AmeriCorps

[DrJ2B]

Hey all!


Seeing that I may not be accepted this year, I am considering doing AmeriCorps during my reapplication year. Has anyone done an AmeriCorps program or know anyone who has done one and can offer me some advice or share his or her experience? Anyone know of any programs that are flexible enough that I will be able to go for interviews with no problems? Thanks all! I would really appreciate any info!

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[Elizabeth1028]

Hey all!


Seeing that I may not be accepted this year, I am considering doing AmeriCorps during my reapplication year. Has anyone done an AmeriCorps program or know anyone who has done one and can offer me some advice or share his or her experience? Anyone know of any programs that are flexible enough that I will be able to go for interviews with no problems? Thanks all! I would really appreciate any info!

I don't have much helpful info to offer, but AmeriCorps is an awesome thing to do. I was seriously considering taking a year off after undergrad to join AmeriCorps. A friend of my roommate has been doing Americorps for this past year while applying to med school. It must be somewhat flexible because she was able to travel to interviews out of state. I'll ask my roommate for more info.

 

[klooless]

I was a member of Americorps (and am now an inactive alum). I taught kindergartners on a Jumpstart team of 7. It was a cool experience, and it's not that difficult to get involved. Unfortunately, Jumpstart was cancelled in Connecticut over this past year because government funding was cut
It's funny, because we all got to meet President Bush a couple years ago, and he went on and on about how committed he was to our program.

Anyhow, g. luck!

 

[woolie]

I am doing an AmeriCorps year in Utah and so far I like it alot. I work with medically underserved people in a community clinic. You can PM me if you want to ask more questions about the details.

In general, I would recomend doing alot of homework on what you might want to do and where. I researched alot of different host sites through the AmeriCorps website and then found one I really liked. It can be hard to be really poor, but you do get food stamps and if you live in an inexpensive area it can be ok.

As for interviewing, you should be ok as you are allowed time off. Most sites are pretty decent about it too. I think schools do look favorably on a person being willing to forgo a good salary and benefits to work for $6.37 an hour. Plus, you learn about about yourself and the people you are helping. One point of the year is to learn how to become a community volunteer, and we take trainings in different skills like HIV training, CPR, medical translation and other neat things.

 

[LoneCoyote]

I have several friends who have done it. Two did it in Cape Cod and loved it. I know 2 people who did it in the Bay Area, one loved it and one hated it. It seems really important to look into the site and what you will be doing because some sites/programs are run better than others. The hardest thing seems to be living on the salary, but as woolie mentioned you can get food stamps to make ends meet. If you want to talk to any of my friends about their experience pm me and they are all usually happy to talk to people about it.

 

[jlee9531]

I was a member of Americorps (and am now an inactive alum). I taught kindergartners on a Jumpstart team of 7. It was a cool experience, and it's not that difficult to get involved. Unfortunately, Jumpstart was cancelled in Connecticut over this past year because government funding was cut
It's funny, because we all got to meet President Bush a couple years ago, and he went on and on about how committed he was to our program.

Anyhow, g. luck!

yeah thats pretty sad. if you ask him now he prolly wouldnt remember meeting you guys.
never like it when funds for good educational programs get cut.

 

[pollolocomx]

Hey DrJ2B,
I am a former Americorp member and I can't tell you how invaluable the experience, but i truly believe that this really made me stand out as an applicant. I did americorps for two years, working as an outreach worker in a medically underserved area of chicago. the clinical exposure and the hands on was amazing. i got to see the various different aspects of the medical field. my second year i served as the team leader. from this experience, i was really interested in family practice, so i have applied for the NHSC scholarship. i have also been accepted to University of Wisconsin-Madison, great primary care school. overall, it took me three years to get to this point, i would not trade this experience for the world. i gained so much knowledge and i think that it really helped me to stand out from the rest of the applicants. if you need any more info just pm me.