Hi all, I’m currently on the waitlist for 2022 and as you might have guessed, waiting for an upgrade email day after day has left me rather discouraged, especially since the 2022 group are scheduled to depart fairly soon.
Those who might actually know, could I please get a truthful answer as to the realistic chances of me getting an upgrade this close to the departure date?
13 comments
I understand your frustration, waiting can be hard, but the honest answer is no one here can tell you what your chances are. There’s just no way to know how many more upgrades will happen or where you are on the upgrade list.
I recommend not pinning all your hopes on getting upgraded. Decide what you are going to do for the rest of this year until the application process starts again and whether or not you will apply again. That doesn’t mean you have to give up on being upgraded, but you should not just sit around and wait, it will only drive you nuts.
Every year, year round, kids fresh out school get homesick, culture shock, or don’t like the job, and run home. So there are always chances.
On a side note. If you don’t get upgraded. I’d also recommend EPIK, which is like the Korean JET. I did a year in Korea before my six years of JET, and even to this day I think fondly of my time there. They do applications twice a year, too.
Those chances are different every year and may vary by the consulate as a consulate with a larger amount of applicants may have a larger quantity of upgrades than a much smaller one.
That said, you are given a December deadline for a reason. You can be upgraded anytime until then.
I know it doesn’t sound ideal or all too likely, but it does happen. Not all upgrades happen in April or May. People may break contract during the fall as much as anyone in the summer, which is why alternates exist. The December deadline wasn’t invented to give you false hope.
It’s also possible more alternates may be upgraded if and when people decline placements they did not want, or life alters their plans. I was upgraded to the shortlist and can confirm we don’t have our placements at the time of this post.
With this in mind, also keep busy and have email notifications turned on (some consulates call). You don’t want to sit around just in limbo. Make some money, put a plan together if you don’t get upgraded.
Patience and hope can go further than you think. And if you don’t get upgraded this time around, Japan is not going anyway. You can always reapply and likely get shortlisted the next time, if not another job abroad in Japan.
Literally nobody knows, but there are going to be people who drop out after a month or two, for sure.
The answer to this is **how likely is it that one of the JETs will freak out shortly before leaving or shortly after arriving in Japan**?
Seeing as that depends on a whole lot of individuals I – you – no one outside of CLAIR has any information on…
We don’t know?
I was a 2007 alternate. I was upgraded in May, and got placed during normal placement time. At this point, you can get upgraded if you’re near the top and someone backs out. There’s not a great way to know your chances unless you know how high up on the list you are.
I guess there aren’t really any upgrades happening at the moment because we are waiting for our placements. They are coming out soon (hopefully by the end of next week?) so there will be a wave of upgrades when that happens. Good luck to you!
knowbody nose
i suppose larger consulates have a higher percentage of people dropping off, if you didn’t do absolutely terrible on your interview and you’re from a place like LA with hundreds of JETs someone’s bound to drop out due to extenuating circumstances and you’ll get upgraded in~
( i was like this, upgraded mid may 2019). right now there should be some people declining cause they got other jobs etc but once people get placed maybe they’ll be even more! and don’t forget you can get upgraded at any time throughout the year ( i remember we got someone upgraded in my pref in like october ). so i wouldn’t have your hopes too down!
Well, you either get upgraded, or you dont. So about 50/50
Not trying to get your hopes up (but hoping this will help you be cautiously optimistic), but the social media groups I’m a part of are filled with people asking questions about breaking contract. So there are probably still going to be people who are dropping out until the new school year starts.
I myself decided a month or so ago to not re-contract (I signed an intent to recontract–not the actual papers). I wouldn’t put your life on hold, but I would also make sure you are ready at the drop of a hat if anything happens. 🙂
I understand the waiting can make you feel absolutely crazy, but if you don’t get in this year, take that as a blessing in disguise. Japan is *just* starting to open back up in some areas of the country, so now may not be the most opportune or enjoyable time to be here. Trust me (2019 JET here…)
If you show how determined you are by going to meetings and participating in them then that helps. Also, a lot of people mention breaking contracts all the time, don’t give up.
I would say your chances of being upgraded are still quite realistic. We’re still in the midst of a pandemic, with Japan remaining a bit hesitant on opening up. If there are delays in the departure dates like there were for previous groups, some people may drop for various reasons.
Once people come to Japan, they will likely go through a rollercoaster of emotions to begin with. Depending on how well they can manage culture shock, their placements, etc., some may choose to return back to their home country early.
Moreover, you have other JETs that are already in Japan that may need to leave for various reasons whether it’s for their wellbeing, family reasons, etc.
It’s a very real possibility for you to get upgraded, and that’s why alternates exist. Not all alternates get upgraded, but not all shortlisted people decide to go/stay in Japan.
In the meantime, take a good luck at all your options. There are other programs that exist if you really want to come to Japan. Or if you’re interested in Korea, there’s also EPIK.
Either way, try to remain positive and be open to other opportunities. JET is definitely not the be-all and end-all. Good luck!