Peace Corps/AmeriCorps/TFA

[pushpin]

Seeing how there's a strong interest among these organizations' members in MPP/MPA/IR I'm interested in how adcoms really view RPCVs and AmeriCorps/TFA alum. I'd appreciate any insight from alumni, non-alumni and people who've sat on committees. Do alumni have a distinct advantage in the admission process and in graduate studies in general?

[Octavia]

Seeing how there's a strong interest among these organizations' members in MPP/MPA/IR I'm interested in how adcoms really view RPCVs and AmeriCorps/TFA alum. I'd appreciate any insight from alumni, non-alumni and people who've sat on committees. Do alumni have a distinct advantage in the admission process and in graduate studies in general?

I think PC folks do have a distinct advantage in grad school admission process. Part of it comes from the experience they gain while in the program. But there is also the fact that they must have been pretty impressive to be considered by Peace Corps in the first place. I am not sure how selective/impressive etc AmeriCorps/TFA programs are.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Octavia

[fadeindreams]

I think TFA is more selective than PC while Americorps is less selective. I'm willing to be wrong on that one...

[mppgal55]

Seeing how there's a strong interest among these organizations' members in MPP/MPA/IR I'm interested in how adcoms really view RPCVs and AmeriCorps/TFA alum. I'd appreciate any insight from alumni, non-alumni and people who've sat on committees. Do alumni have a distinct advantage in the admission process and in graduate studies in general?

One thing I noticed during my application process is that a lot of schools waive application fees and gift scholarship money or extra credits to RPCVs and AmeriCorps alum. At CMU, you are guaranteed a minimum of $6,000/semester for being an alum of these programs, and the people I know got much more. At IU, you get 6 credit hours and the professional experience requirement is waived. At some schools, they even have a Masters where they incorporate PC into the program (IU, Washington). These things all indicate to me that they are valued by MPP/MPA programs, if not all than a lot.

A lot of people that I met did these programs as a way to take some time to figure out life before grad. school. The added experience and certainty of goals can only help you!

Also agreeing with fadeindreams, TFA is more selective than PC, but I'm not sure how Americorps ranks on that scale. I thought it wasn't very selective, but I've heard that this year their selectivity increases a lot (more applicants due to crappy economy).

[narius]

Seeing how there's a strong interest among these organizations' members in MPP/MPA/IR I'm interested in how adcoms really view RPCVs and AmeriCorps/TFA alum. I'd appreciate any insight from alumni, non-alumni and people who've sat on committees. Do alumni have a distinct advantage in the admission process and in graduate studies in general?

Answer is yes, although they are all assessed differently. Although schools that give credit, $$, or other perks for one of these are likely to also give for the other two, schools tend to have a particular focus on one of these. TFA IS more selective - in a sense - but TFA people aren't as much in demand in a place like Kobel or Evans, which vastly prefer RPCVs. On the other hand, programs like at Indiana and Fels often prefer TFA people because they're programs are a little more domestic oriented. This is not a clear cut list with solid columns, but its worth going by. That said, by the way, I do not know Americorps people who have done especially well in their grad school applications. Except, of course, people whom you'd expect to do well anyway.. However unfair, the impression I have gotten is that Americorps is kind of a poor man's Peace Corps. This is obviously not a nice thing to say, considering that there are some very smart, good people in Americorps, but I think it is justifiable to say that your average Peace Corps Volunteer is noticeably more impressive. Then again, it might be a self selection thing.

Are you thinking about serving?