Timing of Audition Invite Emails

[jeff6286]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered, but do we have any feel for whether one's chances of receiving an audition invite vary based on one's (passing) score? My reading of the official spiel is that there's a random draw among passing entries, but I've seen speculation from others that higher scores receive preferential treatment in the process. Likewise, is 35 still assumed to be the passing score?

35 is still assumed to be the passing score. I think there have been reports of someone with a 34 getting an audition, but I've never heard of anything lower than that. Any speculation beyond that is just that, speculation. Some suggest that scoring too high actually lowers your chances of an audition, as the suggestion of a "ringer file" has been made more than once on this board, meaning that people scoring 48-49 may be either shunned from getting audition invites, or simply have their files discarded after auditioning. I don't put a lot of stock into this, but it is certainly possible that the PTB have some kind of formula other than simply random draw behind who they invite to the auditions.

[ajk]

I'm wondering if, if the hack never happened, would these people still be getting invitations (most likely by the usual email rather than phone) for Chicago auditions? In other words I'm wondering if they did Chicago already or were they always planning Chicago for January 2015? Because if they are just calling people from the past pool to audition, should I get my hopes up that I still might be contacted soon even though they did Minneapolis (my city choice) back in July?

I'm convinced that I would not be getting an audition had the hack never happened. I have a friend that also took the online test in January of 2014 and went to an in-person audition in Chicago in June or July. After not receiving an invitation to that audition, I had given up hope. I suppose I have Seth Rogen and Kim Jong-un to thank for my audition.

[Winchell Factor]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered, but do we have any feel for whether one's chances of receiving an audition invite vary based on one's (passing) score? My reading of the official spiel is that there's a random draw among passing entries, but I've seen speculation from others that higher scores receive preferential treatment in the process. Likewise, is 35 still assumed to be the passing score?

The J! people say that passing is passing, and a score of x+5 isn't any more helpful to an applicant than a score of x (as long as x is passing, of course).

[davey]

I believe the producers when they say that they always have several times as many prospective players in the pool as they need to field challengers for a complete season of play.

But I also believe this.

I would guess that there are some people that, although they attended an audition, are not in the contestant pool, and were rejected by the producers. J! never tells us if we are officially in the pool (they make it seem like everyone is). Other game shows like Millionaire tell you directly if you passed the personality/play along portion are officially in the pool. My guess is they will do the online test when they can because it is a good publicity tool, and it makes watchers feel part of the show.

When I went to an audition in New York in 2013, I sat next to a woman who audibly crashed and burned on the written test. When everyone else's pen was scratching the paper, hers was silent; the only sound was her heavy sighing. It was so bad, it was awkward to sit next to her. Then, poor thing, she was so rattled from the written test that when she played the mock game, she couldn't really get a handle on ringing in, selecting categories, etc. They told her she was "in the pool," but I have serious doubts.

Those who arrive at the audition have already passed a qualitative screening. In the days before the online test, when the only standard for being there was desire, only 10% or so passed the written test. They had to eliminate right away to allow time for those with the basic aptitude. Now they can maintain goodwill from every auditioner, even the very few who may tank the written test, by keeping their eliminations to themselves.

[Austin Powers]

I believe the producers when they say that they always have several times as many prospective players in the pool as they need to field challengers for a complete season of play.

But I also believe this.

I would guess that there are some people that, although they attended an audition, are not in the contestant pool, and were rejected by the producers. J! never tells us if we are officially in the pool (they make it seem like everyone is). Other game shows like Millionaire tell you directly if you passed the personality/play along portion are officially in the pool. My guess is they will do the online test when they can because it is a good publicity tool, and it makes watchers feel part of the show.

When I went to an audition in New York in 2013, I sat next to a woman who audibly crashed and burned on the written test. When everyone else's pen was scratching the paper, hers was silent; the only sound was her heavy sighing. It was so bad, it was awkward to sit next to her. Then, poor thing, she was so rattled from the written test that when she played the mock game, she couldn't really get a handle on ringing in, selecting categories, etc. They told her she was "in the pool," but I have serious doubts.

