The Online Application

If you want to enter Peace Corps (PC) then the first part of the process is filling out the application.  There is a paper verion as well as an online version, but I found the online one easier.  It is basically like filling out a  very detailed job application.  There are sections about your health, level of education, if you have any family or monetary (debt) obligations, what languages you speak, what types of volunteer actives you do...that type of thing.  That's the easy part.  Most applicants are worried about the three time-consuming parts of the application.  Those are The Essays, The Recomendations, and The Resume (I will post my essays and resume as soon as I find my USB).  The Essays are the ones most people freak out about (myself included).  There are two essays you need to write, of between 250-500 words each.  It's easy to write once you have an idea, the main problem is in trimming them down.  Also, get some advice from a PC recruiter and some english majors if you can.  I ran mine by several times and ended up completely changing the tone of my essays.
     The Recomendations are the next part.  You need three recomendations, one from a good friend, one from a boss, and one from the head of someplace you volunteered.  This usually isn't too bad, but you have to make sure they get in on time, even if it means bugging your references.  You see, there is an area on your application where it shows which recomendations have been started, and when they were completed.  It lets you know if your recomendations are getting done.  The last part is the Resume, which for me was the most difficult part.  You need to keep it at one page length, no longer.  Choose carefully what you will write about so as to draw more attention to any leadership, public service, or independant work you have done.  You'll be suprised at what you can use, I put my volunteer work at the Bristol Renaissance Faire down because of the social interation with the public.  Run this by someone who knows resumes, again, I ended up changing the focus of my resume after a few look overs.  Hopefully I'll find my USB soon so I can post my Essays and Resume.