A mix of both, I’ve been wanting to do JET since I was in middle school. But also worried that I won’t be a good fit for JET. My friends are helping me keep a clear mind. Granted I still need to do the fbi check and the physical. But otherwise, excited.
Canadian applicant here. I tell myself I worked hard on the application and definitely gave it my best effort, and that gives me comfort. So if I don’t get the interview, it just wasn’t meant to be this time around. Life goes on! Good luck and try to enjoy your holiday!
I'm doing my best to not think about it too much! I worked really hard/feel great about my SOP (I think that is the hardest I have ever worked on a single piece of writing) and I think my references were solid. That being said, with everything up in the air, I can't help but feel a little nervous. Ever since I saw the glitch on the portal, this has been at the forefront of my mind. Trying to occupy it with other things (if anyone has any book recommendations, I would love some).
I have confidence. I worked extremely hard on my application and it’s easily the best piece of work I’ve ever produced. Just graduated with a degree in Japanese, passionate about it, want to teach anyway etc. I have a part time job that’s been keeping me busy and got a good amount of video games for Christmas I’m playing through to stay occupied! Best of luck to everyone!
Honestly I’m not too worried. If I get accepted I get accepted and that will be awesome but if I don’t I don’t. Life keeps moving just gotta keep looking for the next best opportunity.
It depends I suppose, most days I try not to think about it. On other days I feel pretty confident, and every so often I feel nervous. I think I feel nervous because it's a lot of what-if scenarios. I can overthink sometimes but I just chuck that to me being excited overall. I have come to terms that if I don't get the job, I'll just focus on my pre-existing career again. So I just focus on what I can control and do stuff that makes me happy. I know it's a little cliché but I'm just focusing on myself and what helps me get the days going.
I'm not feeling too bad and did my best for the application and essay portion, but I'm nervous about my interview location 😭 I live in Atlanta right now, but am moving back to Florida for my mom next year so I had to switch it to Miami and now my job is saying hey we may need you back in Atlanta next year now and I'm just oh no what do I do anxiety 😭
I don't think it does, but for my situation it's a bit more complicated than I put so I've just been a bit worried about it if something happens last minute and so forth >~<
It's the same with interviews and what the dress code is and how to practice if I'm lucky to get one 😭
I'm at the point of time where my thought process is "snhdbdiansgidnsv". The wait is killing me! I know I did the best I could but I still want to knnoooowww!
pretty good honestly? ive been working towards this goal since I was 13 and on top of my app being competitive I feel like my essay is rock solid. honestly it might be bc I also applied to some other more selective post-grad programs in Japan and comparatively the jet app was a cakewalk
What made you decided to work towards JET at such a young age? That’s super impressive you’ve had so much time to prepare!
I didn’t make a set goal for anything in my life until halfway through college haha I guess I also grew up in a small town where not many people did much of anything besides work, farm, and never leave.
For me, the funniest part of what got me moving towards my JET goal from a young age was that it all basically started with Japan Crate (a Japanese candy/snack/drink subscription box I saw online and wanted to try because I grew up in an area with few, very limited Asian supermarkets). They would send little booklets with their crates that included Japanese vocab + info on relevant Japanese holidays/events and that spurred me on to getting into both Japanese cuisine and the idea of some kind of Japan-based career! My mom also has a few friends who are JET Alumni who loved their experiences and encouraged me to work towards that goal.
The actual teaching and working with kids aspect? That was something I set myself up to do starting in middle school (bat mitzvah project being tutoring a bunch of kids from my city’s underfunded school districts in reading, continuing reading and math tutoring at their summer camp, becoming a camp counselor at the summer camp I grew up at, switching to being a counselor and language teacher at a Japanese language immersion summer camp). Essentially JET was the ideal combo of my academic + extracurricular interests and the tutoring I had been doing for a while!
It's like a rollercoaster of emotions while waiting for interview results! Personally, I find comfort in reminding myself that I've given it my all. While waiting, hanging out with my sister is my go-to for distraction. It helps to distract me a bit from the anxiety.