Those who arrive at the audition have already passed a qualitative screening. In the days before the online test, when the only standard for being there was desire, only 10% or so passed the written test. They had to eliminate right away to allow time for those with the basic aptitude. Now they can maintain goodwill from every auditioner, even the very few who may tank the written test, by keeping their eliminations to themselves.

Yet, despite only one screening test, the contestants were better players back in the good ol' days

[koam]

I went to only one audition and I found the written test to be not terribly hard. I aced it with something like a 49. Never got on the show probably for lack of a charming telegenic persona (or at least for being more of the same that see plenty of, demographically and temperamentally. I shoulda played the gay card.)

I tend to believe the conclusions that 35 is passing for the online test and everyone above 35 is in the pool to be invited to audition. Perhaps a different % of 35+ are chosen by geography, based on how many slots are needed to fill their audition days. I also surmise from reading here that the written test is now probably just a 2nd screener to make sure applicants don't score significantly lower when they're in person rather than online (where someone else might have taken the test for them). I have no idea if they eliminate "ringers" (those who score very highly), but I would hope that they wouldn't. I watch the show in hopes of seeing super-smart players, not average very-smart, (but not too smart) players. Surely everyone has subject areas of weakness and that makes very few players dominant -- not to mention the fact that buzzer skills isn't detectable in the test.

I also remember a wrinkle in the written test in that players have the opportunity to go back and correct or complete prior answers while they have the test papers in their hands. Ones ability to conjure an answer 3 minutes later isn't a great predictor of J! success. It's kind of like pausing the DVR during FJ to mull it over. I'm guilty of that one for sure.

[davey]

I also surmise from reading here that the written test is now probably just a 2nd screener to make sure applicants don't score significantly lower when they're in person rather than online (where someone else might have taken the test for them).

I surmise that since there's absolutely no way of knowing if "someone else" took the online test, the important score is the one you get in the room. Since I also doubt there's much cheating, I assume nearly everybody in the room does well enough.

[seaborgium]

I went to only one audition and I found the written test to be not terribly hard. I aced it with something like a 49.

You and I have different definitions of "ace."

[koam]

I went to only one audition and I found the written test to be not terribly hard. I aced it with something like a 49.

You and I have different definitions of "ace."

Ace means to do very well with ease.

[Golf]

I went to only one audition and I found the written test to be not terribly hard. I aced it with something like a 49.

You and I have different definitions of "ace."

Ace means to do very well with ease.

I see. I wonder why you didn't get the call?

[MinnesotaMyron]

I'm wondering if, if the hack never happened, would these people still be getting invitations (most likely by the usual email rather than phone) for Chicago auditions? In other words I'm wondering if they did Chicago already or were they always planning Chicago for January 2015? Because if they are just calling people from the past pool to audition, should I get my hopes up that I still might be contacted soon even though they did Minneapolis (my city choice) back in July?

I'm convinced that I would not be getting an audition had the hack never happened. I have a friend that also took the online test in January of 2014 and went to an in-person audition in Chicago in June or July. After not receiving an invitation to that audition, I had given up hope. I suppose I have Seth Rogen and Kim Jong-un to thank for my audition Interview.

Fixed that for you.

[BobF]

I imagine they *are* continuing to pull from the existing pool. (I wish they would call me, though. That's assuming I didn't wash out when I was slated to.) But as they deplete the pool they have to replenish it.

I understand the desire for new blood, but I don't think they really have to replenish it. The exact numbers Maggie told us have faded from my memory, but there are probably enough qualified people still remaining in the current pool to fill up not only next season but the season beyond that as well (if TPTB so desired).

They could fill out the rest of the decade. I believe it was roughly 3,000, because I remembered thinking it gave me a roughly one in seven chance of getting on the show.

