Timing of Audition Invite Emails

This is where all of the games are discussed.

Moderators: alietr, trainman, econgator, dhkendall

Post Reply
User avatar
Linear Gnome
One Miner Gal
Posts: 2007
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 9:55 am
Location: Missouri

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by Linear Gnome »

I'm getting caught up and I'm very late to the party, but I wanted to add my voice to the chorus of good wishes to Brandon. Way to go!
French Rage
Valued Contributor
Posts: 54
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:27 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by French Rage »

Online test: April 15, 2015
Audition email: January 21, 2016
Audition date: March 16, 2016
Phone call for taping!: November 3, 2016
Taping!: November 30, 2016
Air date!: March 7, 2016
User avatar
triviawayne
Hoping I don’t drown in this contestant pool
Posts: 2677
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by triviawayne »

French Rage wrote:Online test: April 15, 2015
Audition email: January 21, 2016
Audition date: March 16, 2016
Phone call for taping!: November 3, 2016
Taping!: November 30, 2016
Air date!: March 7, 2016
May that be the first of several air dates!
Total game show career losings = $171,522
User avatar
dfawcettSD
Contributor
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2015 10:07 am
Location: San Diego

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by dfawcettSD »

Congrats, French Rage. In what city did you audition?
French Rage
Valued Contributor
Posts: 54
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:27 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by French Rage »

Thanks!
dfawcettSD wrote:Congrats, French Rage. In what city did you audition?
San Francisco. I live nearby in Mountain View so it was just a quick Caltrain ride up one day. A number of people had come from quite a distance away, like Montana, Minnesota, and Colorado.

An interesting thing from my taping was the variance in the amount of time people had between their audition and their call. For me it was a good 6 months, for some they had auditioned during the summer, so about 3 months, and for one woman she had auditioned in the last week of October, so she it seems must have gotten the call immediately.
EJVA
Contributor
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2014 2:02 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by EJVA »

I just received an invitation to audition in Washington DC on April 10! Wow! I have taken the test several times with scores on the low end of passing. Never really thought I would get an audition.

Should I study for this? I definitely plan to study like crazy when I am in the pool, but not sure how much I can do before April 10. So excited!
User avatar
triviawayne
Hoping I don’t drown in this contestant pool
Posts: 2677
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by triviawayne »

EJVA wrote:I just received an invitation to audition in Washington DC on April 10! Wow! I have taken the test several times with scores on the low end of passing. Never really thought I would get an audition.

Should I study for this? I definitely plan to study like crazy when I am in the pool, but not sure how much I can do before April 10. So excited!
NO--DO NOT STUDY!

Work on your gameplay, your interview stories (have 5 ready), wardrobe, etc.

You've already passed the test, you're good enough to be there, study after the audition.

BTW--what was your October score?
Total game show career losings = $171,522
Golf
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 2723
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:27 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by Golf »

EJVA wrote:I just received an invitation to audition in Washington DC on April 10! Wow! I have taken the test several times with scores on the low end of passing. Never really thought I would get an audition.

Should I study for this? I definitely plan to study like crazy when I am in the pool, but not sure how much I can do before April 10. So excited!
triviawayne wrote: NO--DO NOT STUDY!

Work on your gameplay, your interview stories (have 5 ready), wardrobe, etc.

You've already passed the test, you're good enough to be there, study after the audition.

BTW--what was your October score?
Really? DO NOT STUDY? C'mon man.

You've got a month and a half before the audition, how long does it take to pick 5 great stories and an outfit? And don't get me wrong, those are very important, but it's not that time consuming. Make sure you are enthusiastic at the audition, practice that.

Nobody cares about gameplay at the audition.

Take an hour a day in the meantime for study, 30 minutes or less watching the show and study the other 30. Focus on your weak spots and frequent Jeopardy material. The more you practice, the better you will perform in all aspects at the audition. And the higher the score you get at the audition, the better chance you've got at getting on all other things being equal.
User avatar
econgator
Let's Go Mets!
Posts: 10671
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:32 am

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by econgator »

Golf wrote:
EJVA wrote:I just received an invitation to audition in Washington DC on April 10! Wow! I have taken the test several times with scores on the low end of passing. Never really thought I would get an audition.

Should I study for this? I definitely plan to study like crazy when I am in the pool, but not sure how much I can do before April 10. So excited!
triviawayne wrote: NO--DO NOT STUDY!

Work on your gameplay, your interview stories (have 5 ready), wardrobe, etc.

You've already passed the test, you're good enough to be there, study after the audition.

BTW--what was your October score?
Really? DO NOT STUDY? C'mon man.

You've got a month and a half before the audition, how long does it take to pick 5 great stories and an outfit? And don't get me wrong, those are very important, but it's not that time consuming. Make sure you are enthusiastic at the audition, practice that.

Nobody cares about gameplay at the audition.