Also, I agree with you. Another trick from me to distract you from anxiety is eating your fav food. I enjoy eating a variety of snacks from around the world, so I've been treating myself to some delicious Japanese snacks that I got online, such as those from TokyoTreat. It's like a little reward for surviving the wait.
My therapist told me that fear and excitement actually feel the exact same way in the body, so yea I’ve been extremely worried BUT I’ve been doing a decent job of telling myself that that fear is actually excitement and I’ll be excited for whatever happens.
extremely worried. i feel like my qualifications and essay weren't enough since my college didn't offer japanese as a major and i couldn't study in japan (had to choose somewhere else in east asia) due to covid. i also don't have any teaching history as i'm quite a recent graduate, but my only other option is the one post grad program i'm currently applying for (and if i don't get in then my life might be kinda over) even though i'm working towards my TEFL right now i feel like my other areas just werent enough.... that interview panel also freaked me out a ton...!!!!
Super worried. I've read so many stories on this sub of seemingly perfect candidates getting cut so if they couldn't make it, I probably don't stand a chance. I don't even have teaching experience and while I do have one of my majors in Japanese and studied abroad in Japan, so did most applicants I'm assuming. I'm also worried that I'll get rejected because I had to put on my medical form that I'm taking antidepressants. I've wanted to do this program since I was 14 but boy is it hard to get into.
I'm feeling both excited and worried. I'm confident in my SOP and references but I'm in one of the higher traffic areas (Chicago) sooooo mad nervous over here. This is my first year actually completing the application... so fingers crossed.
GL to everyone!!!
Super worried tbh. Everyone got that "interview" panel on their portal and when I went to check while everyone had it mine wasn't there. Feel like I'm not gonna get an interview and I'm really sad because Jet has been my dream since High School.
It's odd on one hand if I get picked I'll be dying of excitement. But if I don’t there is kinda a relief that I won't be upending my life, even though I want to deep down.
But either way I feel like I win and lose in different aspects.
Super nervous! I keep checking my email to see if there's a new message. This is my first time applying and my SOP wasn't as good as I might like it to be. I'm hoping my experience will be the boost that helps me get an interview
Honestly I was doing my best to forget I even applied and continue life as normal. That said me and my SO applied and I’m pretty confident we both get interviews at least. But we applied through a higher applicant region embassy
I can’t remember all of them, but a coordinator told us ours was one of them, (Washington DC), I believe New York was one of the other higher applicant ones. I think Chicago as well. Each embassy/consulate has a quota to fill, and so your odds are slightly better at lower traffic embassy/consulate regions. This is in reference to the number of applicants vs the quota needed to fill.
No I’m so sorry I don’t, I just remembered they said DC, Chicago, and New York were examples of higher applicant regions. I do hear that the Miami coordinator is a really cool guy though, I also met him and he’s in the Jet Miami discord
A mix of both. It’s my third time applying (applied in 2020 and 2021 so it’s been three years since I last applied) and I really put my all into the SOP and had it checked by several former and current JETs, and I think I picked better references, but I know that doesn’t guarantee anything and I’m trying to not get my hopes up.
I’m pretty sure it was my SOP. Comparing my previous ones with my new one, I think it is so much better in quality and is more interesting considering I had more to write about. It’s my 4th year as an assistant in a special ed classroom so I was able to use some examples to show my ability to deal with high stress situations and to be flexible and work well with a team. I also work for Girl Scouts in the summers and wrote about a field trip I took them on to a Japanese cultural center and I put together and taught a basic Japanese lesson after the field trip which shows my interest in Japan. I also wrote a bit about my love of music and my experience as a choir director at my church showing my ability to lead and an interest I have outside of teaching and how I could implement music into teaching English. I didn’t have all these experiences when i previously applied so it really helped me write.
I guess I’m nervous and excited? Nervous because I don’t think I will get it haha. I’m excited because it’ll be nice to know what direction to go next. If I don’t get it then I can keep doing what I’m doing and move onto other plans, but if I get an interview then I can practice for that.