[Thom]

Minneapolis...a choice in 2009 and 2014

Minneapolis was also a choice way back in 2006. I'm wondering if they still have anybody from the 2013 test and auditions in the pool.

[Droidysseus]

Minneapolis...a choice in 2009 and 2014

Minneapolis was also a choice way back in 2006. I'm wondering if they still have anybody from the 2013 test and auditions in the pool.

As far as auditions go, Glenn said that (at least as it relates to the upcoming Chicago auditions) we'll be in the active contestant file for 18 months. I would conclude that anyone from previous auditions would be active for the same amount of time. Then again, from what I've read here, J! producers are more secretive about the contestant audition & qualification process than Stradivari was about how he made his violins.

[Winchell Factor]

I'm wondering if they still have anybody from the 2013 test and auditions in the pool.

I don't know. But they did fairly recently. I took the January 2013 online test, had an in-person audition in New York in May 2013, and got the call last October. In May, Maggie told us we'd be in the pool through the end of Season 30, but they were at least six weeks into Season 31 when they called me.

If I were in your situation, I'd continue to hope until the next online test date comes around. I'd also take that next online test.

[Magna]

I surmise that since there's absolutely no way of knowing if "someone else" took the online test, the important score is the one you get in the room. Since I also doubt there's much cheating, I assume nearly everybody in the room does well enough.

The online score is more important in the sense that it determines whether you'll get into the room at all. But I get your meaning that the number you score on the in-room test might be more important whether you barely or easily passed on the online test, because the purpose of the in-room test is verification of your abilities under controlled circumstances.

[dhkendall]

I surmise that since there's absolutely no way of knowing if "someone else" took the online test, the important score is the one you get in the room. Since I also doubt there's much cheating, I assume nearly everybody in the room does well enough.

The online score is more important in the sense that it determines whether you'll get into the room at all. But I get your meaning that the number you score on the in-room test might be more important whether you barely or easily passed on the online test, because the purpose of the in-room test is verification of your abilities under controlled circumstances.

Huh, I just thought the purpose of the in-person test was because they (rightly) surmised that people who would want to be on Jeopardy! would love to take additional trivia tests just for the fun of it because that's how we roll.

[BobF]

I surmise that since there's absolutely no way of knowing if "someone else" took the online test, the important score is the one you get in the room. Since I also doubt there's much cheating, I assume nearly everybody in the room does well enough.

The online score is more important in the sense that it determines whether you'll get into the room at all. But I get your meaning that the number you score on the in-room test might be more important whether you barely or easily passed on the online test, because the purpose of the in-room test is verification of your abilities under controlled circumstances.

Robert said something to my group at the June 1 audition that completely shattered my preconception of the in-person test (that it was to weed out cheaters). He said, and I'm paraphrasing because after 7 1/2 months I can't remember the exact wording, that how we do on the test plays a large part in whether or not we get selected.

If I have a next audition, I'm totally studying before going to it.

[Creed Bratton]

I would suggest that instead of calling more people for auditions, they just call more people for the show that tried out last year. Particularly in Memphis.

[BigDaddyMatty]

Robert said something to my group at the June 1 audition that completely shattered my preconception of the in-person test (that it was to weed out cheaters). He said, and I'm paraphrasing because after 7 1/2 months I can't remember the exact wording, that how we do on the test plays a large part in whether or not we get selected.

I don't understand what you (he) mean(s) by this. Did you interpret his statement as meaning that only those who scored the highest on the in-person test would get The Call? It seems to me it could just as easily be read as a soft way of indicating that applicants must achieve a passing score on the in-person test in addition to having done so on the online version. I see this as especially likely in light of the fact that, unlike WWTBAM and several other shows, J! maintains the illusion that all who make it to the in-person round are placed in the active contestant pool. (Then again, I wasn't there to catch context, tone, etc. and my only in-person J! audition pre-dates the online test.)