Anyone volunteering for Yellow Shirt this year? (2 Viewers)

[littlesev]

Hi guys. I applied for this year's Yellow Shirt and I'm going to the 2nd selection this Saturday. Do you know what kind of activities and interview they have? cuz it's supposed to last four and a half hours. . .

I really don't know what to expect, so I'm glad I found this board

 

[Dumsum]

I'd do it if being an Arc member wasn't a requirement.*








*if it's not, then I'm a complete arse, sorry; I must have confused myself.

 

[littlesev]

I'd do it if being an Arc member wasn't a requirement.*








*if it's not, then I'm a complete arse, sorry; I must have confused myself.

No you're right. It is a requirement, but only if you get accepted, and you can either choose to join for 2009 or 2010. I didn't think I would even pass the 1st selection, so I didn't think it through, lol.

 

[tallkid34]

Hi guys. I applied for this year's Yellow Shirt and I'm going to the 2nd selection this Saturday. Do you know what kind of activities and interview they have? cuz it's supposed to last four and a half hours. . .

I really don't know what to expect, so I'm glad I found this board

I applied for YS back in 07 (and succeeded). I failed to get in last year though (although having to hear about how miserable it was from my gf didn't make me feel as bad in not getting in).

Anyway, here's how it happens.

You'll do a personality test, a group interview and a team building exercise, not in any specific order though.

The personality test is straightforward. It's just a piece of paper you fill in saying what sort of person you'd be in a group (leader, thinker, etc.). It's basically to help the Squad Leaders and Organising Team (SLOT) in placing you in a group if you're successful.

The group interview is also pretty straightfoward. SLOT asks you some questions and you have a discussion with whoever else is in your group. They'll ask you why you want to do YS, some hypothetical situations and how you'll respond and some other crap.

The team building exercise is basically a chance for you to show SLOT how you'd work in a group. It'll probably consist of building something or doing an activity that requires all members to work together (obviously). Just get involved and make it look like you're doing something productive or better yet, being a leader.

That's how its been for the last 2 years that I've done it but for all I know, it could change though I highly doubt it.

I've got no real advice on how you should act in the 2nd selection round. It's a mixed bag when it comes to who gets in based on whether or not SLOT finds you suitable for being a YS. From what I remember, half the people who apply get cut so a lot of people who seem suitable (friendly, outgoing) don't get in and get passed over for some complete social retards. This is not an understatement. Some spastics will always get picked but its part of the YS experience. YS is really diverse in terms of people so if you make it, you'll be under a squad leader with probably a mix of returning shirts and first-timers. If you don't make it, you'll probably feel disappointed and be left wondering where you went wrong. From my previous experience, some people always seem likely to get picked and others try more than once and usually fail each time. As for me, I probably didn't get in the 2nd time because my heart wasnt in it.

Whether or not you'll have fun in YS really depends on who is your squad leader and who is in your group. If your squad leader is a dickhead or an over-hyped retard and you don't consider yourself likewise, it'll have an effect on your time before and during O-week. It also doesn't help if you get stuck in a group of the same social retards I mentioned before. Then again, you could have an awesome squad leader and good group of people like I did and have a great time (I also met my gf in YS as well).

Enjoy this post. It was probably the info you were looking for.

 

[LordPc]

wow, you have to re apply every year?

seems terribly inefficient

 

[littlesev]

Enjoy this post. It was probably the info you were looking for.

Thanks, it was. You're a lifesaver! Phew, I was prepared to face a nerve-wrecking one-on-one interview, but now the selection process doesn't sound half bad.

I basically applied for YS to meet more people and do something else in the uni other than classes - I want to work part-time in the library too, but not sure if students can do that here *shrugs* Anyways if I don't make it, i'll survive.

social retards. . . you mean, people who aren't outgoing and stuff? 'cause that would include me

 

[tallkid34]

Thanks, it was. You're a lifesaver! Phew, I was prepared to face a nerve-wrecking one-on-one interview, but now the selection process doesn't sound half bad.

