Housing and Residence Life

Residence Life Application

Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for your interest in an RA or SLA position. We hope this answers most of the questions you might have about the selection and post-selection process.

If you have a question that is not answered on the Frequently Asked Questions page, please send it to hrl@pepperdine.edu and we will answer it as soon as possible. We try to reply to all inquiries within 24-hours.

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Requirements & Eligibility

Is there a GPA requirement?
Yes. Applicants need to have a cumulative 2.5 GPA at the time of their application and selection, and are required to maintain a 2.5 for the duration of their service.

Are there any leadership positions that an RA or SLA cannot have?
HRL encourages student staff to be involved in other areas and recognizes co-curricular involvement as one characteristic of an effective role model. However, we are also committed to selecting students who will place their HRL position as their first co-curricular priority and will be able to dedicate significant amounts of time to their residents for the duration of their leadership. Consequently, we do consider that the following leadership positions incompatible with our position:

For RAs:

For SLAs:

An Exemption Request Form must be submitted in the spring semester prior to their service in order for students to be considered for exemption from any of the eligibility requirements. Should a position be offered, an exemption request will need to be submitted for committee review and approval (committee may be comprised of the following persons: HRL staff, current RA/SLAs, Seaver faculty, and other Student Affairs staff).

There is no need to submit an exemption request prior to your selection, however we do request that you disclose any additional commitments you anticipate having in your application/interview and describe how you see yourself balancing all of your commitments with the addition of an RA or SLA role.

The following positions represent a potential conflict with the RA and SLA position. If you are considering being involved in one of these areas, you will need to identify these commitments in the portion of the application related to "Commitments." Candidates should also be prepared to answer questions about the commitment in your interview.

During the school year, Housing and Residence Life expects RAs and SLAs to confer with their supervisor and go through the exemption process before accepting any additional responsibilities.

If I've been written up, can I still apply?
Yes. We are interested in hiring good role models, but we don't expect perfection. We recommend addressing the specific situation in your interview and talking about it directly. Students who are currently under judicial sanction or are not in good standing with the university my not apply.

If I can't attend an open house, can I still apply?
Yes. We reccomend that you attend an open house to learn more about the selection process, but attendance is not required to apply for a position.

Position Information

Can I apply for more than one position?
Yes and No.

  • You may NOT apply for both an RA and an SLA position in the same term.
  • You may apply for both Malibu Summer RA and Malibu Fall/Spring RA or SLA positions, because these are in two different terms.
  • Additionally, you may apply for both a Malibu Summer RA and an IPRA position or a Summer IPRA position and a Malibu Fall/Spring RA position.

Note: If you are applying for a Malibu and an IPRA position, you will need to submit an application for each position and also do a separate interview for each position (Malibu RA positions are coordinated through HRL; IPRA positions are coordinated through International Programs).

If you are applying for both Summer and Fall/Spring RA positions in Malibu, you need to submit an application for each position, but only need to do one interview.

Candidates wanting to apply to serve as an RA for International Programs should contact the International Programs office.

I'm currently in an IP program and want to apply to be an RA or SLA. What do I need to do?

  1. Fill out an application and secure your recommendations by the deadlines listed.
  2. Interviews will be conducted via Skype. Contact your program director for sign-ups.

Can I apply for a position for only one semester?
No. HRL student leader positions are for the duration of the entire academic year.

What if I would like to change a preference or the kind of position I am applying for after I have already turned in my application?
If you decide to apply for SLA after you submitted an application for RA, or vice versa, please email hrl@pepperdine.edu and withdraw your previous application. You will need to submit a new application for the appropriate position because the essay questions and references requested are different.

You will also have the opportunity to confirm the position you are applying for at the beginning of your interview.

Can I apply for a Malibu RA position for one session of summer only?
You can apply for any of the following summer RA positions:

  • Session I only.
  • Sessions I and II.
  • Sessions I, II, and III.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Are there different scholarships for different positions?
Yes. Both positions will receive a scholarship covering the cost of their room.  RAs will also receive a free meal plan.

Will being a student leader impact my financial aid?
It might. It's very important that you check with the Financial Aid Office to explore whether or not your financial aid will be impacted by any financial award you receive for your service.

Recommendations

Do I turn in my recommendations myself or have the person recommending me turn it in?
Recommendation forms will be automatically sent to your recommenders via e-mail. It is critical that the e-mail addresses you fill in for your recommenders are accurate, or they will not receive the recommendation form. The recommender will then submit the recommendation online. You are responsible for following up with your recommenders to confirm that they have submitted their comments.

What kinds of professional recommendations qualify?

