resident assistant

<p>i'm looking into being an RA for next year, but i haven't really been active in floor gov. is this a big disadvantage, even if i am applying to be an RA for another building in which i'm not residing now? </p>

<p>also,
-i wonder about the admission process...who decides and what attracts them to the RAs who get chosen? would they ask my current RAs what they think of me?
-are there certain floors/buildings with less active RAs?
-which building/floor is the most competitive to apply?</p>

<p>right now i am thinking about de neve...if anyone lives there now, please let me know the nature of your RAs work. i think it varies a little depending on who lives on the floor.</p>

<p>Huge disadvantage if you've not done anything in ORL before. Most RAs have some combination of prev exp as SLs, floor govt, etc.</p>

<p>you dont apply to a specific building or floor. you apply to the program and the RD's pick you. you really dont have much say at all as to where you end up.</p>

<p>most RAs either have floor government or student leader experience. those RAs who are selected without previous ORL experience have considerable personal leadership, like a compelling life story or a really outgoing personality or campus experience, as in highly involved in multiple campus organizations.</p>

<p>for your first bullet, yes they will ask your current RAs and RDs. as for the other two bullets, they don't apply, as there is no building more competitive than another, and each has pretty similar amount of work.</p>

<p>remember for anyone considering being an RA - i suggest you only do it if you want to do it (as in have some interest in student affairs or student lives) not because it's a job with "free housing". a few people who only are RAs for the "free housing" do slip by, but you can tell them apart from the ones who do it becuase they like/love working with students.</p>

<p>would they avoid choosing me if i already have too many leadership positions on my plate? won't they think i'm too busy and won't do a great job being an RA? i would have to mention that i'd rather sacrifice my other activities to become an RA...</p>

<p>aww i thought i could have at least a choice for a building. is it totally random or do they match with the RA's personality?</p>