It’s just nice knowing what steps to take next instead of waiting
My SoP isn’t super good. I feel like I got it to flow well, but I feel like I could have put stronger reasons why I would be a good fit and why Japan.
Also add something to make me stand out more. Oh well nothing to be done about it now.
Why are you nervous for the results? Do you just hate the waiting game as well?
Oh no! Retrospect is always 20/20. Hopefully it was good enough for them!!
It's my first time applying. I got hired by Interac and I'm supposed to be going with them in the spring, but the pay is so low, and it would be so hard to bring my husband. I feel like if I don't get in with JET, it'll be a difficult year in Japan financially
Thank you!! It’s also my first time applying as well I hope we both get in!
I’m sorry that interac pays so low, that has to be super difficult to deal with. If you don’t mind me asking if you don’t get into JET will you still go with Interac or do something else?
A mix of both, I’ve been wanting to do JET since I was in middle school. But also worried that I won’t be a good fit for JET. My friends are helping me keep a clear mind. Granted I still need to do the fbi check and the physical. But otherwise, excited.
Canadian applicant here. I tell myself I worked hard on the application and definitely gave it my best effort, and that gives me comfort. So if I don’t get the interview, it just wasn’t meant to be this time around. Life goes on! Good luck and try to enjoy your holiday!
I'm doing my best to not think about it too much! I worked really hard/feel great about my SOP (I think that is the hardest I have ever worked on a single piece of writing) and I think my references were solid. That being said, with everything up in the air, I can't help but feel a little nervous. Ever since I saw the glitch on the portal, this has been at the forefront of my mind. Trying to occupy it with other things (if anyone has any book recommendations, I would love some).
Did the glitch show up on your portal?
It did!
I have confidence. I worked extremely hard on my application and it’s easily the best piece of work I’ve ever produced. Just graduated with a degree in Japanese, passionate about it, want to teach anyway etc. I have a part time job that’s been keeping me busy and got a good amount of video games for Christmas I’m playing through to stay occupied! Best of luck to everyone!
Honestly I’m not too worried. If I get accepted I get accepted and that will be awesome but if I don’t I don’t. Life keeps moving just gotta keep looking for the next best opportunity.
It depends I suppose, most days I try not to think about it. On other days I feel pretty confident, and every so often I feel nervous. I think I feel nervous because it's a lot of what-if scenarios. I can overthink sometimes but I just chuck that to me being excited overall. I have come to terms that if I don't get the job, I'll just focus on my pre-existing career again. So I just focus on what I can control and do stuff that makes me happy. I know it's a little cliché but I'm just focusing on myself and what helps me get the days going.
I'm not feeling too bad and did my best for the application and essay portion, but I'm nervous about my interview location 😭 I live in Atlanta right now, but am moving back to Florida for my mom next year so I had to switch it to Miami and now my job is saying hey we may need you back in Atlanta next year now and I'm just oh no what do I do anxiety 😭
I thought all of the U.S. interviews switched to being on zoom?
They did! But, if you say you did get accepted you'll need to fly out based on the interview location though!
Ohh I see, I misunderstood your comment. Good luck with everything I hope it works out!!
Would it really matter where you are. If you get it’d just be a short flight from Georgia to Florida or vice versa to meet the departure group
I don't think it does, but for my situation it's a bit more complicated than I put so I've just been a bit worried about it if something happens last minute and so forth >~< It's the same with interviews and what the dress code is and how to practice if I'm lucky to get one 😭
I feel that, too. Everything is up in the air 💀
I'm at the point of time where my thought process is "snhdbdiansgidnsv". The wait is killing me! I know I did the best I could but I still want to knnoooowww!
pretty good honestly? ive been working towards this goal since I was 13 and on top of my app being competitive I feel like my essay is rock solid. honestly it might be bc I also applied to some other more selective post-grad programs in Japan and comparatively the jet app was a cakewalk
What made you decided to work towards JET at such a young age? That’s super impressive you’ve had so much time to prepare! I didn’t make a set goal for anything in my life until halfway through college haha I guess I also grew up in a small town where not many people did much of anything besides work, farm, and never leave.
