JET Program: Tips on Writing a Killer Personal Statement
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- **Sample SoP linked below**
So why did I come to Japan?
I ain't no English major, but here are my two cents for writing a JET personal statement that, at least, got me in.
How can you stand out from tens of thousand other applicants? How can you impress the committee while not boring them with your two double-spaced pages? How... do you even start?
Read, brainstorm, draft, write, rewrite, proofread, repeat. There is never a perfect SoP, but I hope my tips can help you write one that puts you among the cream of the crop.
***Link to my SoP (Please only use this as a reference and do NOT plagiarize):
docs.google.co...
Become my Patreon today to receive JET assistance from me!
www.patreon.co...
Good blogs to read:
www.tofugu.com...
thisjapaneseli...
---
Subscribe to see more Japanese shenanigans!
Website: www.caradventuresxo.com
Facebook: / thecaradventures
Instagram: TheCaradventures
Patreon: www.patreon.co...
The prompt's questions are so open, yet the page limit is so, well, limiting! I feel like there's so much I want to say, yet I don't know what's important or meaningful enough to leave in x___x Thanks so much for your video though, Cara! You are literally my guiding light rn as I try to write this darned thing XD
If you have access to a Japanese professor who has experience with the JET program and has the time, ask them ro read over your SOP. I did and I can guarantee it helped. It also helps if they also agree to write you a letter of recommendation as well. Which my professor agreed to do also.
Yeee I had a professor from Osaka University write a letter for me haha pretty sure it helped my apps :P
Okay bless your entire soul for linking yours as a reference!
Good luck writing yours!!
What do we think about a live stream session on Nov 11, Eastern Time 9pm? Like this comment if you'd like to attend!
Hi, I checked the sample JET Essay in google docs. You submitted it like that? No header or footer or page or title? I cant find info online re this specific question (Whether t o put header/footer, page or title.
Omg, I'm literally writing mine right now 🙈😱 It's the hardest thing in life 😭 hahahaha How do you keep it in two pages???
That's the hard thing, eh! Hope my video helped!
Haha. I was coming here to make sure I could give the best tips and I saw your comment. I was like it's Random E. Small world. :D
+Random E Watch some other SOP/application guide videos/blogs/forums/etc. I'm sure you will find more knowledge on how to build a better SOP and get it all to fit in two short pages!
Yeah, thanks so much!
Bah hahahaha so small!!
Hello! I’m getting nervous now lol because the only thing I really mentioned was how I was about to drop out of school and then learned about the JET Program, and how it’s provided me with the motivation to stay in school and finish my degree. I have experience teaching children and teaching ESL and I’m also an English major and am interested in teaching as a career. In your personal opinion I guess, knowing other people who are on the program, do you think what I wrote would stick out enough? Everyone I see has written like “oh I was head of Japanese club!” But my school doesn’t have anything like that so I guess I’m just nervous my essay isn’t “Japan” enough IDK your thoughts?? Thanks!!
Hey Danny!
Don't worry about not having been the head of Japanese club--you can be interested in Japan in many different ways! Definitely talk about your experiences teaching children and ESL, like what hurdles did you encounter and how you overcame them. Be real, honest, and passionate. THAT's what would help you stick out.
Good luck!
I was actually told by someone who works in JET (not as a ALT or CiT but an actual employee of JET themselves) that you shouldn't ever express an interesting in staying in Japan after the JET programme. Remember the "E" in JET stands for "exchange" and they're more interested in people who want to take something away from Japan and spread a positive image of Japan and maybe even teach people about the country overseas to yeah spread a positive image for the country and gain an interest in the country itself as a lot of foreigners are pretty ignorant about Japan and it's culture etc...
I havent heard that myself but I understand where that though is coming from. If a JET staff told you that then I'd listen to his/her advice!
hi cara! wish you can read my sop and perhaps a feedback? ..hope youll post a new vlog about jet...❤
I'm still writing mine thanks for the good tips it helps a lot !!
Great video!! Appreciate this~
Hello. Love your videos. Question, do we have to put our signature or name at the bottom of the SOP? Or just the SOP itself? Do I even have to type “Statement of Purpose” in the beginning as a title? Thank you
Nope! Just start the SoP with your SoP! No titles / signature is needed
Thanks for the infomative video Cara, that last question has stumped me in my personal statement however thanks for giving an easy simple explanation! My essay is past the draft stage and is currently being polished and re read to make sure it sounds ok
Thank you Cara! I hope I can pass the application too. God bless!
Just about to start writing mine.Thanks so much for the great tips
Thanks cara! this is great
Feels like everyone on JET is a youtuber....and I’m sooo not 😆 I think I’m on to something here...because an aim is cultural exchange, so they prob want youtubers who have a large audience
Can you still give assistance to JET Programme SOP? If so, I'd like to join Patreon.
