I want to pursue a career in law, medicine, business, policy, etc. How will the two years corps experience prepare me for
graduate school or the private sector?
Regardless of the career path you choose, the skills and insight you develop during your two years as a corps member will be relevant. You will refine your leadership, communication and presentation skills, while sharpening your ability to problem solve, think strategically and influence and motivate others. You will also develop lasting relationships and build a network of colleagues and friends that you will value for the rest of your life. Each alumnus has a unique story about how the corps experience has influenced them personally and professionally. Learn more about alumni in biological sciences, business, education, engineering, law, medicine/health, physical sciences and mathematics, political and policy leadership, and technology.
Graduate schools and corporations value the skills, insight and experience that distinguish Teach For America corps members and provide alumni with numerous benefits as a result. More than 100 graduate schools, including top-ranked programs in business, law, medicine, education, public policy, and the sciences and engineering, seek our alumni and offer them benefits such as two-year deferrals and scholarships. Learn more about our graduate school partnerships.
Over 20 leading employers, including Accenture, Deloitte, GE, Goldman Sachs, Google, JP Morgan Chase, McKinsey & Company and Wachovia, offer benefits such as two-year deferrals, internships, and career mentoring. Learn more about our corporate partnerships with top employers.
In addition, Teach For America offers ongoing support for its alumni, through its career and leadership center, regional alumni affairs teams, national and local events, and ongoing communications.
What do corps members do after they complete their two
years?
Q1. Can I stay in education after my two years?
About 66 percent of Teach For America alumni remain in the field of education as teachers, principals, policy advisors, and leaders and staff of education reform organizations. For new alumni, in their third year since joining the corps, some 71 percent are in education, the vast majority as teachers, while some work in other school-based roles. Furthermore, nearly 300 alumni are principals or school leaders. Learn more about what our alumni are doing in education and a variety of other sectors.
Q2. Is it possible for me to work in fields other than education after my two years as a corps member?
Yes. Thirty-four percent of our alumni work outside the field of education. They bring their unique experience and perspective to a great variety of sectors, including law, business, medicine, and policy, where their efforts are improving conditions and increasing opportunities in low-income communities. In fact, leading employers and top-ranking graduate programs value these unique experiences and perspectives, and provide alumni with numerous benefits as a result. The vast majority of alumni (93 percent) still support our mission through their career, philanthropy, volunteer work, or graduate study. Hear the voices of our alumni making changes in fields outside education.
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