Congratulations! You’ve made it this far through Teach For America’s application process.

Now comes the most distinctive part of all: the interview. It's normal to have some apprehensions heading into it, however, we want you to feel at ease.

Here are five ways you can properly prepare for the interview so you can put your best foot forward.

1. Take care of what you can control outside the interview itself. 

In other words, make sure you’re well-rested and have prepared to discuss your experiences. Dress professionally - even though this is a virtual interview, you will be visible through a webcam. Make arrangements to log into your virtual interview exactly at your scheduled start time.

2. Determine what to teach for your Sample Teaching Lesson.

Choose any age-appropriate subject or objective from Pre-K-12; it won’t impact your eventual assignment. Your “class” will be made up of your interviewer. Remember this should be a full lesson with a clear beginning, middle, and end (even though it’s only 5 minutes).

Once you’ve figured out those details, get the supplies you need, namely any materials you may need for your lesson—such as Powerpoint presentations or documents. Be sure to practice your lesson virtually in advance, and pay close attention to your timing as you will have one minute for prep and five minutes for the actual lesson.

Remember, you will be able to share your screen, files, and applications with the group. Check out our Application & Interview Tips page for more information.

3. Be yourself and remember why you’re here! 

Refer to the What We Do, Who We Are, Life in the Corps, and Life as an Alum sections of our website to get a more vivid picture of our organization, alumni, and current corps members.

Are you ready to be part of a diverse force of leaders shaping the future of our country? If so, we can’t wait to learn more about you during your interview. Good luck!