So I am President and founder of my school’s teenage republicans club and Vice Chairman of my state’s Federation of Teenage Republicans. Mind you I am black and an immigrant.So I am not your typical republican. Anyways I want to talk about my club and how I hope to bring new a perspective to Harvard that would foster meaningful discussion, on my supplementary essay. I’m getting a lot of mixed opinions on whether I should talk about politics, especially about being republican. Some are saying I should keep the clubs on my CommonApp but not talk about in an essay (1), while some say I shouldn’t even put the club on my CommonApp at all (2), while others don’t think there isn’t any harm in having the club on my app and talking about it in an essay. (3). What do you guys think? 1,2, or 3.
Number 3, as I alluded to on another of your threads.
I’m also going to quote @gibby, who also answered you on another thread, and with whom I agree on this topic.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/20787966/#Comment_20787966
^^^ Agree. The worst advice given to applicants is to present yourself as someone you are not but who you think a particular school wants, whether it be in academic interests/majors, EC’s, essays or short answers. Highly selective schools which practice holistic admissions by definition want a diverse student body, and not just in race, but also in background, talent, thought and interests.
Talk about it without fear or shame. I agree with skieurope and bksquared. Another factor to consider–if any school is so intolerant that membership in a mainstream political party is perceived as a liability then you probably don’t want to go there anyway.
There is no question that the Harvard campus, students
and faculty, are majority liberal.
It is not as intolerant as say, UC Berkeley, but be aware
that some professors canceled classes after the last election.
Make your own decision, but be informed.