<p>I'm looking for any current or former students that are/were involved with the AmeriCorps. I've been thinking that this is will be my back up plan if I do not get into any grad school programs. I have a strong feeling I won't because my experience will be limited in the fields I wish to go into. As of today, my favorite class since I started college is public health. It's just an introductory course but the university is trying to add more at the undergraduate level. The professor is on the executive team for my city's health department. I cannot complete the internship this summer that he brought to my attention before we meant, but I could next summer hopefully I can gain a relationship with him. My straight gpa for this university is 2.96 but cum including previous university course work is a 3.3 so I wasn't sure if I would qualify and I didn't have one more lor.</p>
<p>So my questions are: how was it?, is this a resume booster?, how does the application process work?, and lastly is it possible to placed in setting that is somehow orientated around public health?</p>
<p>I will be stopping in my university's center for volunteering and leadership tomorrow or Tuesday to see if anyone there can help me.</p>
<p>I was thinking this would be a great experience for me if I want to do policy work or public health in general. As I would be living at a lower socioeconomic level.</p>
<p>I don’t know that I’d consider AmeriCorps a “back-up” plan. A MUCH better route for public health is to get some public health experience at a regular job and go back for your MPH after a few years. </p>
<p>AmeriCorps is actually fairly competitive and does not compensate all that well. Everyone I know in AmeriCorps is on food stamps and they only give you like 5k towards college (MPHs cost 50k+ at the minimum). </p>
<p>But yes, it is possible to get in to public health that way. I think that actually working in public health is a better route though.</p>
<p>I plan on volunteering with the Red Cross but I can’t find much else in my area. The city’s health department will only take grad interns or MD interns it sounds like unless you go through this summer program. My professor said the health department really does not offer volunteering for undergrads either. The county really only has control over mental health and aging departments. </p>
<p>It’s hard because I don’t want to live in this area after graduation. I guess I just thought AmeriCorps would be good because I would be living on a similar level so I could see and feel the affects that happen in public health. I haven’t decided if I want to do epidemiology, policy, or education for an emphasis. I get that the pay won’t be will but I’m fine with that. My folks had a rough patch at one point so I know what’s it like to have your electricity cut off, or having to eat mac n cheese multiple times a week.</p>
<p>I have seen internships for East Coast through the CDC website but hardly any in my area of the Midwest. I also have to then find out if they look at cum gpas, or current university’s only.</p>
<p>I will have to consider what you said carefully as that would change my graduation plans.</p>
<p>Public health is not limited to just red cross or public health department type things. </p>
<p>My “public health” experience is working at a domestic violence shelter and interning for a state senator (where I worked on telemedicine legislation). If you want to work in policy, you could work with local governments. </p>
<p>MPHs are not really GPA focused. Yes, they want to see a decent academic record but it’s a professional degree and they really want to see experience. </p>
<p>I’m getting my MPH straight out of UG because I have 4 years of full time work experience already. I’m one of the youngest people applying. The average age for those starting their MPH is somewhere around 26/27. Some programs you can’t even apply to without significant full time work experience.</p>