<p>I'm currently a high school sophomore and am beginning to consider in detail the universities I want to aim for admission to. Eventually, I hope to pursue a career in politics. Bearing that in mind, I'm considering schools which offer strong programs in Government, Public Policy, or Political Science. </p>
<p>While I have seen that some consider these three fields completely synonymous, I believe that out of the three Political Science is the most analytical. I've taken a look at the programs leading to the Government major at Georgetown and Dartmouth, and have come to the conclusion that it is a broader field than public policy analysis and political science. However, while looking at programs offered by other schools, I do sometimes doubt how true this conclusion is.</p>
<p>To be specific, I hope to hold elected office one day. I am not sure at what level - local, state, or even national. To make things more confusing, I am not sure what I would like to pursue at grad. school - a Juris. Doctorate or a degree that would lead to a more academic career. In light of this, which of the mentioned majors do you feel I should be looking at?</p>
<p>You seem to be approaching things from the wrong angle to be frank. People who hold elected office start off doing so because they want to enact change, or most importantly, serve the community.</p>
<p>From what you describe, you should get a Govt bureaucracy job instead. </p>
<p>Unless you really want to serve the public, step aside and let others run for office. There’s enough posers out there. Do you really want to aim to be one of those?</p>
<p>Maybe gear your college study plans to really learn about the broader society in order for something to click with you. What you major in is unimportant, to be blunt.</p>
<p>Real change does start at a grassroots level, with real action. However, I feel I need a strong college education to actually understand the fields that explore the functioning of a democratic society, as you say, - namely philosophy, economics, sociology, psychology, and history among others. The reason I’m concerned about choosing the right major is to make sure I do not fall into a program which is aimed at making analysts of the political process. I’m not undermining the great importance of political scientists and analysts. It’s just that such a career’s not for me.</p>
<p>With all due respect, I must say that I’m not a poser. It is true that most seek elected office for its glamor, prestige, and monetary rewards. That is not my aim. My aim is to serve, and I am willing to do that at the lowest level so long as my contribution is in some, no matter how seemingly insignificant, way meaningful.</p>
<p>Have you looked into International Relations? Some schools throw IR under Goverment/Politcal Science as a focus field, but other schools like G-Town, NYU, UPenn, etc. have excellent IR majors.</p>
<p>I have, to a great extent (participated in six MUNs, actively hoping to actually become what I was pretending to be). However, I decided against it as I have spent fairly long periods of time outside the US as a child and have no intention to do that as an adult. A career in IR would either mean going abroad, or a bureaucratic position at an international organization in the US. I really don’t have an inclination for the latter. Though I recognize that an IR major doesn’t necessarily mean such a career (President Obama and President Clinton majored in IR), my focus is really exploring US government. However, I definitely would like, and will have to take IR courses for my major.</p>