  • Malibu Candidates:
    1. Faculty/professional staff: A member of the Pepperrdine faculty or staff who knows you well.  
    2. Current or former RA/SLA (if applying from Malibu): An RA or SLA who knowws you well from this year or a previous year.
      1. IP Candidates applying to be a RA or SLA:
        Instead of getting a recommendation ffrom a RA or SLA, you will be required to get a recommendation from tthe program director or faculty family.  This is separate from your faculty/professional staff recommendation.
    3. Christian Spiritual Leader: a minister, pastor, or Christian leader, from home or from the local area, who can speak to your spiritual growth and your involvement in the life of the church.

Are recommendations due the same time as the application?
Yes.

How will I know if all of my recommendations are in?
You can contact your recommenders directly to confirm that your recommendations have been submitted or you can email hrl@pepperdine.edu. You will also be told at your interview if any part of your application is incomplete.

Any tips on asking someone to recommend me?

  • Read all of the recommendation forms (they are different for each type of person recommending you); only ask individuals who could comment on the questions being asked.
  • Give them as much time as possible! (A weeks' advance notice at least.)
  • Confirm with them a few days before the deadline.
  • Send a "thank you" afterward. You may want to use them as a reference again.

Application

Where do I turn in my application?
Only online applications will be accepted. The online application will be shut down after 11:59 pm on January 11th. Due to the high number of applicants, we are unable to consider applications that are submitted after this time.

How will I know my application is complete?
Only applications completed by January 11th at 11:59 pm will be considered. Complete applications contain the following elements:

  • Submission of online application.
  • Submission of all essay questions.
  • Submission of 3 recommendations online.

If I applied in a previous year and didn't get accepted, is it worthwhile to even apply again?
Yes. Each application year and candidate pool are considered independently from previous years. We encourage candidates to consider reapplying if they are still interested in the position.

Any tips on filling out the application?

  • Draft your response to the essay questions thoughtfully. They are an opportunity to clearly articulate your thoughts without the nervousness of being in an interview.
  • Ask someone to proof-read your essays. Poor grammar and spelling distract the reader and lower your credibility.
  • Write out your essay questions in a Word document and then copy and paste it into the application online. This way, if something goes wrong with your submission, you don't have to write them from scratch.

Interview

Please see Interview Tips for more information.

Where do I need to go for my Interview?
Interviews will be held in the Housing and Residence Life office. Punctuality is appreciated.

How should I dress for the Interview?
Be comfortable but appropriate. Remember you are aiming to make a good impression.

I'm currently in an IP program and would like to apply from abroad. How will I do an Interview?
You will participate in an interview via Skpe.

What do I do if I realized that I signed up for an interview time that I cannot make or what if I missed my interview?
Please do what you can to select an Interview time that will not conflict with your schedule. In the case of an unavoidable emergency, you may email hrl@peppedine.edu and explain the circumstances. There are no guarantees that we will be able to accommodate changes in the schedule.

Missing your scheduled interview time will impact your candidacy.

What if I have another position or commitment that will prevent me from being able to be a part of training and new student orientation?
Training is required for all of our positions, so we cannot consider applicants that have a conflict with these times. For Malibu Fall/Spring RA and SLAs, this includes Fall August Training/NSO, and Spring January Training.

Post Interview

How long after I've been offered a position will I have before I have to accept?
This information will be communicated in your offer letter.

If I am not selected and someone drops out of a position or declines a position, will I still be considered for it?
Our practice is to send offers of alternate positions out to students we are not able to select but who we would like to select if a position becomes available. Being offered an alternate position is a good thing in that we often do hire these candidates over the course of the summer.

We will send offers for alternate positions with the notification letters.

If I'm offered an alternate position, should I accept it?
We intentionally select alternates every year for both RA and SLA positions, so we strongly advise that you accept it. You can always withdraw your acceptance at a later time.

Will I have an opportunity to communicate my preference for roommate/apartment-mates?
Yes - if you are offered a position, you will be able to specify with whom you would like to live on your Housing Contract. If you do not specify someone, the Housing Office will assign someone to your room.

Will notifications come out before Housing makes assignments for next year?
Yes. You will know whether or not you have been offered a position before the assignments process begins.

Finally, there are several key pieces of follow-up that RAs will be expected to respond to in a reasonable amount of time in order to remain in good standing.Over summer, both SLAs and RAs will be required to check their Pepperdine e-mail account at least once every two weeks.

Applicants from International Programs

Are students who apply from international programs at a disadvantage?
No. Candidates interviewing form overseas have an equal opportunity as those applying form the Malibu Campus.

If I have questions about the selection process, whom should I contact?
You can e-mail us at hrl@pepperdine.edu. During the selection season, we check that inbox daily.