At Teach For America, we’re always looking for ways to find the strongest leaders and best prepare our corps members to be excellent teachers. To help achieve both of these goals, we offer applicants the opportunity to apply early to TFA during their junior year of college. Why apply early? Read on to learn about the distinct advantages that come with our Early Deadline!

More Time to Prepare

Our Early Deadline applicants have a year or more to start preparing for the classroom. Being admitted early gives you plenty of time to complete all necessary steps to transition to the corps, including time to study and take certification exams, learn about (and visit!) your region when it’s safe to do so,  start learning the foundations of great teaching, and opt into professional development programs. All of this extra time allows corps members to hit the ground running when summer training begins.

Professional Development Opportunities

Early Deadline applicants are invited to participate in several unique opportunities in the summer and during senior year. TFA leadership and professional development programs like Lead and Connect give you the chance to engage with fellow corps members via summits and forums, and dive into resources early on.

Finalizing Your Post-Graduation Plans

Our applicants are talented people who unsurprisingly have a lot of opportunities to consider post-graduation. Being admitted early allows you to finalize your post-graduation plans before your senior year, giving you some peace of mind from job searching. This also ensures that you can focus on your studies and enjoy your senior year!

Strengthening Your Application 

Through studying our most successful corps members, TFA has determined characteristics such as leadership, strong achievement, and perseverance are key components for being a successful corps member. We know it takes time to develop leadership skills and demonstrate achievement in the work you’ve done, so applying early might not be right for every junior interested in TFA. Early Deadline applicants who are ultimately not admitted can use the admissions process as a way to reflect on their strengths and areas for development, work on these areas during their senior year, and then reapply to the corps.

If you have a graduation date between June 2020 and June 2021, you may be eligible for Teach For America’s Early Deadline. Check out the Early Deadline and FAQ pages for more information. The deadline to apply is April 10!