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Application & Placement

Timeline

SCA accepts applications year round.

  • November through field season - Ongoing review of applications
  • March through May - SCA offers specific placements to all selected applicants.
  • 2010 program start dates
    • June 10th - Track I crews begin
    • July 8th - Track II crews begin
    • July 22rd - Track III crews begin

Application

We are now accepting applications for the 2010 Field Season

To be considered for an SCA Conservation Crew, you must complete each section of the application, provide one to three references, and successfully submit your application form.  To apply:

  • Complete the SCA application:
  • Download, complete and mail SCA Medical Forms [pdf] and Signature Form [pdf]. If you are unable to download the necessary forms, send an email with your full name and current address to ccmail@thesca.org.
  • Pay a one-time $25 application fee. This fee helps cover some of our operations costs.
  • Provide 1-3 references. You can access the forms once you login to your application.

Already have an application on file?

  • Update your application and availability dates online
  • Download, complete and mail SCA Medical Update Form [pdf]. If you are unable to download the necessary forms, send an email with your full name and current address to ccmail@thesca.org.

 Once the required forms are filled out, submit them to us as soon as possible. There are three possible options:

1.  The most effective method is to scan the pages into an electronic PDF file and send to ccmail@thesca.org
2.  Fax forms to 1-800-939-3141
3.  Mail the paper documents to:
           Student Conservation Association
           c/o National High School
           P.O. Box 550
           Charlestown, NH 03603

Although we recommend that you apply before March 1st, applications will continue to be accepted until all positions are filled.

Availability Dates

Selecting good availability dates is absolutely vital.  In order to be considered for a crew you must be available for every day the program is in the field.  The best way to do this is to provide SCA with the widest window that you could attend a crew this summer.  If you know you really want a crew during, for example, our third track but could also come during the second track it is important to provide dates that encompass both tracks.  You can then state a preference for any timeframe within that window.  This way if we are not able to fit you into our third track we will have something to fall back on.

It is also important to consider the duration of your availability.  About 80% of our crews are 30-35 days long.  In order to have a reasonable chance at attending a crew, you need to have a window that is at least 30 days from the  begining of one or more tracks.  To make yourself eligible for every program we run, you should be available from June 10th to August 25th.  Here are the date ranges you should make available to be considered for any given track:

  • Track I
    • 15 day: June 10- 24
    • 21 day: June 10- 30
    • 30 day: June 10- July 9
    • 35 day: June 10- July 14
  • Track II
    • 15 day: July 8- 22
    • 21 day: July 8- 28
    • 30 day: July 8- August 6
    • 35 day: July 8- August 11
  • Track III
    • 15 day: July 22- August 5
    • 21 day: July 22- August 11
    • 30 day: July 22- August 20
    • 35 day: July 22- August 25

Alumni & Returning Applicants

If you have already submitted an application and all medical forms necessary for an SCA high school crew, then that information is already on file with us.  There are only three things that a returning applicant needs to do to reapply:

  1. Login and update your availability dates and any relevant changes.
    (Please contact us if you have troubling logging in)
  2. Complete & fax in a Medical Update and Signature Forms.

Applicant Selection Process

The SCA takes great care in selecting its crew members. Each applicant is evaluated individually based on the materials they provide. Please understand that this is a competitive process and that there is no guarantee of being selected.  For more details on how you can improve your chances of  being chosen, please see our Application Tips page.

Crew Member Placement Process

After we have selected an applicant, there are several different criteria that are considered for placement.  They are as follows in order of importance:

  • Your application being successfully reviewed
  • Your motivation to serve and relevant experiences and skills
  • Your demonstrated maturity, leadership and social responsibility
  • Your availability dates

These criteria reflect the care we take to ensure that all members receive a placement they are well suited for. We begin notifying crew member applicants of their placement in early spring. Upon receiving the placement email you have 7 days to respond. Once your acceptance is received, the SCA will send you Selection information and forms. Included in this email attachment are forms (Participant Agreement & Medical Waiver) that must be completed and returned.

The Waitlist

Only applicants who have received a waitlist invitation via email are eligible for the waitlist. To be placed on the waitlist, you must respond to the email immediately and outline any changes to your availability dates.

Crew members on the waitlist are not rank ordered. If space on a crew becomes available, a decision will be made at that time (ex. if a 15 year old female drops from a backcountry program, we will find a 15 year old female suitable for the backcountry from the waitlist). We send a final update to all waitlisted applicants by late June.

What if I don’t like my placement?

If you decline our placement, your application goes back into the general applicant pool. We cannot guarantee that you will receive another placement. Remember that each site offers an amazing opportunity for conservation service and every crew is in need of highly qualified members.