Question:

How can you be accepted to the Peace Corps program?

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When I apply next year, I'll have my bachelors and be 21... I read that they prefer people whose major studies in college was health-related, but mine is English. I've lived abroad before and can speak conversational French... do you think those are enough credentials to apply?

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  1. They are doing a lot of health education these days, but there is still a demand for English teachers. If you are accepted, you will probably get a post in an upriver secondary school.


  2. I applied when I was 23, I graduated when I was 22 with a BA in History! My only work experience was at a day camp that was only 2 weeks a summer, and 2 months of volunteering at a day-care. I had French in high school but don't know it for the life of me, but took 2 years of spanish in college and can get by in it.

    I am leaving in Sept, for Youth Development in El Salvador.

    Most likely with an English degree they will want to place you in TEFL. However, do you have and specific work or volunteer experience with the youth or community? Or have really strong IT skills? If you do you could also press to be in one of those areas of work.  

    An English degree and French experience is plenty to be able to apply and be accepted.  The French is especially helpful as they are always looking for candidates with French-background to place in francophone Africa. (if you speak it, it is not required you go there, but often they will look into placing you there, though if you really prefer another region and your skills qualify you for that region, often you can get placed there)

    They make it sound really hard to get into, but really, if you apply and stick with it and don't drop out you'll get in. That's not to say it is easy, you certainly need a degree and some sort of skills. The application process is really long, and often trying just because there's so much waiting and medical can be stressful.  I don't know if you volunteer or work at all, but if not, you might look into volunteering in whichever area you are most interested in working in: TEFL (look into tutoring foreign students, kids needing help learning to read, etc), Youth (camps, day care, boys & girls club, big bro big sis, etc), Community (habitat, gardening,  various projects), health (red cross, aids foundation, etc)

    Although health is a big factor in the PC, and often no matter what sector you work in, you'll probably do a little health at SOME point, there are all different areas to work in: health, business, IT, TEFL, teaching math or science, water sanitation, agriculture, animal husbandry, community development, youth development, kenyan sign language......So really, they just need people from all parts, with different skills.

    I think you'll do fine! Also, if you want to leave right after graduating college, apply approximately a year before. ie., if you want to leave b/w May-September '09 I'd apply now. That's the general rule of thumb since the application process takes 6-12 months b/w the time of applying and you leaving. It took me 6 months, but my friend in PC Macedonia took 12 months, maybe slightly longer.

    Make sure you do lots of research!

  3. Your major really doesn't matter too much.  Peace Corps is a big bureaucracy like any other government organization only with a smaller budget.  It's unpredictable.

    They may give you a job that has nothing to do with you background.  You are qualified to be a health volunteer.  Trust Me!

    As long as you are physically and mentally healthy, have enough volunteer/work experience to satisify the recruiter and can pull it together for an interview you will be accepted.

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