ALT advice?

Thanks for clicking this question :)
I need advise from someone who is/was an ALT in Japan. The thing is I'm only going to be a freshman in college this fall taking Bio Major and Psych Minor. From what I read you need to have a bachelor's degree to be considered as an applicant for programs like JET. I really want to apply for the JET program after I finish my Bachelor's but I fear that if I take year off it might lessen my chances of getting into med-school since I might forget the things i learned in college or that preparing for JET applications might take precedence over reviewing for MCATs. Im equally passionate about going to med-school and doing the JET program that I need advice before setting my mind on one thing. I know I'm only a freshie and I might change my mind but I want to be able experience other cultures most especially Japanese culture before focusing on a career I want to do for the rest of my life. So I hope you will will share your experiences with me Thank you so much for taking your time and reading my post!!! Any advice you give will help a lot :)

Don't most people write their MCATs in their 2nd or 3rd year of University? If you manage to pass the MCATs, you could probably defer med school for a year to do JET.

Thank you! I guess in order to convince my parents about this I have to do really do well to get accepted to a medical school and ask for a deferal...I hope it works out that way (cross-fingers!) Anyways, how long does the JET application process generally take?

Applications are due at the end of November, and you are notified in May if you are accepted.

Btw, have you considered doing a semester or year abroad instead of teaching? It will be a similar experience, and may not disrupt your studies.

I would love to do an exchange program but I'm in student government in my school so I can't just leave. Also teaching English seem more interesting to me since not only can I save up for graduate school but I get to interact with students too. So what are the basic qualifications for the JET program?

Be a native english speaker and hold a bachelor's degree (or be on track to receive your bachelor's by the departure date). Teaching experience is a bonus but not required.

Be a native english speaker
-so that means that English needs to be my first language right? The thing is, although I
am born here in the US, my first language is Tagalog (Filipino). As of now I've been living here in the US for the past 7 years now. When it comes to fluency I'm on a native speaker's level with a full grasp of the English grammar. Would it be an issue if I was once considered an ESL student?

If you are a non-native speaker of English, I believe you need to be able to show that you received your education IN English (12 years or so, from elementary school to high school, or college).

If you are a non-native speaker of English, I believe you need to be able to show that you received your education IN English (12 years or so, from elementary school to high school, or college).
So 12 years is the minimum? So I guess it will be an issue for me since my family migrated here in US when I was in 7th grade.So counting 4 years of HS and 4 years in college that will only be 10 years. Well better knowing that now than later, thanks! ( but there are exceptions right?)

Keep in mind that you're not necessarily excluded because you didn't have 12 full years of education. You will have to demonstrate your fluency though, which is part of what the interview process is for.

As a current English teacher, I would recommend not WASTING a year of your life in as a JET/ALT in Japan. If you do happen to get selected, you are 99% likely to get place in the country side/Inaka, as interesting and unique as it sounds it is not. I would highly recommend going to med school if you get in, and work.(if you do not get into med school yea come over here) In no time you will be able to afford to come to Japan and stay for a year if you want to without working and experience real Japan, going where ever you choose like Tokyo/Osaka. Google working in Japan, all the negative things you read are true. The job of an ALT/JET is for those that get liberal art degrees and have no other job prospects, do you want to be surrounded by foreigners who had no other hope for jobs and whinge all day for a whole year?

IMO, I feel that it all depends on the person if inaka would work for a person or not since ESID (every situation is different). I'm technically in an "inaka" setting. I can get to everything I want/need and both Yonezawa-shi and Yamagata-shi aren't too far away from me so I can head up there on weekends.

I was an ALT in Yamagata-shi from 2010 - 2011. The work was easy, imo, but a bit frustrating at times. I work at an eikaiwa now and came back earlier this year. It's a bit more fulfilling, but more work involved. I wrote a list of pros/cons, and if you're interested, just let me know.

To packnsave: thank you for your advice. The very reason I posted this question in this forum is to know if this plan is worth the risk. Of course as of now nothing is written in stone yet but I like exploring my options. I like the idea of being able to work in Japan as I live there but as a doctor I know its quite difficult to do that. I agree with you that it could be just a waste of time and effort but then again it could also be worth it. Thanks :)

To SSJ Sup81: Thanks for posting! I would like to see that list. Please and thank you!

The very reason I posted this question in this forum is to know if this plan is worth the risk.

What would make it worth it to you?


I like the idea of being able to work in Japan as I live there but as a doctor I know its quite difficult to do that.

You live here already?

I never suggested working as a doctor here, I said you will be able to live here for a year as you intended without the need to work, if you become a Doctor. That way you will be able to spend the entire doing what you want and be able to afford things you would not as an ALT.


I agree with you that it could be just a waste of time and effort but then again it could also be worth it. Thanks :)

Your welcome, it is just an opinion, as I asked what would make it worth it in your opinion?

I will list what will make it a waste of time;

you do not actually teach English, you will learn this once you come to Japan and find basically a very very minor proportion of the Japanese population have the ability to converse in English, and the ones that can did not learn any of it from an ALT/JET whilst at school.

