Teach for America has become a household name, attracting ever more recruits, donors, and cachet. Its dogged recruiters prowl college campuses around the country, and each year more students line up to apply. No one argues with Teach for America's mission: to help underprivileged students succeed. But some educators have questioned its approach. Critics object most harshly to part of what makes the teaching corps so alluring to college students: its two-year commitment. Graduating seniors eager for something meaningful to do while they weigh future plans may jump to join Teach for America, which promises an intense, character-building challenge--but is two years too fleeting to achieve real change for struggling schools or their students? The program's numbers say no. This article discusses the building of the Teach for America brand, the advantages and disadvantages of the program's training system, and the program's rapid expansion.