<p>For anyone interested in which colleges produce the most Peace Corps volunteers:</p>
<p>Useful. Thanks. (My son is considering it.)</p>
<p>It's interesting to look at those lists, but hard to tell much from them. It turns out that >< 5,000 and 15,000 students is a weird way to divide up schools, so that Brown gets separated from Chicago and Dartmouth, and UVa is separated from UNC. Lots of the differences simply reflect the enrollment differences among the schools -- 29 volunteers from Chicago (where enrollment is probably just under 5,000) means a lot less than 29 volunteers from Carleton, which is about 1/3 of Chicago's size. I'm not sure a list like this tells you much about the culture of each school, since the percentages are small in every case. A percentage per graduating class would help (and would produce very different rankings).</p>
<p>That said, I think it's fascinating that Michigan, Michigan State, and Wisconsin seem to produce a disproportionately high number of volunteers, both currently and historically. Also sort of interesting that the so-called "lesser Ivies" show up, but not HYPS, Columbia, MIT . . . .</p>
<p>My guess is HYPS C MIT types are very career driven and wouldn't give up the time to volunteer. Although colleges near Wash DC do pretty well--PeaceCorps as basis for later International relations, third world-related, political careers??</p>
<p>
[quote]
My guess is HYPS C MIT types are very career driven and wouldn't give up the time to volunteer.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I only know about Harvard. Many graduates spend a year or two after graduation in some form of non-profit service, many overseas. Just looking at one program (PeaceCorps) would not effectively capture a true number because of the wide range of opportunities with a large number of NGOs.</p>
<p>Yeah, the Washington orientation is somewhat predictable, but not so much the upper Midwest. As for HYPS, I think there are a lot of idealistic kids there who aren't necessarily career-driven, and who feel they can pick up their careers any time they want. I'm surprised they don't produce more volunteers -- especially since Princeton and Columbia would be among the largest schools in the <5,000 category.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to see to see how debt load of these students correlates to willingness to go into the Peace Corp. I imagine the figures on average debt load after graduation are available.</p>
<p>Pyewacket, we know lots of MIT alums doing service.... and they're not a bit too career oriented to volunteer. Ranges from Teach for America type programs to Americorps to missionary work overseas, and of course, the old standby.... the military. Several kids are off in the Third World developing clean water/disease prevention devices based on research they did on campus during their undergrad years. Don't assume facts not in evidence- that was not only a cheap shot but not accurate.</p>
<p>blossom, you're right! it was just a guess based on stereotypes--I wasn't stating it as a "fact" --sorry!</p>
<p>But didn't mean it as a "cheap shot"--of course a career could also be dedicated to service of some kind....</p>
<p>pyewacket--I was a PC volunteer 20 years ago. I'd say you're right, but I'd put it this way: there are mostly liberal arts grads in Peace Corps. In my group there were ivy grads, but they were history, political science, language majors. Many of them were taking time off before grad school or just jobless and trying to figure out what to do next. I don't know if the group I knew was typical, but there were a lot from the upper midwest and coasts--and very few southerners. Also, there seemed to be a disproportionate # of Catholics. I'm sure you'd find that engineering schools have a very low percentage of grads going into volunteer service. The main reason is that they CAN find jobs--good paying ones--with their degree. Yes, some engineers do volunteer, and thanks to those who do, but not so many. </p>
<p>Regarding debt load, you used to be able to defer student loan payments while in PC and other volunteer service. This is probably still the case, but I'm not sure.</p>
<p>I find it interesting that you say "a disproportionate number of Catholics". In other contexts, I have heard people say that when an office, for example, decides to take up a charitable collection, they get money from a "disproportionate number of Catholics." (BTW I am not Catholic and know generous, charitable people of many faiths and ethnicities).</p>
<p>Worldwide, Americans have a very high proportion of participation in volunteer work and charitable giving. Probably because other countries (in Europe) tax their people more and do welfare by way of gov't programs to a greater extent.</p>
<p>I wonder where SUNY would be on the list?</p>