For dorm residents, RAs contribute to fostering a friendly, open environment. The transition to college for students living away from home is made easier by RAs in their capacity as peer mentors. Rules-making, creating activities, and conflict resolution are all part of the job description.
Continue reading to discover more about what an RA does while they are in college and how to become one.
Table of Contents
What is a Resident Assistant?
The duties of a resident assistant (RA) in your college’s residence halls are numerous. Although RAs are college students as well, they are typically graduate or late-stage undergraduate students. Resident assistants organize social events, enforce school rules in the residence halls, and assist in mediating disputes between fellow residents.
RAs serve as the administration’s and the students’ voices on campus. They put a lot of effort into advocating for students and the college to make on-campus living successful. Thanks to resident assistants, many college students are drawn to living on campus because of how enjoyable it can be. For both residents and resident assistants, living in student housing can be a lot of fun. Being an RA is a huge responsibility because they have the power to make or break your experience living in a dorm.
Qualifications
- 12 credit hours completed by the end of Spring Term
- Minimum cumulate GPA of 2.5
- Two semester of on-campus living experience
- Good standing with the Student Affairs Office
What Does An RA Do?
RAs are responsible for a variety of tasks, such as ensuring that residents enjoy their living arrangements, upholding campus regulations, and organizing enjoyable events for the community.
Eases the Transition of Living Away from Home
Many back-to-school activities are managed by RAs. Newcomers can get to know one another using these icebreakers. These relationships can later provide an on-campus support system for students dealing with homesickness.
In their residence halls, RAs foster a sense of neighborhood. Door decorating contests, craft projects, and team-building exercises are possible activities. RAs can help first-year students transition to college by creating study groups and facilitating training on organization and time management.
RAs maintain communication with administrators in addition to fostering relationships on the floor. They might even serve as a conduit for dialogue between university administrators and students. RAs are knowledgeable about the campus and can help residents find resources and use them.
Mediates Conflicts Among Residents
Some first-year residents move in with friends or acquaintances, whereas others come to college not knowing anyone and have to find a roommate. Schools might conduct polls and make an effort to pair up students based on interests. Regardless of whether a roommate is a friend or a stranger, conflicts can arise.
Even though colleges make an effort to carefully match roommates, spending an entire academic year in a shared residence can be uncomfortable. Residents who play loud music may live down the hall from students. It’s possible for roommates to fight over shared items, chores, or different study methods.
RAs are essential in navigating and resolving disputes between roommates and floormates by employing the techniques and strategies they learned during their training. In order to avoid escalating the conflict, RAs must be able to facilitate honest and useful discussions among residents.
Promotes An Environment Conducive to Learning
RAs must uphold some regulations that are intended to support residents’ academic success. In order to give residents time to focus on their assignments, RAs may implement quiet hours or study hours. They may also share helpful study tips with new students.
RAs can guide students through the demands of college courses while also serving as academic role models for their residents. RAs may do this by creating an atmosphere where students can get their work done or by helping students form study groups.
While others might favor studying alone in a private setting. In these cases, RAs can share valuable resources and student services connections that students can utilize on their own. For example, RAs can help students find workshops on important life skills, like the best note-taking methods.
Leads Residential Activities
Making friends in college may seem daunting. Many students who move into dorms have roommates they have never met before and don’t know anyone. To assist residents in developing deep relationships with their peers, RAs organize a ton of activities throughout the year.
In order to allow residents to participate to their own comfort levels, RAs may design both active and passive getting-to-know-you activities. While passive pursuits like door decorating and interactive whiteboards fall under the category of events, active ones might include movie nights and game nights. RAs can also provide tutoring or study sessions.
Greater success in college may be experienced by students who are more active in their residence halls. These students may also feel less homesick. Additionally, they may feel more empowered to get involved on campus.
Creates An Inclusive Housing Environment
Students can interact with a diverse group of strangers by living in a dorm. Students relocating to campus housing can come from all over the nation and the world. All students bring their own unique backgrounds and experiences to a shared living space.
Experiencing new ideas and cultures is part of a well-rounded college experience, and there are many benefits to living on campus.
Living with people who hold different opinions can be rewarding, but there may also be difficulties. Students need assistance adjusting to living in a communal space while maintaining inclusivity, and RAs are a crucial part of this process.