I basically applied for YS to meet more people and do something else in the uni other than classes - I want to work part-time in the library too, but not sure if students can do that here *shrugs* Anyways if I don't make it, i'll survive.

social retards. . . you mean, people who aren't outgoing and stuff? 'cause that would include me

I applied for YS my first time for the same reasons.

As for social retards, if you make it through and get picked, you'll eventually see for yourself.

 

[wrong_turn]

hey corey, i did the second round interview with you for your first time. i helped you

but all in all its not terribly difficult.

 

[tallkid34]

hey corey, i did the second round interview with you for your first time. i helped you

but all in all its not terribly difficult.

Yeah, I remember. You were in my group interview. And we were wearing the exact same jacket as well on that day too.

 

[cs01001]

So I missed out on applying this year... Might be interested in applying next year

What do they ask you on your initial online application?
Do you ask for your WAM, extra cirricular activities, school achievemnt, UAI etc?

 

[tallkid34]

So I missed out on applying this year... Might be interested in applying next year

What do they ask you on your initial online application?
Do you ask for your WAM, extra cirricular activities, school achievemnt, UAI etc?

If the format hasn't changed from the last 2 years, its basically about your extra-curriculars and a few "why do you want to do YS" questions. Very straightforward.

They don't care about your WAM or UAI.

 

[SFinspired]

Well, after my failed application, the coordinator wrote up an overview of what they were looking for. This is a copy of the email that was sent to me.
The questions were as follows:

1. Why do you want to be a Yellow Shirt?
This question was mostly for our reference and to flag any applicantswith weird motivations (eg, that the program is for picking up orgetting drunk all the time). Hardly anyone gave a bad answer to thisquestion, though.

2. Yellow Shirts take responsibility for a number of tasks, such astaking tours, running events and managing the logistics of O-Week. Tell us about a time that you have demonstrated responsibility anddedication in completing a given task. Here we were looking for examples specifically relating toresponsibility and dedication.
A number of people gave very goodanswers that showed other things - flexibility, time management,kindness, teamwork, etc - but didn't actually indicate muchresponsibility or dedication. Many applications also described asituation without explaining why that situation demonstratedresponsibility or dedication.

3. Yellow Shirts work in small teams for most of O-Week. What do youthink makes a poor team member? Can you identify any of thesecharacteristics in yourself, and if so, how will you overcome them?

This was the question that most people had trouble with. The firstpart (characteristics of a poor team member) was an opportunity toexplore multiple areas, however many applications only described oneor two characteristics without going into much detail about them. The second part was an opportunity to reflect and identify areas forgrowth. Many applicants wrote that they didn't have anycharacteristics that could make them a poor team member. We werelooking for a willingness to learn, and there are very few perfectteam members (although we would have accepted the possibility ifprovided with a convincing explanation)

4. Yellow Shirts communicate with a diverse community of new students. What possible barriers are there in communicating with them?

The goal of this question was to find out how well the candidate understood communication. The best answers to this question listed
multiple distinct barriers and addressed ways to overcome them. Poorer applications addressed only one or two, or listed several barriers
without making much effort to explain them.

5. This is a scenario question. You are running a tour during O-Week with your tour partner and have just finished your stop outside FM
Assist. Because the line is short, a small group of friends on the tour ask if they can stop and get their ID cards. The rest of the tour
wants to keep going. What do you do? (you can give multiple alternatives)

This was another question that many applicants had trouble with. Here we were looking for your ability to find and solve problems. Many
applications only listed one alternative, satisfying either the group of friends or the rest of the tour. Better applications provided
options that allowed the group to split up, or somehow incorporated the ID cards into the tour. Better still were applications that
analysed possible problems in their alternative solutions and indicated a preference.

I'm a little surprised I didnt get into at least the selection process. I think I gave a lot of thought into the answers I given. Wrote some pretty good material. Meh. Ghey.

