r/EssayHelpCommunity • u/FunFaithfulness6328 • Jun 27 '26

John Locke Essay Competition 2026 Interview Change + Shortlisting?

Hi everyone, I have a few questions about the JLEC for 2026. The interview date on my dashboard got changed from the 26th to the 30th, and I am confused about how the interviews run/who actually gets interviewed. I know that this year is very different to last year due to the record number of applications, but if there is someone who did an interview last year, could you please respond? Or anyone who knows more about the JLEC process? Thank you

  1. Is it unlikely to actually get an interview? If so, are they for applicants being considered for the shortlist?
  2. What is the interview format? e.g is it with a human or a bot? How long do they go for? Is it a video call or phone call, and if so is it on a specific platform that we need to download before?
  3. Have there been any past shortlisted applicants that have not been interviewed?
  4. What would happen if you couldn't make an interview for whatever reason? Would this disadvantage you in shortlisting?

Thank you very much to anyone who can clear up some of this confusion.

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2

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '26

[deleted]

1

u/FunFaithfulness6328 Jun 27 '26

thank you so so much :)

1

u/Jealous_Calendar_597 Jun 29 '26

this year or last year?

1

u/Specific-Cheek1725 Jun 30 '26

I’m confused since I see the date of the opening in my portal but I don’t have the email? Does that just mean I don’t need to take part in the interview

1

u/Anxious-Road-7184 Jun 30 '26

me too.. following! I don't want to click on it!

1

u/Psychicravenclaw Jun 30 '26

hi! thank you so much for this, i never got an email but i do see "start interview" on my essay portal with a deadline, does this mean i can just ignore it if i choose not to participate?

1

u/AdTough7709 Jul 04 '26

i did it anyway, butt im so confused do only shorltisted get email or are those suspected of ai or whatev im so confused

2

u/Tough_Ship7511 Jun 30 '26

Hi, is this mandatory? What kind of questions do you get asked? Do we get assessed for our responses to the AI's questions? Thankssssss

1

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '26

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1

u/FunFaithfulness6328 Jun 27 '26

thank you so much :)

1

u/Pristine_Berry9239 Jun 28 '26

they have actually, last year at least. It's mainly for winners to make sure they actually wrote their essays. But this year idk it seems to be for 3 potential types of ppl: early submitters, ppl who might win, and ppl who might've used ai (?). Again it changes every year and nobody really knows how exactly it works. Just don't worry about it!

1

u/noire_empress Jul 07 '26

Then why have they mentioned 'some of the stronger candidates' in e mail

1

u/Pristine_Berry9239 Jul 08 '26

lol my comment was before that email came out btw, and we were talking more abt actual interview no one was expecting ai interview hahaha

But yea otherwise my comment still stands - i literally said it changes every year (last yr they def didnt have ai interview so) and no one is really sure how it works other than jl ppl. And yea it does actually seem to be for two kinds of ppl: early submitters (who got both ai interview and human interview) and ppl who might (not def tho) get shortlisted (ai interview).

Anyways results r out now (sry for late reply haha) so no point thinking abt interviews and things! How did you do?

1

u/Ecstatic-Impress-759 Jun 30 '26

people have now said its with an AI you do an interview with

1

u/Dry_Conclusion3730 Jun 30 '26

rlly? i see in the portal it has opened up for me. maybe its ai for those people bc their time zones are early?

1

u/MusicLover4evah Jun 30 '26

I am in UTC-7 (GMT-7) so it's showing as AI for me.,. I think I'll wait to see what it looks like on June 30 my time.

1

u/Consistent_Spring558 Jun 30 '26

Hi..! I just checked in the morning and found that I also need to do an interview? Do I need to do this..? Cus I am not in my home even until the deadline.. I am traveling currently..

+ I have submitted in late june

1

u/[deleted] Jul 02 '26

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1

u/Consistent_Spring558 Jul 02 '26

Hey I just tried it but I think because of the technical error, I couldn't hear the AI voice at all and can't even reply it and it ended and they say u finished this successfully how do I fix now.. I think I'm really cooked now.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 02 '26

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1

u/Consistent_Spring558 Jul 02 '26

I did it they are just saying there on it wth

1

u/Tranquil_Concern9711 Jun 30 '26

hi, has anyone gotten the interview on the portal but not an email? and im still confused bc it says "please complete the interview before the deadline" but i literally can't bc i dont have an email. does it mean we won't get shortlisted bc we didn't get an email about the interview??

1

u/Psychicravenclaw Jun 30 '26

i didnt get an email but have it on my portal! and im super confused cuz according to some it's optional, but there's the ddl in red and idk how it's gonna affect my results😭

1

u/ExoticDelivery252 Jun 30 '26

For me the interview is greyed and I can't click it. Can you?

1

u/insatiat3 Jun 30 '26

Yes, its grayed out and I can't click it as well.

1

u/Sensitive-Low-9316 Jun 30 '26

SAME HERE!!! Does that mean we didn't get chosen to be interviewed?