Organizing frequent floor meetings is one way RAs help create a welcoming community. RAs can set expectations for the dorm and on campus by holding floor meetings. A time to address issues and give voice to all students can also be used at this point.
The goal of RAs should be to make all students feel welcome and secure in their dorms.
Enforces the Rules of the Residence Hall
Setting and enforcing clear rules is a crucial responsibility for RAs. Each college has expectations for students, and rules are created to maintain safety on campus. Rules may include no alcohol or other substances in the dorms, no open flames, and no pets.
Room checks are one way RAs put these regulations into effect. An RA or administrator may enter a dorm room to check for drugs or other rule violations during room checks. When on-campus students are caught breaking the rules, there are specific procedures that must be followed by each campus.
Nevertheless, some regulations, like the prohibition of alcohol in a student’s room, are typically unbreakable. Students who are caught participating in illegal activities may experience both on-campus repercussions and legal repercussions. Administrative action or even expulsion may be the result of persistent offenses.
How to Become An RA?
You have to apply to be an RA, just like for most jobs. The requirements for applying differ depending on the college. Some schools demand that you attend informational sessions first.
Along with submitting a formal application, you may be asked to submit references or write an essay. After submitting your application, you might need to attend a formal interview. RAs frequently have to uphold a minimum GPA and exhibit leadership potential.
You need to be able to manage your academic workload, plan events, and remain accessible to your residents at all times if you want to be a successful resident assistant in college. RAs ought to be able to settle disputes.
The Benefits of Being An RA
Here are some of the main advantages of working as a resident assistant in college.
Get Free Or Discounted Room and Board
The substantial housing discount is one of the most alluring benefits for students who want to become RAs. Many colleges offer free or heavily discounted room and board to RAs, sometimes even including cafeteria fare. According to the school, salaries can range from $3,000 to $10,000.
Take into account the fact that in 2018, the average room and board expense at a four-year public institution was $11,400. Becoming an RA might help you graduate with a lot less debt if you were planning to use student loans to pay for room and board.
Develop Leadership Experience
Learning to take charge of a situation with confidence and calm is cited by many RAs as the best aspect of their work. Assuming control as an RA entails acting swiftly and firmly on decisions. Being assertive becomes more natural the more you are forced to do it.
In the real world, that is a useful skill to possess. Whatever career path you choose, gaining leadership experience can speed up your advancement.
Have a Room to Yourself
RAs may receive a private dorm room from some colleges. This perk is incredibly helpful, especially for college students who desire more privacy but are unable to afford a single room. Beyond the improvement in quality of life, living alone can help you concentrate more intently on your studies and get a better night’s sleep.
Check the policy at your school before applying because not all schools give RAs their own room by default. If you want to live in a single room as an RA, some universities might charge a small fee.
Meet New People
An RA’s role extends beyond simple rule enforcement. Additionally, they assist residents with personal issues, plan events, and respond to inquiries about university life.
There are many opportunities to make friends and develop relationships because RAs are responsible for dozens of students. When you’re applying for an internship or job after college, meeting new people can help you expand your network.
Gain Valuable Job Experience
You could improve your resume by becoming an RA. Consider all the abilities an RA acquires, including leadership abilities, written and verbal communication skills, and crisis management. You can use each of these traits to your advantage in a job interview.
Utilize your RA experience to demonstrate your teamwork skills, problem-solving abilities, and level of confidence in unfamiliar situations when you apply for internships or jobs. College students who have prior work experience are respected by employers, and working as an RA counts.
Learn Time Management Skills
Being an RA entails a great deal of responsibility and time commitment. Being an RA teaches you how to balance and organize your tasks. This can help you in other circumstances, such as working in your chosen field or attending graduate school.
The Side Effects of Being a RA
Before you accept your new position as resident advisor, there are a few drawbacks you should think about.
A Big Time Commitment
An RA’s job requires a significant time commitment. Usually, you’ll have to make rounds a few nights a week. However, because every school is unique, be sure to directly confirm the duties and job description with your college.
For instance, a student taking 12 credits per semester can probably work as an RA without suffering significant academic consequences. Someone preparing for the LSATs or a pre-med student may have a very different experience.
