Skip to Navigation | Skip to Content

What will the curriculum look like for the RALI class? Are there tests and exams or letter grades to pass?

RALI includes a balance of leadership skills and information about the University and the RA position itself.  Candidates in RALI will be responsible for completing in-class activities as well as homework after each RALI module.  While there are no grades or academic credit, your participation will be evaluated by the facilitation team.

Does the same facilitator lead all the RALI sessions?

Each RALI section will have four professional staff members facilitating as well as RA facilitators.  This will ensure you have contact with a variety of staff members from Residential Life.

Do we have to schedule around the RALI sections?

We trust that, by the time you submit your on-line  application, you will have already scheduled your courses and will choose a RALI section that fits within your academic schedule.  You will be able to modify your section preferences until the application deadline.

Around what time do we register for the RALI sections?

This will be done at the time of application submission.  You will have numerous choices of days and times and will be asked to select all of which fit around your academic schedule.  Because of the number of applicants, we cannot take into account candidates’ non-academic commitments.

What kind of references are you looking for?

We look to references to tell us about the things we won’t see on your application profile or in RALI.  We want to hear from people who can speak about your work ethic, your ability to empathize and work well with other people, your organization and your follow-through.  In short, we want a reference to assure us that you’re the type of person who can and will handle the responsibilities of being an RA.

Can candidates use current RAs as a reference?

Yes, they can, but professors, deans and work supervisors are preferable.  Keep in mind that, from a professional standpoint, it is generally not a best practice to ask relatives or personal friends to serve as references.  It is also appropriate to ask a reference’s permission before listing them as such.

How do you contact the references that I submit?

We may choose to contact your reference.  If we do so, they will receive an e-mail from us asking a few key questions.  Their responses will become part of your application portfolio.  To serve as a reference, they must have e-mail and Internet access.  We do not accept hard copies of reference letters.

Is there any sort of selection process after the application is submitted, but before RALI begins? Does everyone who submits and application automatically gets to be a part of the classes?

We do not have a hard and fast rule on this.  Each year, we have to wait and see how many applications we receive before we decide whether we will have to do “paper cuts” to make the applicant pool more manageable.  We will, however, cut a candidate if they submit an application without meeting our minimum requirements.

Is there a character limit on the papers we submit during RALI on the web site?

Yes, for most of the text boxes on the site there is a 3000 character limit. You’ll receive an error message if you go over.