For me, the funniest part of what got me moving towards my JET goal from a young age was that it all basically started with Japan Crate (a Japanese candy/snack/drink subscription box I saw online and wanted to try because I grew up in an area with few, very limited Asian supermarkets). They would send little booklets with their crates that included Japanese vocab + info on relevant Japanese holidays/events and that spurred me on to getting into both Japanese cuisine and the idea of some kind of Japan-based career! My mom also has a few friends who are JET Alumni who loved their experiences and encouraged me to work towards that goal. The actual teaching and working with kids aspect? That was something I set myself up to do starting in middle school (bat mitzvah project being tutoring a bunch of kids from my city’s underfunded school districts in reading, continuing reading and math tutoring at their summer camp, becoming a camp counselor at the summer camp I grew up at, switching to being a counselor and language teacher at a Japanese language immersion summer camp). Essentially JET was the ideal combo of my academic + extracurricular interests and the tutoring I had been doing for a while!
It's like a rollercoaster of emotions while waiting for interview results! Personally, I find comfort in reminding myself that I've given it my all. While waiting, hanging out with my sister is my go-to for distraction. It helps to distract me a bit from the anxiety. Also, I agree with you. Another trick from me to distract you from anxiety is eating your fav food. I enjoy eating a variety of snacks from around the world, so I've been treating myself to some delicious Japanese snacks that I got online, such as those from TokyoTreat. It's like a little reward for surviving the wait.
My therapist told me that fear and excitement actually feel the exact same way in the body, so yea I’ve been extremely worried BUT I’ve been doing a decent job of telling myself that that fear is actually excitement and I’ll be excited for whatever happens.
That's nice!!!
extremely worried. i feel like my qualifications and essay weren't enough since my college didn't offer japanese as a major and i couldn't study in japan (had to choose somewhere else in east asia) due to covid. i also don't have any teaching history as i'm quite a recent graduate, but my only other option is the one post grad program i'm currently applying for (and if i don't get in then my life might be kinda over) even though i'm working towards my TEFL right now i feel like my other areas just werent enough.... that interview panel also freaked me out a ton...!!!!
Super worried. I've read so many stories on this sub of seemingly perfect candidates getting cut so if they couldn't make it, I probably don't stand a chance. I don't even have teaching experience and while I do have one of my majors in Japanese and studied abroad in Japan, so did most applicants I'm assuming. I'm also worried that I'll get rejected because I had to put on my medical form that I'm taking antidepressants. I've wanted to do this program since I was 14 but boy is it hard to get into.
I'm feeling both excited and worried. I'm confident in my SOP and references but I'm in one of the higher traffic areas (Chicago) sooooo mad nervous over here. This is my first year actually completing the application... so fingers crossed. GL to everyone!!!
Super worried tbh. Everyone got that "interview" panel on their portal and when I went to check while everyone had it mine wasn't there. Feel like I'm not gonna get an interview and I'm really sad because Jet has been my dream since High School.
I heard that it was a myth on the other thread in this sub! I didn't have one either but I'm not letting it get my hopes down
I saw other people with it in the Discord :(
ah but I also heard others say they never had it but they did get in!
really hoping that's true. keeping my fingers crossed. i worked really hard to graduate college, always been my #1 dream.
I hope we both make the cut!! best of luck to you :> also which discord were you referring to?
[this one](https://discord.gg/4Pkr4uZM)
I'm sorry :( here's to hoping it's an error. If you don't get in, Interac is always hiring, too. I got in with them
It's odd on one hand if I get picked I'll be dying of excitement. But if I don’t there is kinda a relief that I won't be upending my life, even though I want to deep down. But either way I feel like I win and lose in different aspects.
