nothing more. So, I wrote "N/A".

I did the same, I'm pretty sure that section was only for those with strong reasons

I just put "For historical reasons." and left it at that. I was kind of worried about it being a rather hanging sentence on my application after I submitted it, but I guess it worked out ok, haha.

Wait, really? Since when do many people request Hokkaido? Not that it isn't awesome. Do lots of people try to use Sapporo as a "replacement" for Tokyo or something?

To my understanding, I think that's what happens. I also read that there's over 60 JETs in hokkaido as it is so word has probably spread, haha.

[Mimmy]

Now I'm curious... did many people request placements, but then leave the explanation blank? I choose Hokkaido and Wakayama, but the strong wording of the explanation section gave me pause, since these requests were fairly casual, based on places I've visited and particularly liked, but nothing more. So, I wrote "N/A".

I did the same, I'm pretty sure that section was only for those with strong reasons

I just put "For historical reasons." and left it at that. I was kind of worried about it being a rather hanging sentence on my application after I submitted it, but I guess it worked out ok, haha.

I think "I'm interested in the history of the area" or "I heard the countryside there is really beautiful" are fine as explanations.

[ume no hana]

I didn't have any preference for city, urban, suburban or rural.

Also, I have a question regarding interviews. In order to determine who makes it and get short-listed, is it only based off of the interview, or do they consider your interview AND the strength of your application (SOP, letters of reference etc.)?

thank you!

[sloth]

I didn't have any preference for city, urban, suburban or rural.

Also, I have a question regarding interviews. In order to determine who makes it and get short-listed, is it only based off of the interview, or do they consider your interview AND the strength of your application (SOP, letters of reference etc.)?

thank you!

From what I have read it is a combination of both... Merkypie?

[Teari]

Hi everyone! I'm new to posting to this forum but I had to join because I applied for the JET program and I have some questions:

Firstly, I am from the US. I got an interview (for the location in LA) and I replied the email asking when would be a preferred day/time for the interview. The email said they would get back to us by the 10th. I guess I'm getting antsy since it's barely the 9th, but I have not received any confirmation...have they gotten back to anyone yet? I saw on this forum that they called someone to see if they replied to the email but I haven't heard from them...

I have an LA interview as well and I haven't heard back either yet :3 i wouldn't worry too much until the tenth comes and goes if you haven't heard anything. Then I'd give the consulate a buzz :3 Maybe miami_coordinator could provide some insight into that for you, but I haven't heard anything yet either so no worries, it's not just you

[Queequeg]

I can only hope that not putting a request for placement doesn't look bad. I personally would love to wind up in any of the northern provinces, and would kind of prefer to stay away from Okinawa. But since I'll take anything I left it blank, and will just keep my fingers crossed for the icy north, or really, anywhere.

Considering I heard back that I've got an interview (Boston) I can only assume it didn't hinder me much.

[ume no hana]

I requested Hyogo (Awaji shima), Wakayama, and Okayama. Wanted somewhere warm, and a little more south. There's also a lot of natural beauty in those spots. I have family in Osaka so I would really love to be near there. I'm not sure if I should mention the family thing if they ask me about my requests in the interview though... any thoughts? I don't want to make it seem like I just want to be near my family.

Isn't Okayama, Wakayama and Hyogo all in the same prefecture block? I thought you weren't supposed to do that.

I think according to the application it says regarding the 3rd choice of placement "try to pick a different block than the other two."
Did we HAVE to pick a different block for the 3rd choice then? In my eyes, try doesn't mean you must......

[catsup]

I didn't have any preference for city, urban, suburban or rural.

Also, I have a question regarding interviews. In order to determine who makes it and get short-listed, is it only based off of the interview, or do they consider your interview AND the strength of your application (SOP, letters of reference etc.)?

thank you!

From what I've heard it sounds like the interview is there to back up your application, so they are considering everything. There have been some posts of people who felt they bombed the interview or felt like it was just some sort of formality. Either way you should be ready to give it your best in there.

[merkypie]

I didn't have any preference for city, urban, suburban or rural.

Also, I have a question regarding interviews. In order to determine who makes it and get short-listed, is it only based off of the interview, or do they consider your interview AND the strength of your application (SOP, letters of reference etc.)?

thank you!

From what I've heard it sounds like the interview is there to back up your application, so they are considering everything. There have been some posts of people who felt they bombed the interview or felt like it was just some sort of formality. Either way you should be ready to give it your best in there.

This, pretty much. MyArgonauts says that the applications they get have notes from the processor on points to ask about plus whatever the interviewer asks. So at that point the job is there for you to loose.

[noisy_heart]

I am surprised to see so many people picked Okayama in their preferences. I never heard of it before studying abroad, but went there for one week with my Japanese friend and fell in love with the beautiful landscapes and the country side! So it is my first choice too! I also put Nara and Nagano. Nara because I am a Kansai girl at heart since I studied abroad in Osaka and Nagano because I have never been to that region of Japan and snow would be a nice change, but it isn't as far north as Aomori or Hokkaido. They seem so far from everywhere else in Japan lol but like most of you stated if I am lucky enough to be shortlisted than I will take any placement.

[brainsteww]

I didn't have any preference for city, urban, suburban or rural.

Also, I have a question regarding interviews. In order to determine who makes it and get short-listed, is it only based off of the interview, or do they consider your interview AND the strength of your application (SOP, letters of reference etc.)?

thank you!

From what I have read it is a combination of both... Merkypie?

I had the same question! Since our paper applications are handled at the national level and our interviews are handled at the local level. I was wondering if we "start over" in term of score. Either way, I think whether or not we get shortlisted is determined by the interviewers. The question then is, do they take our paper application into account when giving us our score for the interview? I still am not very sure, but honestly, that is all speculation and should not affect how you perform in the interview

[brainsteww]

I thought we'd have to start a new thread after 100 pages... I wonder what the maximum number is for pages on a single thread.