How many people thought of joining the peace corps and how many did?

Question

Also, I would like to know when you did it as in after college or immediately after high school and then went to college because i am planning on going after i go to high school.

Answer 1

I was a PCV after college.

92% of all PCVs have a college degree. The rest have 10 - 50 years of expereince in a skill a host country has asked for. The only 18-year olds they take have worked on the family farm since they were eight and have stellar leadership records in 4-H and FFA. You can't get enough expereince in anything except farming to be a useful PCV right out of high school.

Read much more, if you like:

http://www.tedpack.org/pchead.html

Answer 2

Hey, I'm at the very end of my application process--just waiting on medical clearance and then hopefully I'll be invited to serve in a country.

The application process is very long, and the average length is about 9 months. First, you apply online filling out a personal application (ie. background info, work, school, volunteer, ideal placements) and a health application (can you do this/that, do you have this, do you have that--basically you must name everything that is wrong with you or ever has been) you also must submit 2 essays (one talking about why you want to join the PC, the other talking about a specific multi-cultural situation you've been in and why it was important and how you handled it)...and also 3 recommendations. That's all the initial application before you receive anymore contact. Once that's in and they think you might have a shot...they send you a legal packet in which you have to supply finger prints, legal background info, and your transcript. If you do that and get past that, then you interview with a regional recruiter. If you make it past that they give you a nomination which basically means "We may* send you to this region during this month to do this work, but it could also change" Then you get the medical kit in the mail..you have to go to the optometrist, dentist, doctor for a physical, obgyn if a girl...as well as any specialists you may have like a counselor, pulminologist, neurologist, cardiologist, etc. You have to send that in, which takes forever....and wait for dental and medical clearance, which takes anywhere from a week to a year to get. If you get cleared, then they will invite you to serve in the peace corps.

My points for telling you the details of the application process is to let you know that its not the type of thing where you write down your name, a few pieces of information and get sent off. The PC is in charge of you for 2 years (yes, all volunteers must serve for 27 months), they must know everything about you in case something should happen and to find the best placement for you. Its a hard process, its hard to be patient. Part of the reason its so hard is to make sure they do have all your information and that you are really a candidate...but also because by making it long, they can weed out the people who aren't serious. It is a HARD application process. You can even get into the military easier than the Peace Corps.

I am joining a year after I finished college. I graduated with a BA in History and minors in International Studies and East Asian Studies...I'd also volunteered and worked with kids at day camps and day cares, women's shelters...

Nearly all people who join the PC have gone to college or have worked for a number of years. Many people join right after college, some people join midlife and actually quit jobs/sell houses, others join in their 50/60/70s when they retire.  Although they accept anyone 18+, it is much harder to join at that age having not gone to college because they have less experience and are generally more immature (not all, some, and I don't know you so I can't speak on your behalf, I'm just generalizing). In fact, I would recommend college beforehand to gain experience and more specific knowledge, at the very least a 2-year college for nursing or technical training.

If you really do want to join the PC immediately after high school, I'd recommend volunteering or working. Not just a mall job, but actually things like Red Cross, Girl/Boy Scouts, tutoring, gardening, youth clubs, day care, summer camps, hospital candy striper, foundations for specific health issues (ie. aids, breast cancer, diabetes). Things like that that can give you practical skills and show you are prepared for that line of work in the PC.

I'd recommend going to peacecorps.gov and checking out the sections "Who Volunteers" "What Volunteers Do" "What's It Like To Volunteer" "How Do I Volunteer"

I wish you luck on whatever you decide to do.

Jenna

http://www.jcorps.blogspot.com