 

[littlesev]

^ Going into details and providing various alternatives - sound like they want people to do an essay on this, lol. If they want people to give longer & comprehensive answer, they should provide larger answer boxes on the site. js

 

[veloc1ty]

Yup, I hope to get through the group selection process. Should be fun.

 

[tallkid34]

Well, after my failed application, the coordinator wrote up an overview of what they were looking for. This is a copy of the email that was sent to me.
The questions were as follows:

1. Why do you want to be a Yellow Shirt?
This question was mostly for our reference and to flag any applicantswith weird motivations (eg, that the program is for picking up orgetting drunk all the time). Hardly anyone gave a bad answer to thisquestion, though.

2. Yellow Shirts take responsibility for a number of tasks, such astaking tours, running events and managing the logistics of O-Week. Tell us about a time that you have demonstrated responsibility anddedication in completing a given task. Here we were looking for examples specifically relating toresponsibility and dedication.
A number of people gave very goodanswers that showed other things - flexibility, time management,kindness, teamwork, etc - but didn't actually indicate muchresponsibility or dedication. Many applications also described asituation without explaining why that situation demonstratedresponsibility or dedication.

3. Yellow Shirts work in small teams for most of O-Week. What do youthink makes a poor team member? Can you identify any of thesecharacteristics in yourself, and if so, how will you overcome them?

This was the question that most people had trouble with. The firstpart (characteristics of a poor team member) was an opportunity toexplore multiple areas, however many applications only described oneor two characteristics without going into much detail about them. The second part was an opportunity to reflect and identify areas forgrowth. Many applicants wrote that they didn't have anycharacteristics that could make them a poor team member. We werelooking for a willingness to learn, and there are very few perfectteam members (although we would have accepted the possibility ifprovided with a convincing explanation)

4. Yellow Shirts communicate with a diverse community of new students. What possible barriers are there in communicating with them?

The goal of this question was to find out how well the candidate understood communication. The best answers to this question listed
multiple distinct barriers and addressed ways to overcome them. Poorer applications addressed only one or two, or listed several barriers
without making much effort to explain them.

5. This is a scenario question. You are running a tour during O-Week with your tour partner and have just finished your stop outside FM
Assist. Because the line is short, a small group of friends on the tour ask if they can stop and get their ID cards. The rest of the tour
wants to keep going. What do you do? (you can give multiple alternatives)

This was another question that many applicants had trouble with. Here we were looking for your ability to find and solve problems. Many
applications only listed one alternative, satisfying either the group of friends or the rest of the tour. Better applications provided
options that allowed the group to split up, or somehow incorporated the ID cards into the tour. Better still were applications that
analysed possible problems in their alternative solutions and indicated a preference.

I'm a little surprised I didnt get into at least the selection process. I think I gave a lot of thought into the answers I given. Wrote some pretty good material. Meh. Ghey.

What a load of shit... All this for a written application. I have to admit, its a bit too much for just a piece of paper. This is the sort of stuff that they should review during the 2nd selection round.

I sympathise with you now, SF. If they sent me this email after I failed to get in, I'd be fucking pissed off because it'd seem like a reminder as to why I am not good enough for their little club.

I was going to post up my rejection email from last year but then I remembered I deleted it in frustration and disappointment 5 minutes after I received it.

I've got mixed feelings over the YS program now. It's given me a lot and then it annoys me at the same time.

 

[hero.]

Sounds very elitist, but you will have to face this shit at some point once you try and get a full time job.

 

[lyounamu]

Is this available for first year only?

 

[SFinspired]

I dont think so.

 

[littlesev]

@tallkid34, my skill seems to cover only to BS-ing on paper. Ah well, looks like I have to wait for my rejection email this week

 

[cs01001]

If the format hasn't changed from the last 2 years, its basically about your extra-curriculars and a few "why do you want to do YS" questions. Very straightforward.

They don't care about your WAM or UAI.

Thanks tallkid!