You will most likely be placed in the inaka, not living in real Japan as you would envision learn about on TV etc, Tokyo is the Japan you want to experience.

You will not get any say in how classes are to be taught, you will have "great" ideas on how to help the kids learn English, your JTE will stop you in your tracks.

You will find a lot of things are very backward in this country so much red tape surrounds EVERYTHING.

PLEASE do not forget we just experienced a MAJOR NUCLEAR ACCIDENT. There is radiation in the food, a lot of stores are still selling RADIATION CONTAMINATED FOOD. There was recently a cased where a butcher was caught mislabelling meat on purpose, his excuse, if is stated where it came from no one would by it! The government is doing very little to stop these practices and due to Japanese culture they would rather deal with the problem in the future when millions of cases of radiation poisoning come to light and just apologise, as is the JAPANESE WAY.

If you still insist on coming, good luck.

You will most likely be placed in the inaka, not living in real Japan as you would envision learn about on TV etc, Tokyo is the Japan you want to experience.

Many would say, myself included, that the inaka IS the real Japan. While Tokyo, on the other hand, is the outlier as its just a tiny part of and not representative of the majority of the country.

Btw, I'd have to say that Packnsave has a very pessimistic view of english teaching in Japan that contrasts quite a bit from my experience. I was a JET ALT for three years and posted in an area that would be considered inaka, and I liked it enough that I'm still here. Of course everyone's experience is different and the job can be as good or as bad as you make it. A lot depends on your attitude toward the situation.

That said, I think it may be better for your career if you don't go to Japan to teach for a year. Like I said before, a semester abroad would be a more desirable option and still probably doable even with your student government obligations. Or just consider spending the summer between undergrad and med school travelling through Japan.

you do not actually teach English, you will learn this once you come to Japan and find basically a very very minor proportion of the Japanese population have the ability to converse in English, and the ones that can did not learn any of it from an ALT/JET whilst at school.

Like many, you overestimate your role as an ALT. You are not there to teach English, that's the JTE's job. You are their to assist and become a goodwill ambassador between your country and Japan. Btw, I think Japanese come out of school with a similar fluency in english as students in the US who take foreign languages, i.e. essentially none except for those who took a special interest in the language.

You will most likely be placed in the inaka, not living in real Japan as you would envision learn about on TV etc, Tokyo is the Japan you want to experience.

Japan as portrayed on TV is not the real Japan. Tokyo is not the be all end all for most people. But if you long to live in Tokyo, than the ALT job is probably not for you.

You will not get any say in how classes are to be taught, you will have "great" ideas on how to help the kids learn English, your JTE will stop you in your tracks.

ESID, I know plenty of Jets who teach their own classes with their own lesson plans. Perhaps you need to work on your relationship with your jte.

You will find a lot of things are very backward in this country so much red tape surrounds EVERYTHING.

I agree. There is lots of red tape in Japan. Just like with other countries. Learning to deal with red tape is a part of life.

PLEASE do not forget we just experienced a MAJOR NUCLEAR ACCIDENT. There is radiation in the food, a lot of stores are still selling RADIATION CONTAMINATED FOOD.

Lets not get too sensational here. There are legal limits to what can be sold. Food that is found to be above these limits is not sold.

There was recently a cased where a butcher was caught mislabelling meat on purpose, his excuse, if is stated where it came from no one would by it! The government is doing very little to stop these practices and due to Japanese culture they would rather deal with the problem in the future when millions of cases of radiation poisoning come to light and just apologise, as is the JAPANESE WAY.

So shutting down and prosecuting the butcher was not the goverment's way of stopping these practices? And publishing the story in the mass media was the Japanese way of dealing with it in the future? You'll need better examples than that (preferably that don't contradict the point you are trying to make).

packnsave's experience sounds like a young hot shot teacher who wanted to run things his way rather than cooperate and partner up with the teacher he was paired with

i don't teach anymore but i have taught junior high and high school students with dozens if not hundreds of different teachers and never had a problem. if i did have an issue with a japanese teacher's lesson or their english i tactfully addressed it during the lesson plan BEFORE going in front of the students.

a little politeness goes a long way.. being an ALT can be a LOT of fun especially if you are a good teacher - it's extremely rewarding to see unmotivated young teens or high school students get excited and happy to see you when you walk in the room.

To all who posted advice here, thank you very much! Whether it's a pessimistic or an optimistic point of view of ALT life in Japan, I do appreciate it :)

I know the feeling too of living in a foreign country and it's pros and cons. But in my short experience, whether it was good or bad, to me it's all worth it so I think going to Japan will be the same. I know that I'm idealistic and I'm young so the responses in my question really did make me realize if my plan is realistic or not. As I said nothing is written in stone yet but I like exploring my options. Despite some pessimistic replies I still won't change my plan to work and live in Japan, to be an ALT or something else, time will tell. I mean I haven't even started college yet! That said, having read all this replies made me surer that I do want to live in Japan someday!

Matane!