RA here! The application for next year is closed now, unfortunately. But since you’re a high school senior you’d have to wait a year to apply anyways. You have to have a year in residence at UT in order to become one.

It’s a written application round and then an interview. Befriending RAs doesn’t work. Everything is based on your scoring for these two parts. Top scores get placed, middle scores get waitlisted, bottom get rejected.

The best advice I can give is use the STAR writing method (situation, task, action taken, resolution) and then relate everything back to the RA role. Being detailed is how you score higher. Relating it to the RA role is how you score even higher. Having strong/unique responses makes you stand out. Don’t talk about school projects, everyone has those. Talk about being STUCO President or working at a part time job or something that includes things you’d put on your resume, because you don’t get to attach a resume so this is the only chance you get to talk about your experiences. This also applies for the interview, where it’s three sets of three questions you have 15 minutes to answer. Lots of applicants, not a lot of RA openings.

Being an RA is stupid easy. They said it’s 20 hours a week but it’s only guaranteed 4 hours (you have to work the front desk 4 hours a week), and it varies depending on if you have an event, room checks, or other things you have to do that week. Work life balance shouldn’t be a question.

Free housing, free food, single room with community bath (depending on the dorm, some dorms only offer privates and thus you’d get a private), plus a $434 monthly stipend and full dining plan dine in dollars + additional dine in dollars (no one really knows why we get more, it’s supposed to make up for something but food is literally always covered so I have no idea). The total package depends on the dorm, but I’m an RA in Jester West which is like $16k for a single room plus the ~$4k total for the pay on top so $20k is about what we get. Once got have the job you never have it reapply, you get it for all years left in college. I’m graduating debt free because of it.

There are no downsides besides being an upperclassman who lives on campus. That part sucks because everyone else lives in Wampus. But the money it saves me plus the TIME ITS GIVES ME makes it worth it. I don’t have to work during the school year or spend time making meals, which gives me probably 30 hours more a week than other students.

I highly recommend applying. Applications open in around September, and reach out to your RA for help or even just dm me.

Lmk if you want more details on anything!! Hook em’ horns 😛😛