@whatisyourquest How would you know they don’t value diversity of ideas? I sit a lot closer to all this and see all the time that they do. That is, as long as those different ideas are appropriate to an application and reflect the attributes the college seeks. Spouting off, expository writing, etc, isn’t what they need to see. Being active, balance across the ECs, responsibilities, etc, are.
OP’s bigger issue may be, “I want a college to accept me for me.” While that’s good, when you talk of top tier, you also have to be what they seek. They do the choosing. Same as going for a job, you need to know what does matter to them. For a top tier, be savvy enough to figure that out. They like savvy. It’snot about being liberal vs conservative. It’s about how you move from that point, are activated, willing, try new things, clearly offer energies, etc.
Well, @lookingforward , the college administration establishes what is permissible discourse. That’s not debatable. Everything flows from the top down. If the administration advocates true diversity of ideas, then it will presumably be enforced.
On the other hand, if the administration deems some ideas unacceptable, then the message will be that applicants that embrace these offensive points of view do not “reflect the attributes the college seeks.” That’s not true diversity of ideas, is it?
Maybe the president at the university at which you work as an AO does indeed make it clear that all points of view will truly be respected on campus, and you follow that lead. Maybe you work at UChicago? That’s the only highly-selective university (to my knowledge) that unequivocally supports robust debate on campus:
Other options for the OP: apply to private universities that are unlikely to care at all about your political inclination (e.g., Caltech), or to large state universities that receive a multitude of applications and choose almost solely based on test scores, gpa, and class rank (e.g., UCLA).
You do have examples such as where the kid wrote the same sentence 100 times. Who these schools admit isn’t always consistent with what they claim to be looking for.
@whatisyourquest, why in the world would you think private colleges wouldn’t care? They don’t particularly want extremely disruptive or divisive people on campus of either stripe; it is a hassle for the administration. If the OP is thoughtful in his positions, then it likely won’t hurt his application.
I am liberal, but I really think you should write about what you CARE ABOUT! Admissions directors are looking to fill a class of diverse people and views! Are SOME professors left leaning? Yup. But this really does not affect ADMISSIONS. They are two very different, and separate sides of the coin.
President Obama just spoke at the University of Chicago and had a panel of students with him. The student who impressed me the most, and these were very impressive kids, was a Republican named Max Freedman. Max was incredible – smart, well spoken and funny! I sent him a message on facebook letting him know he needs to run for office. So thoughtful – you can watch here: https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2017/04/24/obama-focuses-inspiring-next-generation-leaders-return-uchicago
If you are PASSIONATE about your political activism, write about it.
Admissions officers are looking for people who constructively contribute to their community. They want people who are interested and interesting. I personally think it is hard to write about your political views in a way that makes a good essay. A great essay often turns on small things that reveal your personality to the ad com. Sweeping or common political statements are not helpful.
Of all the things you are, politics and money are the least interesting. Religion is interesting but at least as divisive as the other two.
I suppose a good essay could be written with politics providing a vehicle to move it along, but that would be more Airborne and less God and Man at Yale, two of the late WF Buckley’s titles as I recall.
In excruciatingly broad terms, a noncoastal U with an engineering school and a non-token liberal arts department should have a solid balance. In the 80s, Miami U’s two largest student organizations were the college R’s and D’s, in that order, but close. I was friends with the pres of one and roommate to the pres of the other.
Ok OP, look, go ahead and apply anywhere that you wish. It won’t cost you much. You can choose from your list of acceptances. But…
Even if (as many here claim) AOs just love political diversity – and they DO admit you because of (or in spite of) your political beliefs, you should also think about the current atmosphere at the college at which you choose to matriculate:
Will your viewpoints be listened to respectfully, and calmly debated, by your fellow students? Or will you be shouted down, called names, and be ostracized? Will your professors evaluate your performance in class fairly, independent of your political views? Or will your grades be diminished because your viewpoints are at odds with the prevailing beliefs on campus? And so on…
Whether you will be admitted or not is only part of the reality of attending college. Reflect on my examples in post 18. Use Google and YouTube, until you feel well-informed and comfortable about your decision. If being a Republican is important to you, you should attend a college that truly welcomes Republican viewpoints. Do homework. Believe your eyes.
@whatisyourquest being a Republican or around them isn’t that important to me; being able to express my views and learn from those with different ones IS though. What is a part of me is my political passion and love for country…Republicanism is much less and I hope admissions officers recognize that, although I may just change everything to ambiguous terms in my resume.
“being able to express my views and learn from those with different ones IS though.”
Yes, that’s the point. Apply to and (if admitted) attend a university that will allow you to express your views. It’s blatantly obvious that not all universities will. Don’t chase prestige. Pick a place where you will be welcome and happy.
OP doesn’t sound extremist, to me. Lol. Sounds more like an active kid, quite interested in what makes politics tick and how. He’s put his energies into what sounds like quite legit (and traditional) activities. Good.
Now it’ll be up to him to present himself in an effective way. I don’t think anyone here can yet tell him exactly what that is. Nor could anyone, if he happened to be the other side. He needs to resesrch his targets sufficiently to get a bead on what they value. Again, the attributes and how best to convey them. (Not the specific beliefs, nor some expository essay.)
E.g., a college that values activated kids may not be satisfied with some watered down (“ambiguous”) version of activities. That could not only dilute who he is, but leave them wondering about thinking.
OP, if you’re thinking top tier (stated in another thread,) and “have friends at most of them,” can’t we presume your friends are equally conservative and aren’t having issues? So why this worry?
Let’s be honest here. Universities and colleges are overwhelmingly left to far left. Some rare exceptions. But this is a wide spread phenomenon. Admissions these days is mostly about social engineering. Admissions staff are left to hard left. That’s just a reality. Run of the milk Republican should not be an issue and may even be good as some schools want a semblance of balance. But an overt Trump supporter could have issues.
You are what you are. If the college is extremely left leaning and doesn’t admit you because of that, you probably would be very unhappy there anyway. There is also something to tokenism, colleges like to have a few conservatives so they can claim ‘diversity’ while not actually being diverse. So don’t worry about it and use terms that they cannot argue with - like freedom, choice, responsibility, etc. etc. and nothing too inflammatory. No impassioned defense of the 2nd amendment for a non-southern school, for example, unless that is what you worked on.
I disagree with the implied advice of not going to a school too far outside your political beliefs. Go wherever will further your career goals the most, at a price your family can afford to pay.