<p>One major thing that's going to be on my app is the work I'm doing with the McCain presidential campaign. I'm creating a student organization to help raise money for the campaign this semester (junior year) and then volunteering for the campaign proper next summer. Will the fact that I am working for McCain rather than Obama/Clinton hurt me in the application process?</p>
<p>I think adcoms like all kinds over diversity on campus, including political, regardless of whether they agree with your views or not.</p>
<p>That's really cool. o.o </p>
<p>I totally agree with beefs, and I think it's an awesome EC.</p>
<p>Oh, it's definitely an awesome EC, and I would do it regardless of what colleges thought. I just know the stereotypes of young Republicans, so I'm curious if admissions boards are somewhat hesitant to admit people. Glad to know they're not... thanks for the replies guys:).</p>
<p>I'll be doing the same for Obama...</p>
<p>As a young Republican, I'm insulted. JK. But yea I know what you mean by the "stereotypical Y.R."</p>
<p>Is there anyway you could describe the EC ("volunteering and fundraising for presidential political campaign") without specifying? I think I would advise my own kid to do that regardless of which candidate it was. I mean, unless there's some reason to be more explicit, I don't see how it helps. JMO.</p>
<p>go McCain!! ahaha</p>
<p>I agree that colleges may even actively recruit Republicans, as they are in the minority on college campuses.</p>
<p>If you are afraid of bias. Just do what rentof2 did and say you campaigned for one of the presidential candidates and dont want to say which because it is arbitrary.</p>
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I just know the stereotypes of young Republicans
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<p>Being a moderate, I've got to say that McCain is not nearly the most conservative candidate the Republicans could have had. I don't think there will be any major bias you would face because of this, especially since even the Democrats are ridiculously split over Obama/Clinton.</p>
<p>But anyway, that's really awesome.</p>
<p>Colleges will definitely not have bias against that... it makes you more unique (especially at a LAC), and plus that would just be completely unprofessional to have political bias. Adcoms are trying to create a diverse class, and having people who are clearly rational and informed on each side of the political spectrum is important.</p>
<p>Of course not! What adcomm would discriminate on the basis of your political beliefs? That's completely irrelevant. Your devotion to a cause is what will stand out. I think you should specify as much as possible so that they understand the gravity of your commitment.</p>
<p>You have to realize that anything political can possibly be bad. Politics is an emotional subject for many, and your political views to some shape your character. Now let's assume the adcom that receives your application was a committed democrat that despised McCain. You could see where I'm going with this. It's not worth the risk in my opinion. It's best you leave out the name of your candidate and make it a general comment rather than specific candidate.</p>
<p>Yea, I wouldn't try to be too specific on McCain due to the fact that his views are hated by about half of the US atm. Just be general and say something in the line of "I volunteered and helped with the 2008 presidential campaign".)</p>
<p>As a young democrat, I can see how people might be bias toward McCan supporters and might affect your acceptance whether for it or against it.(for people who don't think this will affect it at all think about the situation that if this person's score and EC are very similar to another, if the admission officers are Democrats; even if they try to not be bias. They are still going to lean toward the other student).</p>
<p>Sounds fair. I have yet to formally create my McCain organization, so should I try to avoid something with "McCain" in the name so I can still put it on my app without making who I supported obvious?</p>
<p>You could just have it for "republicans" instead of McCain specifically.</p>
<p>I sure hope that the admissions officers have enough morality not to reject someone based on political views... I still think it won't hurt at all to name McCain on your app. Adding an ardent republican to a campus will foster more of an intellectual community with legitimate political debates-- if admissions officers go to such lengths to create diversity, I'm sure they would hate to end up with a student body where everybody believes the exact same thing.</p>
<p>Of course you'll be turned down! Everyone knows that college campuses are bastions of rabid liberalism! I've ever heard that that communist party secretly recruits fresh followers from the Ivy League schools. The only upside is that by not getting in, you'll be saving yourself from exposure to dangerous leftist dogma.</p>
<p>....
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<p>Really? REALLY? Of course not! You're fine. Don't be paranoid, it speaks ill of you.</p>
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I just know the stereotypes of young Republicans, so I'm curious if admissions boards are somewhat hesitant to admit people.
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<p>I'm a flaming liberal, and I would consider your activism a plus if I were an adcom. :) I'm pretty sure, from having spent a lot of time talking to the adcoms at my alma mater, that they would too.</p>
<p>It is true, though, that politics is a touchy subject for many people, and you may want to not specify which candidate you are working for. On the other hand, when I was applying five years ago, I put down my ACLU work, and even wrote an essay about it, and I got into some schools with relatively conservative reputations.</p>