<p>Kid is seeking full financail aid and currently heads the GOP club. She is heavily involved in politics as this is her lifeline. She is very involved in politics. Whenever she has time, she is working on campaign for a US senator. She hosts a talk show dedicated to politics on local radio station for teens. However, she has been constantly harassed by her peers who have no idea about politics. She deflects her criticism by her sheer brainpower. Many teachers who are well, wishers have advised her not to mention it on applications a they say most adcoms have left leanings and may discriminate her despite her stellar records. She is now thinking about it. Is it a good idea to mention political views on college application or just forget, as she needs aid in order to attend?</p>
<p>I suppose it depends if she's applying to schools that lean left or right. My D has been a Young Republican, campaigned for her party's candidates at both the State and Federal level and was a Congressional Page assigned to the Majority Page Supervisor. She definitely put all this information on her resume. Her fellow pages as well as certain hs classmates highlighted their political activity irregardless of political affiliation because it was a big part of their EC life.</p>
<p>Her activity should be a visible component of her application package. Adcoms at schools known to have liberal student bodies are very interested in recruiting thoughtful, conservative students.</p>
<p>I agree with reidm. Your daughter's political activities are impressive, and she will be seen as contributing to the vibrancy of any college community. She should, however, be prepared that she may be asked about her views by an interviewer with more liberal leanings. If this happens, she can certainly express her opinion, backing it up with knowledge about the issue, but should also be careful to respond in a way demonstrates her respect of opposing points of view. My son, who is very liberal and was somewhat politically active, was mindful that his interviewer for Harvard seemed to be more conservative. He found it somewhat awkward when the interviewer asked him about his view on some issue, but he responded both by discussing it in an informed way and at the same time showing that he appreciated the concerns and some valid aspects of the opposing point of view.</p>
<p>I don't think it's necessary to make a platform statement in the application, but most adcomms would look at such activities as heading a club, working on a campaign, or hosting a radio show as impressive ECs, and would look at awareness of the outside world, community involvement, leadership, discipline, and obvious committment and passion as highly positive attributes, whether the student posessing these ECs and attributes is liberal, conservative, or something else. The fact that she is able to maintain her composure and defend her opinions in the face of harrassment would probably be seen as very commendable.</p>
<p>I do agree with Donemom that it's important for your D to show thoughtfulness and respect for the concerns of those with other views, and to be able to back up her opinions.</p>
<p>I think some of the well-intentioned well-wishers may be giving advice based on stereotypes of American universities and their politics, rather than on knowledge of how adcomms actually decide things. For what it's worth, I mentioned political activity in my college apps, though my political leanings are very different from your D's - I talked about volunteer work with my state ACLU's education committee during a time when some members of the education committee refused to host meetings in their neighborhoods for fear of harassment or violent repercussions.</p>
<p>In my opinion, she should include her political interests forefront as most colleges have very active chapters of both major political parties and encourage debate, discourse and editorial writing. Some colleges where only liberal or conservative views tend to dominate are keenly seeking out students who can stimulate class discussions and thoughtful writing.<br>
The challenge regarding ECs is to be earnest/passionate without being grandiose or overestimating your uniqueness or overestimating your contributions to any effort. Let her emotional EQ always come across..that is let her perspective come across but never overstate. Demonstrate an eagerness for a marketplace of ideas and debate in college that might have been missing in high school.</p>
<p>She should definately include her political activities. It shows she is a very devoted and focused person. If it keeps her out of a "liberal" college, then perhaps she would not be happy there anyway. I would be careful, however, in how she prevents her political views on an application to avoid "preaching" to the admissions office. I was stuck in a group interview with a student who did this once and it was awful. However, I am sure your D would not do that. That was meant only as a precautionary note. Good Luck!</p>