I did happen to mention my interests in Japanese Manga, Anime, and Video Games, but I used them as a springboard into what those interests caused me to do. I went into language study and cultural exchange because of them.
I'm pretty stoked! Almost finished with my application and getting ready to submit it! Scary but fun!
Yes! That's exactly what I meant--it's totes okay to mention anime etc, as long as you expand on it!!!!
Good luck for your apps!! Hope you get in :D
@@Caradventures Hey Cara it's me. One more thing, i'm going through that as well. Anime and Video Games are a big part of my life but the references from anime and games made me engage myself more in the culture such as festivals, and how daily life in Japan is like.
But also my appreciation for the language which I have spent many years and now conversational fluent internediate/adv,
I want to mention in the SOP that i'm someone that with my passion for self learning Japanese, I want to make an impact on kids and show kids that you can learn any language no matter where you come from and i'm interested in the history of Japanese culture why their society is the way it is but also that I can make a big inpact in the community because i'm a very social dependable person who likes being with people and understand about people's lives and what they learned from their lives that I can add on to my daily life. And i'm a people's person that likes to communicate with others.
I want to mention how anime and video games led to me appreciating everything about Japan. Not that those two things are the only reason why I like Japan. I also enjoy the martial arts Kendo & Judo , Sumo because i'm a sports fan as well. And the car industry in Japan is very interesting as well.
I don't want to talk about just anime/games the whole essay that's what I want to avoid. I want to mention that it led to me having interest in everything else in daily Japanese society.
I want to be part of JET to show kids that you can motivate yourself to understand and learn another language if you understand the language you want to know the right away but also I know I can contribute to the community because i'm someone who is reliable and has always been involved in the community here at home in the past and I know my past experiences in life will help many in the community just as their lives and their own experience will help my own personal growth.
@@Melbester9 Hey! Yea you can of course mention anime and stuff! Just make sure its not the entire essay and make sure you mention all the other things youve mentioned above. Good luck!
@@Melbester9 Hello. I know I'm late but I just wanna ask how's your JET application? Was it really okay to include anime?
@@asianpotato9161 Nah you aren't late. Not at all. Well I actually never applied for the JET program. At the time that I had wrote that comment, I was graduating with my Associates and then I had a stress induced Psychosis in 2017 after I graduated in 2016 so I quickly recovered, only one day Psychiatric ER stint, reason was from frustration finding work.
Then after I recovered, I was working out for a while and then I started working in 2018 at a flat bread restaurant Cosi through my Assistant Manager so I took the opportunity to get work experience for my resume. Stayed for 2 years then the pandemic and I went on UI.
I decided that the JET program isn't a good time for me to do just because that I'll be so far away from my family and friends that I'll be missing out on life here at home.
The timing wasn't right with where I was at the point of time in my life but I would consider it later on in the future. It's just I'm still young enjoying my youth.
A lot of people in the JET program stay for 5 years and sacrifice their mid 20s abroad while although they can still enjoy friends and others they meet in the program.
I could go to Japan for JET because of a friend of mine who moved from here in NY to the country and lives over there with his Japanese wife who he met in the states here and his daughter. He's a Japanese citizen because of his wife.
But I haven't gotten my career and jobs going yet plus I still have to enjoy life in the US and going out to places that I haven't went to. But JET is something I would easily do in the future if I quickly decide to go back and finish two more years for my Bachelor's, which won't take too long. My best friend is enrolled in Online college at Ashford and is getting his Bachelor's next year.
But yeah you could mention anime on your application but don't mention the whole essay about it, talk about good reasons why you want to apply for the program and what you can bring to it as an applicant and any inspiring things that gets the program's attention. Just my tips.
With me I'll consider JET in the future but I'm already finding new work opportunities at non profit organizations and trying to build my work experience with my resume further from my first job while I saved up a lot of money on UI during the pandemic.
Meanwhile I'm still enjoying my time with family and friends because I can still travel to Japan anytime and also my Chinese best friend hooked me up with a Japanese lady friend he knows with my Japanese and she helped me advance in the language to intermediate conversational while I'm close to fluent, while I had followed a great book series for my Japanese years prior when I was in college. So I'm already progressed with my Japanese to making sentences and grammar is good. Only need my vocabulary that is easy.
Sorry about the long comment by the way, so much I had to mention all of this. Best of luck to you with your application. Thanks for the reply as well. Appreciated the reply back.
Thanks Cara! this helps a lot! :) I need to rewrite mine. lol
So you Anglo-Saxons don't have to write it in 3 languages, including handwritten Japanese ? That is SO unfair
I have been struggling to write my paper and keep it down to 2 pages for like a week now. Thank you so much for posting your paper as a reference! It was super helpful in keeping my paper more focused on key elements. You are awesome!!