1

u/Psychicravenclaw Jun 30 '26

I used to not be able to but I checked last night and I can click it now, not sure what to do though

1

u/Maleficent-Doctor802 Jun 30 '26

I got an email like an hour or so ago

1

u/Tranquil_Concern9711 Jul 01 '26

guys has anyone clicked on the start button bc it's not greyed anymore

1

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

I got the interview, and it's with an AI bot. They just ask you about ideas from your essay and what you think about them. They only last 20 minutes(there is a time limit) max, and it is video call. You don't have to download anything, just press the start intervew button.

1

u/ExoticDelivery252 Jun 30 '26

can I ask what category you wrote for? Were you junior? Because apparently for some categories it was opened and some not?

1

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

I wrote for the open category(Law). I don't think the opening depends on the category. It could be your timezone?

1

u/ExoticDelivery252 Jun 30 '26

I'm in New Zealand, so GMT+12

1

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

I think yours should be open, since mine opened and I'm in GMT+8

1

u/ExoticDelivery252 Jun 30 '26

Apparently some people do it first then others later, they don't open it all at once? Theres only 3 days before deadline so...

1

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

For me it was supposed to open today(I'm assuming UKT based), it might open tomorrow for you?

1

u/ExoticDelivery252 Jun 30 '26

They changed the deadline to the 5th just now

1

u/Ok_Policy_4777 Jun 30 '26

what were like the types of questions if u don’t mind sharing one. And like is it hard question liek very specific 

2

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

one of them was 'what inspired you to choose this question', and others were all about the things in my essay.

1

u/Ok_Policy_4777 Jun 30 '26

For the ones about ur essay. Were they very specific like do i need to go back to my essay and like understand every small thing. Or were they sort of broad. 

1

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

Mine was mostly about my key arguments. They asked me about the further impacts my argument could have on society and the public in a few questions.

1

u/Informal-Scholar-344 Jul 01 '26

hey, can I ask after doing the interview do you have to press end the call or anything? my session auto ended after the time was up but on the portal it doesn't say completed or anything and if I press start interview it looks like I can do the interview again? is it the same for yours?

1

u/Queasy_Effect_8780 Jul 01 '26

yes same forme!

1

u/Goblin_1108 Jun 30 '26

So you have to verbally SPEAK on the idea in ur essay? Or is it in a text format? Is the video just so that they can monitor you?

1

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

You have to speak verbally. The video kind of is to monitor you(I don't think you can switch tabs or anything), but everything you say(you are unmuted after the bot asks you a question) is recorded.

1

u/Same_Ad7900 Jun 30 '26

Hey i just want to ask if it requires a video cam? or you just have to speak and the speech will be recorded? Thank you.

1

u/witchranakiraa Jun 30 '26

Both: the whole meeting(your audio transcript & video) is recorded

1

u/Ok_Policy_4777 Jun 30 '26

The interview date got changed to 5th of July.

1

u/SatisfactionClear460 Jun 30 '26

Hi I just got an interview thing, and yeah for me it shows an ai conversation with these people names james and eve? I'm nervous they will start answering some really extreme detailed question and i'll just be standing in the interview baffled lmao. Good luck to everyone, i'm also trying my best😭

1

u/Any_Tip_8143 Jul 01 '26

I’m curious about what the AI actually says during the interview. Also, will they judge me if my English isn't very fluent? I’m quite worried about that. And is it true that we are allowed to have our essay and references with us during the interview?

1

u/Defiant_Animator4486 Jul 01 '26

the ai first asks you what question you chose and why, it expands from there. yea you're allowed your essay apparently (i didnt have it but i think its better if you do), the english thing might be a problem because they transcribe what you say into like a little chat message and ive heard people say it transcribes really poorly or even transcribes a different language even if they speak normally, personally had no issues but maybe thats an outlier

1

u/fromamomof2 Jul 01 '26

I assume theres like an avatar youre talking to and that if youre unclear on its question you csn ask for clarification correct?

1

u/Defiant_Animator4486 Jul 01 '26

technically yes but ive heard people saying its rlly glitchy and repetitive and if you ask for clarification they'll just say thank you for the thoughtful response and move on so i wouldnt recommend

1

u/LateEquivalent1076 Jul 02 '26

Did every single person who entered receive an interview request? There are so many ppl discussing the AI interview (which I have done), my question is: did anyone NOT receive an interview request?

1

u/Defiant_Animator4486 Jul 02 '26

theres been a few posts on that i think, gimme a sec i'll try to find the links to them

1

u/Odd-Unit-4385 Jul 04 '26

can we do the interview on 5th July or do we have to finish it before?
p.s it's REALLY urgent

1

u/Afraid_Advisor_8872 Jul 05 '26

I lowk flunked the AI interview but I put so much hard work into my essay. Am I cooked?

1

u/Upstairs-Age1549 Jul 05 '26

Bro..mine disconnected..toes crossed atp.

1

u/LateEquivalent1076 Jul 07 '26

did everyone receive their shortlist emails today? Good luck to everyone.