Take an hour a day in the meantime for study, 30 minutes or less watching the show and study the other 30. Focus on your weak spots and frequent Jeopardy material. The more you practice, the better you will perform in all aspects at the audition. And the higher the score you get at the audition, the better chance you've got at getting on all other things being equal.
I'm with Wayne. Studying is pointless for the auditions or online tests (other than watching the show daily). I've always found the audition tests to be much easier than the online ones (and those generally aren't all that hard).
IronNeck
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 1270
Joined: Fri May 13, 2016 12:26 am

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by IronNeck »

econgator wrote:
I'm with Wayne. Studying is pointless for the auditions or online tests (other than watching the show daily). I've always found the audition tests to be much easier than the online ones (and those generally aren't all that hard).
I would think that anyone with a decent interest in appearing on the show would be studying at least semi-regularly, anyways. It's very easy to constantly improve one's trivia knowledge, unless one is already at a very high level.
User avatar
dhkendall
Pursuing the Dream
Posts: 8789
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:49 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Contact:

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by dhkendall »

Golf wrote:
EJVA wrote:I just received an invitation to audition in Washington DC on April 10! Wow! I have taken the test several times with scores on the low end of passing. Never really thought I would get an audition.

Should I study for this? I definitely plan to study like crazy when I am in the pool, but not sure how much I can do before April 10. So excited!
triviawayne wrote: NO--DO NOT STUDY!

Work on your gameplay, your interview stories (have 5 ready), wardrobe, etc.

You've already passed the test, you're good enough to be there, study after the audition.

BTW--what was your October score?
Really? DO NOT STUDY? C'mon man.

You've got a month and a half before the audition, how long does it take to pick 5 great stories and an outfit? And don't get me wrong, those are very important, but it's not that time consuming. Make sure you are enthusiastic at the audition, practice that.

Nobody cares about gameplay at the audition.

Take an hour a day in the meantime for study, 30 minutes or less watching the show and study the other 30. Focus on your weak spots and frequent Jeopardy material. The more you practice, the better you will perform in all aspects at the audition. And the higher the score you get at the audition, the better chance you've got at getting on all other things being equal.
I am also with Wayne (and econgator), the audition is basically to see if you are TV worthy. Interesting enough to put on TV. If you did good on the online test, you'll do good on the in-person test, the only other test of skills they have there, as they are roughly the same. To somewhat quote IronNeck, yet in a completely different way, don't change what you're always doing. Myself, I didn't study extra for my audition and I feel it went quite well. When I get The Call, however, I'll be studying like the dickens, as I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition and the goal of the show is success in trivia, but the goal of the audition is to have them want to put you on TV.
"Jeopardy! is two parts luck and one part luck" - Me

"The way to win on Jeopardy is to be a rabidly curious, information-omnivorous person your entire life." - Ken Jennings

Follow my progress game by game since 2012
French Rage
Valued Contributor
Posts: 54
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:27 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by French Rage »

I say do what you usually do. You were smart enough to do well on the online test, so continuing your usual habits should fare you well. In my case, maybe I brushed up on a couple world capitals, but that was it. You only have so long to answer, so to a large extent you know it or you don't. Learning stuff in your usual way, whether that's reading books and watching documentaries or Wiki-surfing, is what served you well thus far in knowing what you know, so it should continue to serve you well going forward. Trying to cram like in high school may help you know it ten minutes from now, but a month from now, when you have 5-10 to remember, won't be as useful.

TLDR - be yourself, have fun.
User avatar
jeff6286
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 5228
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:34 pm
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by jeff6286 »

dhkendall wrote:I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition...
Really? They gave you scores?
User avatar
Volante
Harbinger of the Doomed Lemur
Posts: 9254
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:42 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by Volante »

jeff6286 wrote:
dhkendall wrote:I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition...
Really? They gave you scores?
They always say that, regardless of how you scored. :D
The best thing that Neil Armstrong ever did, was to let us all imagine we were him.
Latest movies (1-10): Everything Everywhere All at Once (10), Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken (6), Black Sunday /1960/ (6), Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (7)
User avatar
alietr
Site Admin
Posts: 8976
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by alietr »

jeff6286 wrote:
dhkendall wrote:I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition...
Really? They gave you scores?
40 auditions? 60? 80?
Golf
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 2723
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:27 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by Golf »

dhkendall wrote: I am also with Wayne (and econgator), the audition is basically to see if you are TV worthy. Interesting enough to put on TV. If you did good on the online test, you'll do good on the in-person test, the only other test of skills they have there, as they are roughly the same. To somewhat quote IronNeck, yet in a completely different way, don't change what you're always doing. Myself, I didn't study extra for my audition and I feel it went quite well. When I get The Call, however, I'll be studying like the dickens, as I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition and the goal of the show is success in trivia, but the goal of the audition is to have them want to put you on TV.
Here's what I think you guys aren't understanding. This is a step down a hopefully much longer path. Now you know you have an audition in the future, and if things go well, a tape date somewhere down the line. YOU SHOULD BE STUDYING FOR THAT DATE, not necessarily the audition date. You've already got one foot in the door, it's time to go to work. What if you get a call saying you're going tape in 6 months, do you not study for the first three months and then cram for the last three? No, you're going to study the entire time. Well, at least you should if you truly understand the situation and the possible financial ramifications.

