Fun With Numbers - Acceptance Rates

[therealwindycity]

I could kind of see that, actually. "We want an ALT who's not American because we want to be international but maybe a British accent is too muzukashii for the children ... Canada it is!"

[Shelia]

I could kind of see that, actually. "We want an ALT who's not American because we want to be international but maybe a British accent is too muzukashii for the children ... Canada it is!"

... or Australia!

[Jiggit]

Canadians are basically Diet Americans.

[spman2099]

Canadians are basically Diet Americans.

Well, we certainly are skinnier on the whole. Also, generally healthier. Also, better looking, smarter, less violent, and better educated... Wait, we are NOTHING like the filthy yanks!

P.S. Oh, I forgot to mention humble.

[soh]

Maybe Canadians are more popular in some regions and the data is therefore lopsided?

Lots of Canadian JETs in Hokkaido due to sister-city relationships.

[Gizmotech]

And the fact if you stick a skinny white kid from florida or Australia up in but fuck nowhere Hokkaido they would quit before winter started.

[spman2099]

I honestly wonder if the numbers discrepancy between the homeland and the Canadian colonies has more to do with how many COs request Canadians vs. how many want UK JETs. Maybe Canadians are more popular in some regions and the data is therefore lopsided?

If you take into account the population size, Canada is greatly overrepresented in the JET Programme (though it isn't the most overrepresented). I was reading Importing Diversity in order to gain greater insight into the the JET Programme (though with how outdated the information is, historical context would probably be more accurate) and at one point it mentioned that one prefecture had so many problems with Americans that the board of education for that prefecture requested to only be sent British and Canadian alts. While that could be absolutely anecdotal, it may also be indicative of why Canadians are disproportionately sought after by the JET Programme.

As for Canada being more represented than most of the UK, that could have something to do with the accent. Apparently the North American accent is seen as being quite desirable internationally (which seems odd, as some English accents are just amazing); at least that is what my peers and I were told in the CELTA programme. That being said, Ireland is even more overrepresented in the JET Programme than Canada, and their accents are super distinct...

[Shelia]

It's true, Sydney winters just get milder each year.

If we're talking about JET participants as a proportion of population then New Zealand is clearly the most overrepresented.

[Curious-Cat]

If you take into account the population size, Canada is greatly overrepresented in the JET Programme (though it isn't the most overrepresented). I was reading Importing Diversity in order to gain greater insight into the the JET Programme (though with how outdated the information is, historical context would probably be more accurate) and at one point it mentioned that one prefecture had so many problems with Americans that the board of education for that prefecture requested to only be sent British and Canadian alts. While that could be absolutely anecdotal, it may also be indicative of why Canadians are disproportionately sought after by the JET Programme.

I can see that. When I studied abroad in Japan, I met quite a few JETs while traveling around and several struck me as standard cookie-cutter 'Murican college graduates with zero interest in respecting other cultures. They were more interested in the partying hard, saving what they could, and getting teaching/job experience that would look good on a resume. Another few were interested in an East Asian location good for international travel purposes - while not bad in and of itself, I found that all but one weren't actually interested in doing their job. All of the people I genuinely thought would make good candidates ended up getting alternate status, including a friend who made alternate two years in a row, but got lucky and was upgraded last year.

[Antonath]

Detailed discussion of the difference between American and British English has been moved to the Teaching forum. Feel free to continue over there, folks!

Anecdotally, a lot of BoEs have somewhat specific requests for their JETs, so pure statistical analysis won't be that revealing. Some like people from a certain country, some only want women (or only want men). Some like ALTs with little ability in Japanese, some like their ALT to be pretty fluent. Many of these preferences are based (again, anecdotally) on the poor behaviour of previous JETs. BoEs have long memories, and one influential person's preference can quickly become unofficial policy, even after they leave.

[webstaa]

Detailed discussion of the difference between American and British English has been moved to the Teaching forum. Feel free to continue over there, folks!

Anecdotally, a lot of BoEs have somewhat specific requests for their JETs, so pure statistical analysis won't be that revealing. Some like people from a certain country, some only want women (or only want men). Some like ALTs with little ability in Japanese, some like their ALT to be pretty fluent. Many of these preferences are based (again, anecdotally) on the poor behaviour of previous JETs. BoEs have long memories, and one influential person's preference can quickly become unofficial policy, even after they leave.

ESID - but my BoE requested a male applying through Chicago or Detroit. Turns out I'm from 25 minutes away from my predecessor and met a predecessor (2 removed) at the Consulate. He's the one responsible for the Chicago/Detroit requirement, as he was very highly thought of.

[Randomgirl]

Numbers aren't always predictable or understandable. In 2001, there were 160 of us who went on those planes to Japan. There were 42 last year, and this year a lot fewer were requested from my town, despite the number of applicants remaining steady. I don't know what goes on in tokyo after the interviews, and I don't think even our coordinator fully knows either!!!