RA Application Process

Thank you for your interest in joining our student staff! Resident Assistants are the premier leadership and employment opportunity on-campus that allows you to work where you live, utilize flexible hours, take advantage of Cornell’s behind-the-scenes opportunities, and meet more people than ever.

Complete all four steps to be eligible for employment

Step 1: Review the Resident Assistant job description and the list of pertinent dates

Step 2: Attend one mandatory information session

Step 3: Complete your application by midnight on Friday, October 17, 2025. The application consists of:

1. RA Application Form
2. GPA check and Cornell College conduct authorization form
3. One RA Applicant Reference Form

All three must be completed to have a qualifying application. If you are missing one of the these forms, your application will be disqualified.

Step 4: First-time applicants

1. Sign up for a group interview (required).
2. All applicants will be evaluated during the group interview, and applicants with a satisfactory interview will be invited to participate in an individual interview.

Step 4: Returning applicants

1. Schedule one (1) interview: sign up for your returning RA applicant interview.
   
2. Add your interview date to your personal calendar.

 Optional:

1. Review your cover letter and resume with the staff at the Berry Career Institute.
2. Discuss any financial impact the job may have with the staff in Financial Aid.
3. Review the interview questions

Mandatory information session options

All individuals interested in the RA position must attend one of the following information sessions to ensure you understand the nature of the job and to answer any questions you may have. Attendance is taken.

Information session times and locations

• Tuesday, September 23, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Hedges in TC)
• Wednesday, October 1, 3:30-4:30 p.m. (Hedges in TC)
• Thursday, October 9, 3:30-4:30 p.m. (Russell in TC)
• Monday, October 13, 3:30-4:30 p.m. (Hedges in TC)
• Friday, October 17, 11:30am-12:30 p.m. (Russell in TC)

If you are unable to attend one of these sessions, please email Jessi Bee for alternatives.

Scheduled individual interviews

New applicants will be evaluated by their performance in the group process. If their performance is satisfactory, they will be invited to participate in an individual interview. Individual interviews for new applicants will take place December 1-5 and December 8-12, 2025.

Applicants will receive an email whether or not they have moved on to individual interviews. If an applicant is invited to move forward in the process, the email will contain a sign up link.

Applicant notifications of decision

All eligible applicants will be notified whether hired, wait listed, or removed from the applicant pool on:

• Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 by 5 p.m.

Applicant acceptance of offer

Applicants who receive an offer must notify the office of their acceptance by:

• Friday, January 30th, 2026 by 4:30 p.m.

For any questions regarding the 2026-2027 RA Selection process, please contact Jessi Bee. 

Spring pre-training

Hired Resident Assistants are pre-trained in the spring to prepare for the fall semester. Please mark these trainings on your calendar.

1. New staff meet and greet: date and location to be announced.
2. Student leadership summit: dates to be announced.

Optional resume and cover letter help

We encourage you to visit the Berry Career Institute for help in creating your resume or help in writing your cover letter. We also encourage you to visit the Writing Studio for help in refining your cover letter. Your cover letter should address why you are interested, what you can bring to the position.

Optional interview skills help

We encourage you to visit the Berry Career Institute for help in preparing for your individual interview.

Optional review of financial assistance

The resident assistant position can impact a student's financial assistance. The impact, if any, of this position depends on several factors.

Students interested in the RA position are encouraged to contact the Financial Assistance staff to discuss their specific situation. It is important to note that the Financial Assistance staff can only offer projections about likely impact, if any, on the student's financial assistance but cannot provide definitive information until the student has reapplied for financial aid. As such, students interested in the RA position are encouraged to reapply for financial aid as soon as possible. Need to know how the process to reapply for financial aid works? 

Please note: Students receiving full funding from other sources are not eligible to receive the room credit but can receive the RA credit. If a student receives gift assistance that results in an overpayment of direct charges for any academic year, Cornell reserves the right to reduce the amount of any Cornell gift aid by the amount of the overpayment.