Think forward, think optimistically, be prepared. If you don't, there will be contestants out there who are who will be better prepared when the lights go on.
User avatar
triviawayne
Hoping I don’t drown in this contestant pool
Posts: 2677
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by triviawayne »

Golf wrote:
dhkendall wrote: I am also with Wayne (and econgator), the audition is basically to see if you are TV worthy. Interesting enough to put on TV. If you did good on the online test, you'll do good on the in-person test, the only other test of skills they have there, as they are roughly the same. To somewhat quote IronNeck, yet in a completely different way, don't change what you're always doing. Myself, I didn't study extra for my audition and I feel it went quite well. When I get The Call, however, I'll be studying like the dickens, as I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition and the goal of the show is success in trivia, but the goal of the audition is to have them want to put you on TV.
Here's what I think you guys aren't understanding. This is a step down a hopefully much longer path. Now you know you have an audition in the future, and if things go well, a tape date somewhere down the line. YOU SHOULD BE STUDYING FOR THAT DATE, not necessarily the audition date. You've already got one foot in the door, it's time to go to work. What if you get a call saying you're going tape in 6 months, do you not study for the first three months and then cram for the last three? No, you're going to study the entire time. Well, at least you should if you truly understand the situation and the possible financial ramifications.

Think forward, think optimistically, be prepared. If you don't, there will be contestants out there who are who will be better prepared when the lights go on.
I think Golf is the one that doesn't understand here.

I didn't say never study again, I was only answering the question regarding studying specifically for the audition.

Obviously keep watching the show every day, but not is not the time to study facts, now is the time to focus on the audition itself.

Stand behind the couch while watching and use something for a buzzer.

Get those 5 stories figured out and practice talking about them (really, for most people it's not as easy as Golf says it is).

Figure out exactly what you want to wear (you may need to take something to the dry cleaners, and best to get on that in case something happens at the dry cleaners).

Know your travel plans (if you need to). If you're traveling on the day of the audition, be sure to have alternate routes planned just in case.

Yeah, at this moment, the audition is all that matters, because if you don't ace that, you'll never reach the goal of being on the show.

Once the audition is over, then worry about what to study and get right on it--the call could come at any time.
Total game show career losings = $171,522
User avatar
dhkendall
Pursuing the Dream
Posts: 8789
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:49 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Contact:

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by dhkendall »

jeff6286 wrote:
dhkendall wrote:I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition...
Really? They gave you scores?

Ok I have no idea why I said that (tbh I was surprised my name was on it!), let's chalk it up to feeling sick that day. :). First off, just had one audition and while I like how I did I'm nowhere near certain I passed since, as Jeff pointed out, they don't give scores. The biggest challenge is, like in getting the audition, being drawn from the pool to play as they always have more passers than slots. I still count just the audition as a highlight of my life (take *that* birth of my kids!) and even if I knew I won't get called from it (which is pretty well guaranteed now, 20 months later) I am so glad I got to do it.
"Jeopardy! is two parts luck and one part luck" - Me

"The way to win on Jeopardy is to be a rabidly curious, information-omnivorous person your entire life." - Ken Jennings

Follow my progress game by game since 2012
Stanislaus Jacob
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 371
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:52 pm

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by Stanislaus Jacob »

dhkendall wrote:
jeff6286 wrote:
dhkendall wrote:I've always passed the "good for TV test" at the audition...
Really? They gave you scores?

Ok I have no idea why I said that (tbh I was surprised my name was on it!), let's chalk it up to feeling sick that day. :). First off, just had one audition and while I like how I did I'm nowhere near certain I passed since, as Jeff pointed out, they don't give scores. The biggest challenge is, like in getting the audition, being drawn from the pool to play as they always have more passers than slots. I still count just the audition as a highlight of my life (take *that* birth of my kids!) and even if I knew I won't get called from it (which is pretty well guaranteed now, 20 months later) I am so glad I got to do it.
Based on the full context, I hypothesize that you meant to write "already" rather than "always" - if you get the call, you will know you already passed all necessary tests, whether in knowledge or in presentability.
User avatar
skullturf
Married to a Jeopardy! Champion
Posts: 1793
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:34 am
Location: Miami

Re: Timing of Audition Invite Emails

Post by skullturf »

My two cents on the question of whether one should "study" before an audition:

One shouldn't *cram* before an audition, and one shouldn't stress out about trivia knowledge before the audition. Anyone auditioning almost certainly already has enough trivia knowledge to do well at the audition.

But I would say *keep* studying in the way that most trivia people keep studying -- do what you normally do, but maybe just a little more of it. Keep watching Jeopardy, keep doing crossword puzzles, keep reading newspapers, keep playing trivia games, keep going to pub trivia, keep doing Sporcle quizzes, and so on and so forth.

Don't think of it as "studying" like the stereotypical image of the stressed-out med student, but do keep "studying" in the fun and stress-free sense of continuing to actively pay attention to interesting little facts around you.
Post Reply