<p>Has anyone here thought about applying for the Peace Corps after college? Know anyone who did? Any thoughts on about doing it? It seems like a unique opportunity and opens up lots of job opportunities when you return.</p>
<p>I am applying when the time is right. I dont know of many but Ive met with a lot of recruiters and It looks like a great opportunity. </p>
<p>If you are solely doing it for job prospects, then don’t do it</p>
<p>One of my friends is pretty set on applying, but I don’t think I want to work for the Peace Corps. I need to become certified to practice music therapy sooner rather than later. My hat’s off to people who want to join, though.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be doing it solely for job prospects, its a huge added benefit since I’ve always wanted to do work like that and that gets me in the door eventually. I really want to volunteer abroad, and this is a program that can help me accomplish that.</p>
<p>Peace Corps: “Better than the War Corps”</p>
<p>That should be their motto.</p>
<p>(Damn, just Googled it, some writer beat me to the punch)</p>
<p>I don’t know that many people that have done it (at least I haven’t talked to many people about personal experiences) but I think it sounds like a great experience; my friend is planning on joining and I’m thinking about it (for me it just depends on what countries are available at the time). You just need to make sure you’re willing to put in the time commitment; 2 years is a long time.</p>
<p>i’ve been thinking about it, especially since i want to someday work in the foreign service. it seems good, but 27 months without getting any real work experience and without being able to save up much money seems a little offputting to me. i guess i have time to decide.</p>
<p>Anyone know what type of degrees they’re looking for people to have. I’m going to double major in journalism & psych, but it seems like they’re only in need of health/education/business people.</p>
<p>You need to understand that with so many people applying to the Peace Corps and it is competitive to get accepted, it is an eighteen-month to twenty four process from the time you apply to the time you might get placed. Also, there is no guaranty of getting placed where you want. My daughter’s friend had studied abroad in Asia and requested an Asian placement however she was placed in Georgia because she is a native Russian speaker. While not her first choice of location, the fact that Russian was her primary language moved her up the list faster than most. Additionally it is more than a twenty-four month commitment. With the training for your placement, it is actually a twenty-six month commitment. Our neighbor’s son was placed in Kenya and has a career now in international education. There is a strong Peace Corp alumni network and it is a nice credential.</p>
<p>Yeah I heard it is getting competitive, but I’m sure they need people with Econ degrees and environmental backgrounds (Environmental Science Concentration). I’m hoping to get a small job after school somewhere and get in the application right away.</p>
<p>Son of my friend finished a 2 year tour in the Peace Corp about a 2 years ago. His UG degree was in Creative Writing. (His career goal–adventure travel writer.) His placement was in Kazakhstan where he taught English in a rural school. He spoke neither Russian nor any of the local Kazak dialects. He was later reassigned to help manage an small scale chicken farm. Because of the expense of travel, he wasn’t able to come back home during vacation periods so didn’t see his family for close to 3 years. No cell service and only occasional/intermittent internet service at his location. It was a fairly lonely stretch–and in fact he ended up dating his in-country Kazak supervisor–in part because she was the only person around who spoke any English. (Huge no-no. They both got formal reprimands and he was transferred elsewhere.) </p>
<p>Son is still unemployed (save for landscaping and day labor) and taking night classes so he can get a MA in psych. </p>
<p>Not much call for chicken farm managers in his hometown.</p>
<p>while a lot of their projects are business/health/education-related, they are open to everything. my friend who majored in fashion/art minor got in and will start this fall.</p>
<p>they don’t necessarily care about major, just the skills.
an 18 year old can technically join the peace corps if they have the skills, although it’s highly unlikely.</p>
<p>@WayOutWestMom</p>
<p>What is the reasoning for placing him in Kazakhstan to teach English when he can’t speak the language? </p>
<p>I was thinking about a stint in the Peace Corps after college, but absurd country placement is the biggest thing that’s stopping me. That, and job placement…I’m volunteering the best years of my life because I want to do something meaningful (like teach English to rural kids), not something that anyone from that country can do (manage a chicken farm).</p>
<p>I have no idea about the reasoning behind the placement. I wasn’t privy to it. </p>
<p>I suspect the chicken farm was a kind of punishment for violating the terms of his enlistment agreement. (i.e. having a relationship with his supervisor)</p>
<p>I want to look into it more. I feel like it would be a great opportunity and would help me avoid any midlife crisis situation that may come my way in the future. I couldn’t do it straight out of college though. I am currently attending but still live with the parents as I am going to a local university. I think that that would be too large of a change straight out of college, but I could change my tune. I might be stressed about an away toilet situation though.</p>