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What You Can Expect: Teach For America’s Application And Placement Process

Learn more about the application to join our corps.


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I am thrilled you are exploring the impact you can make through joining Teach For America.

Students, families, and schools across our 53 regional sites and beyond will benefit from your talent, partnership, and lifelong advocacy as you work with some of the most diverse leaders of your generation to expand educational opportunity for all.

The high stakes of our work with students and our distinctive approach to leadership development demand we maintain a highly selective admission model and process where we look at applicants who have demonstrated a unique mix of leadership experience, achievement, and commitment to social impact.

Read on to learn more about our admissions process or visit our How to Apply page to learn more about the entirety of our process.

Fast and Intuitive Application. Our application is designed to take under two hours to complete and includes a simple resume drop as well as a single, short-answer essay.

Direct Route to an Interview. Our admissions process has been designed to keep promising candidates moving immediately from application to interview. In preparation for your interview, you’ll complete a few required actions, designed to ensure we have the full picture of your candidacy on your interview day. Get the inside scoop with 6 Questions (And Answers!) About Your Interview.

Ability to Make Timely Decisions About Your Options. We’ve aligned the timing of our deadline windows with important campus events (e.g., final exams, winter break) as well as other employers’ timelines, to enable you to make a fully informed decision about the options before you, including TFA.

Applicant-Driven Regional Placement. You’ll have ample time and support when determining which of our 53 regions is right for you. Once you’re admitted to the corps, you will have the opportunity to research and rank your preferred regions and subject areas on the Applicant Center.

You have a tremendous amount to bring to our students, our communities, and to the broader fight for equity and opportunity in our country. I look forward to meeting you and supporting you in exploring Teach For America as the place to launch your leadership journey.

Sean Waldheim is the vice president of admissions at Teach For America. He was a 2000 Greater New Orleans–Louisiana Delta corps member and joined Teach For America’s staff in 2002.