Looking for advice on Possible Peace Corp volunteering

[leonardoson]

I will try and keep this short and sweet.

I'm a 25 year old non-trad. Going into my Junior year at a private uni. GPA is 3.82 as a physics major. Volunteering for local church and hospital. Planning on applying for an REU for next summer. I'm planning on taking a gap year and am thinking about applying to the Peace Corp. I was looking at some jobs and some of the STEM teaching opportunities (11 months) sounds fascinating and fulfilling. I also want to get out of my comfort zone and see different parts of the world.

The thing that is holding me back is that I will trying to apply WHILE fulfilling a peace corp commitment. Is this possible/recommended?

I would rather not take two gap years. My father (68 years old) has expressed some concern that he will not be able to enjoy my successes in life with me since I will be in school for so long.

Just looking for some thoughts. Thanks

TLDR;
Want to apply to peace corp. Would be applying to medical school while fulfilling commitment. Dont want to take two gap year due to being non trad.

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[Crayola227]

it's been done but it can be expensive and you have to coordinate with Peace Corps and the schools interviewing you

you just have to be able to get to internet often enough, and for some they've had to be willing to fly from whatever country to interview
some schools have allowed skype interviews in these cases

*disclaimer: what I remember being told by some PC friends in med school years ago

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I know a girl who's in the peace corps now and was gonna try applying this cycle. She decided not to apply both because it used up all of her good will with her superiors (which is very important when your stationed in "rural" Africa) and because every interview flight would cost several thousand dollars.

Just my 0.02$

 

[TMC07]

If you want to be in the Peace Corps, you HAVE to take two gap years even if you apply while in country. The PC is a 27-month commitment. If you don't want to take two gap years, then you should not join the Peace Corps.

 

[Karabo]

I just finished my Peace corps service and I definitely think the time commitment is worth it if you want to do it. I decided to apply once I finished PC service (aka, I'm currently applying) because I didn't have the money to fly back for interviews (even if I would have been able to schedule the interviews together). I also wanted to spend my vacation days visiting cool places in my PC country/surrounding countries, so it made more sense for me to wait to apply. You also don't know what your Internet or electricity situation will be, although you will probably be able to access to these things at least once or twice a month (more if you are in a more developed country).

tl/dr: it is possible to apply in country, but you will miss out on cool vacations, and will need to have saved up money prior to PC service for airfare/interview expenses

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