Some other recent videos have links to SOPs if you're interested in reading more. I'm reading as many as I can!
Can you direct me to more wonderful people that are sharing their SOP's ?
wow our statement criteria is so different in england we are asked why we want to be in JET rather than japan and how we can motivate a class, although that is different from american requirements ill use some the advice you gave especially on our plans AFTER the programme, THANKS CARAAAa
Thank you for sharing this Cara! I am an aspirant. All the best!
Fitting all the relevant stuff in a double two page essay. Another page will make this so easy
Hi Cara! I'm currently applying for the JET program from Perth, Western Australia. I'm currently finishing my last semester at uni with a Bachelor of Education. The deadline is coming up and I still don't have my SoP ready. I'm also busy running around trying to get reference letters from a school I've taught at, my university transcripts and getting all my forms signed by a JP. If you don't mind, would you be happy having a look at my SoP and answer a few questions/concerns I've got about applying for the JET program as an Asian Australian?
Yes I offer to proofread SoPs with a $1 Patreon donation. Please check out this link: www.patreon.com/thecaradventures
Talk to you there!
Thanks to this vid, my anxiety about writing this document is pretty much non-existent. Will forward to other applicant friends.
after watching this video, I think I did a good job with my essay already. nice. i may have talked a little bit too much about manga but ehhhh it all ties in pretty well i think.
Code Provider leave this channel. Cara don't know you but you are one of the trolls of the anime community like double4. Cara is about being POSITIVE!
Anyone else going insane trying to redo their SoP last minute? The need to think it's perfect is greater than the dwindling time atm 😂
Thank you Cara
Holy moley! I just went to the essay workshop on wednesday! Pretty awesome that you made this!!
Hi Cara, random question - what language do you think in? English or Cantonese?
Interesting question! I don't think in Cantonese anymore... in fact, it takes a long time for me to formulate Chinese sentences now haha. And sometimes after I hang out with my Japanese friends, I'd be thinking in Japanese. XD It gets confusing!!
Good Evening Cara,
I am having mine proof read by a colleague but I looked at your SoP, it is much more personal than mine, do you think this could be an issue in my application?
I am a qualified high school teaching in Australia. Do you think they might have different expectations?
Thank you,
Justine.
Hey Justine!
Don't worry too much about the differences between your and my SoPs--there are many ways to write a convincing one! Since you're already qualified for high school teaching, your background is already different from mine so I think you're fine :)
Good luck!
Caradventures Thank you Cara!!! 😊
Lmao at the 14+ People in the google doc looking at the essay in the last few minutes lmaooooooo
I saw that too... LOL
Im from hong kong too!! and im in the process of applying, thanks so much for this vid!!
Good luck Adrienne! You'll have a blast in Japan :)
My personal statement is 1,300 words and it requires 800-1000...Gah heeeelp.
cut cut cut!
I noticed that your PS is 670 odd words long, but the JET website now specifies 800-1000 words long, so it was easier for me to cut down and I am now at 999 words!
Ah when I applied there wasn't a word limit; just said two-page double space!
Thank you for sharing your SOP. It helped me to know if my SOP is heading in the right direction. :)
I'm glad to hear! But remember to just use it as a reference--there are many other good ways to write a SoP!
To anyone who may need any convincing, Cara's advice in this video is on point. AND the SOP service she offers deserves two (2) thumbs up :P
aw you're so sweet! :') Thanks!
Of course :)
Bottom left holding up the curtain... is that a bottle?
Omg it is. LOL I really should tidy up my place next time I make a video... haha
Awwe thank you for this. I want to push myself to apply for this year's JET.
Good luck writing your SoP!
Are you open to taking a look at followers essays? :o
Hey! I'm offering to proofread SoPs for a $1 pledge on my Patreon page. Find out more here: www.patreon.com/user?u=5860273 :)
+UnGodLike I'll take a look at your SOP as well if you would like. Send me an email at doesharrison@gmail.com if you're interested. Best of luck to you either way :)
will definitely be sending you mine! soon enough hahaha
Tq Cara! This is really helpful! Wish me luck!
Best of luck with the apps!!
Is it ok to stretch the truth...cause none of my schools ever had the transfer cultural program so I have 0 experience about being over there.
What is a transfer cultural program?? So you've never been to Japan before right?
@@Caradventures No my schools never had the option cause of their budget...neither did they have any japanese classes as well...everything I learned was on my own.
@@Gummy_Pop. Yea thats fine! I learnt Japanese on my own too so just gotta show them your passion for Japan and its language/culture :)
@@Caradventures Ah I see thanks for the tip. I was worried that people who didn't have the transfer program would be held back from going abroad.
@@Gummy_Pop. Oh no at all. I was never on a transfer program either! JET is designed for people who want to live in Japan so prior experience there isn't necessary! (though defs beneficial)