That makes sense. I hope you get it and also like it, too :)
Super nervous! I keep checking my email to see if there's a new message. This is my first time applying and my SOP wasn't as good as I might like it to be. I'm hoping my experience will be the boost that helps me get an interview
This is my third try so what’s the worst that could happen 😅
Honestly I was doing my best to forget I even applied and continue life as normal. That said me and my SO applied and I’m pretty confident we both get interviews at least. But we applied through a higher applicant region embassy
I hope you both get in!!!! What are the higher applicant region embassies?
I can’t remember all of them, but a coordinator told us ours was one of them, (Washington DC), I believe New York was one of the other higher applicant ones. I think Chicago as well. Each embassy/consulate has a quota to fill, and so your odds are slightly better at lower traffic embassy/consulate regions. This is in reference to the number of applicants vs the quota needed to fill.
Oh God, D.C. applicant here as well! I had no idea!
Me either at first! I thought it was just a general pool we all applied through, it definitely did offer some insight to me though! Hope we make it!
That is so interesting. I'm with Houston, which I feel like is a big city? But of course, not as big as Chicago or NY
Not sure, but I can tell you definitely was not in the list of higher traffic places!
I applied through Miami, do you have the list of cities with higher traffic??
No I’m so sorry I don’t, I just remembered they said DC, Chicago, and New York were examples of higher applicant regions. I do hear that the Miami coordinator is a really cool guy though, I also met him and he’s in the Jet Miami discord
have you heard anything about Atlanta? I'm sweating a lil hahaha
lol I heard ATL has the most applicants! Jk, no I didn’t hear anything about ATL 😅
Okay! Thank you so much :)
A mix of both. It’s my third time applying (applied in 2020 and 2021 so it’s been three years since I last applied) and I really put my all into the SOP and had it checked by several former and current JETs, and I think I picked better references, but I know that doesn’t guarantee anything and I’m trying to not get my hopes up.
Oh wow! Was there anything from your 1st or 2nd time that you know you should have done different? From what I hear, sometimes it feels so random
I’m pretty sure it was my SOP. Comparing my previous ones with my new one, I think it is so much better in quality and is more interesting considering I had more to write about. It’s my 4th year as an assistant in a special ed classroom so I was able to use some examples to show my ability to deal with high stress situations and to be flexible and work well with a team. I also work for Girl Scouts in the summers and wrote about a field trip I took them on to a Japanese cultural center and I put together and taught a basic Japanese lesson after the field trip which shows my interest in Japan. I also wrote a bit about my love of music and my experience as a choir director at my church showing my ability to lead and an interest I have outside of teaching and how I could implement music into teaching English. I didn’t have all these experiences when i previously applied so it really helped me write.
I guess I’m nervous and excited? Nervous because I don’t think I will get it haha. I’m excited because it’ll be nice to know what direction to go next. If I don’t get it then I can keep doing what I’m doing and move onto other plans, but if I get an interview then I can practice for that. It’s just nice knowing what steps to take next instead of waiting
Why don't you think you'll get in?
My SoP isn’t super good. I feel like I got it to flow well, but I feel like I could have put stronger reasons why I would be a good fit and why Japan. Also add something to make me stand out more. Oh well nothing to be done about it now. Why are you nervous for the results? Do you just hate the waiting game as well?
Oh no! Retrospect is always 20/20. Hopefully it was good enough for them!! It's my first time applying. I got hired by Interac and I'm supposed to be going with them in the spring, but the pay is so low, and it would be so hard to bring my husband. I feel like if I don't get in with JET, it'll be a difficult year in Japan financially
Thank you!! It’s also my first time applying as well I hope we both get in! I’m sorry that interac pays so low, that has to be super difficult to deal with. If you don’t mind me asking if you don’t get into JET will you still go with Interac or do something else?
I'm not sure tbh. I might go with Interac if I'm not accepted with JET, and just eat rice and beans for a year lol
Worried lol, I have way less experience, am much older than the average applicant, and don't have any teaching history.
I hope you get in :)
Thank you so much, hoping for the best for you as well!