It might not be worth the effort if you don’t believe you’ll have enough time to be an RA and manage all of your schoolwork. After all, performing poorly in your classes might make it more difficult for you to get into graduate school or land a high-paying job after you graduate.
As an RA, you will live close to your workplace, which may make it challenging to strike a balance between your personal and professional obligations. During the evenings, weekends, and occasionally on holidays, you will be on call. While you might be able to study in your room as a result, it’s also possible that an emergency will arise and you’ll need to take care of it.
Talking to a current RA in your major or program of study might be worthwhile if you’re unsure whether you’ll be able to handle the time commitment with your workload. Inquire about how they’ve managed to balance their obligations and their time commitments.
Have they been overpowered? Ask them if they have any advice on how to be an RA in college and still be a successful student. Despite the fact that every person is unique, this might serve as a starting point for how challenging it will be for you to balance everything.
Impacts Your College Experience
One of the best aspects of college is acting your age. The college experience includes staying up late and avoiding homework, unless you’re an RA.
It may be necessary for you to uphold those standards in front of your students as part of your duties as an RA to enforce campus rules and regulations. You might even need to be careful with your social media postings to avoid getting caught and reported to the Resident Director.
If you attend a university where many students leave the campus after their first year, you might feel isolated. Since RAs are required to live in the same dorm as the students they oversee, they must share a bathroom with a dozen other residents, lack a kitchen, and eat exclusively in the dining hall.
One-of-a-kind experiences include living in a large house with all of your friends. Being an RA might not be the best career choice for you if that lifestyle has always been your dream.
Limits Extracurricular Activities
Being an RA entails spending most of your time attending classes and looking after your residents. Most resident assistants (RAs) are required to spend a certain amount of time on their floor, which restricts their availability for extracurricular activities.
If you have other time-consuming passions, it may be challenging to balance this. If they practice twice a week and you have rounds at the same time, joining a club soccer team might be challenging. Regarding your goals for college and how serving as an RA might affect those goals, be realistic.
What to Do With Your Student Loans
You might still need to take out student loans to pay for your education even with the additional income you earn as an RA. If that is the case, you should be aware that you are not obligated to repay the loans you took out prior to receiving your degree.
Your new financial situation may enable you to refinance your student loans at a lower interest rate once you’ve graduated from college and entered the workforce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Get Paid to Be An RA?
You might be paid to be an RA depending on the college. Many schools pay RAs an hourly wage or flat salary, which may come with additional perks like meal plan credits, a laundry stipend, and a single-occupancy room.
Commonly, RAs get a full waiver for room and board. For the duration of their RA appointment, they usually get a furnished, single-occupancy room. RAs who put in more time than expected may receive extra compensation from some schools.
Does Being An RA Look Good on a Resume?
Being an RA can look good on a resume, as it gives you valuable work experience. Holding an RA position demonstrates your leadership abilities and your ability to manage a team of people because it is a leadership position. Since you’ll be working while you study, it also highlights your time management abilities.
Students who want to work as resident assistants (RAs) should have strong interpersonal, communication, critical thinking, and conflict-resolution abilities.
Can First-year Students Become RAs?
Most of the time, first-year students cannot become RAs. Before they can apply to be an RA, students at many colleges must earn a certain number of credits, typically at least 40.
This is necessary because in order to succeed in their position, RAs must be familiar with the campus and the school as a whole. RAs are expected to guide new students through the complexities of college life by drawing on their wisdom and campus expertise.
Is Becoming An RA Right for You?
It’s acceptable that not all college students are the right fit for an RA position. If you’re thinking about becoming an RA, you should make sure you have a solid understanding of what makes a good RA. Not everyone makes a good resident assistant because the position involves more than just looking after the students living in your residence hall.
The qualities of a good resident assistant include kindness, compassion, objectivity, and the capacity for difficult conversations. Being an RA isn’t all fun and games, though, so you might not be a good fit if you can’t be assertive and respectful at the same time. You have a lot of responsibilities as an RA because the position is somewhat all-encompassing. You must organize social activities, make your residence hall a secure and enjoyable place for all students, be a listening ear for everyone, and do a lot more.
