Hi! I’m a current Sophomore in high school and I’m looking for political science internships/programs/opportunities for the upcoming summer or the summer after. I’ve been looking at the senate page program for next summer and wanted to know if anyone had any experience going through it (what’s it like??) or how to get in (do you need a big connection??) or if anyone knows of other impressive and engaging political opportunities for high school students?
Hello, I was a Senate Page this past fall! When I applied through my Senator’s office last winter I had done a bit of political work around the state, and luckily the state party chair agreed to write one of my recommendation letters. I had my Civics and World History teacher write my other essay. If you know a state representative or state senator or anyone that you would know from working on a campaign that can attest to your interest in government that’s the only “connection” you need! There are obviously some pages that get in through connections but they are few and far in between, it is mainly your academic standing and essay questions that get you in.
Not going to lie, the page program is tough, especially the semester program where you have to take classes as well as working 40-60 hours a week. By the end of the first month, you will have doubted yourself and wanted to just quit at least once. But once you get through the “getting used to it” phase, it’s the experience of a lifetime that I wouldn’t have change for the world.
Also, a piece of advice would to always apply with your home state senator, even if it’s not with the party you want you’ll have more than enough interactions with senators from across the aisle since you serve all the senators:)
Hey! I’m really interested in the Page Program and I was wondering in your opinion whether the summer session or the fall/spring session is more rewarding
Hi! I’m applying for the Fall 2020 session. I’m really interested in the program so I’m trying to soak up any information I can. I’d read somewhere that about once a month (in the semester sessions) the pages go on a ‘field trip’ on the weekend to historical places in the East. So I guess my question is, for those of you who have done the program before, what are some different things y’all did? Thanks!
^^^ Also if you have any fun stories from your time as a page, I’d love to hear those too!!
Page from Fall of 2019 here- you definitely don’t go on just one field trip a month! Pretty much almost every single weekend we had a trip to go on. Note that there are two types of program sponsored trips- from the residence and from the school. The school field trips are ones where you go to historical sights and will have assignments/quizzes related to it. The resident ones are just for fun, we went to places like NYC and Monticello and just enjoyed the new experiences.
One thing that I will never forget from my time paging is just the company of being with other extremely competitive juniors. At my home school I’m one of the top students, and to come to a place where everyone had to be the best to make it into the program was a shell shock. But whether it be through suffering or memories, you really get to know the people you work with, and it’s something I wouldn’t change for the world. One of my favorite memories is just watching Forrest Gump in the main common room with the others, another one going out and ice skating in Washington Harbour.
When it comes to the Fall/Spring vs Summer pages, it really depends on the risk you are willing to take. Summer pages are sponsored for 3-4 weeks, with there being two sessions. Semester pages are sponsored for about 5 months, with 1-2 holiday breaks where you return home. Most of the action in DC happens in this September-May timeline, but you never truly know what to expect when you start your session. In my personal experience, I thought that heading to my session the main battle would be gun control, but I never thought I would be working an Impeachment Trial!
The summer pages never experience Page school, which in my personal opinion is an essential experience of the program. To be in academically rigorous classes with only 5-8 people in a class and top-notch teachers is a gift of a lifetime. However, I won’t sugarcoat it, the school is hard and ends up hurting the GPA of students when they get back home, with few being the exception. There are 20 fewer pages as well for the semester program, so you do have somewhat of a lesser chance to get in if you apply for the fall with a few exceptions for people applying with extremely-senior senators. The difference is really on how much you are willing to miss your Junior year, academically and socially.
can you apply to more than one senator?
thanks so much for all this advice it really helps! 
Hi for anyone on here who will de a junior or sophomore next year, interested in making a positive impact on the world, and learning in a international and diverse community you should apply to the United World College (UWC). Their are 18 of them world wide that “makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future”. Each that takes age 16-19 from around the world for two years of studying the IB, and an education that goes far beyond the classroom. You apply through national committee rather than to a school directly. I thought people on here might find this helpful, of anyone has questions feel free to ask/message me!
Has anyone applied to Sen. Brown’s office? I’m yet to hear back and have tried emailing them.
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@CR1234 Yes! You can. One page from my senator applied to all 100 senators, however she only got two acceptances because most senators only appoint from their home state and others don’t appoint at all. I’d suggest sticking to your two home senators. That is what most applicants do.
@ab0503 since she got accepted by two, did she just let one of them down? i heard people got in trouble when being accepted to multiple senators and ended up not being able to do the program. i want to apply to multiple but i am afraid of that happening to me.
Does anyone know what happened with the senate page program this summer and what the plan is for this fall and spring? Is it canceled due to Covid or happening with precautions?
hey! summer and fall both got canceled:( however, they are going to accept applications for spring bc it hasn’t gotten canceled (yet…)
hi! im going to be a page this fall and i was wondering if we could possibly talk about the program together? tysm! i just dont know what to expect at all
Hi! I’m going to be a Senate Page this Fall and was wondering how your school handled the session going over into a few weeks of a normal Spring semester. Also, did your school allow to take more classes in the Spring than just the 4 offered by the Page School? Do you think I could take an online class in addition to the school (like AP Environmental Science?). My sister was a Page in the Spring 2019, so it was a little easier from a scheduling standpoint. I go to a competitive public school. I didn’t apply for the program, but received a call from my Senator when there was a last minute cancellation. I’m super excited, but a little nervous about how will impact my year academically overall. Thanks in advance for your help!
@shal @chipquesadilla I’m going to be a page too!!! I got selected through the office of Sen Gary Peters (D-MI) for the fall session I’m more than happy to connect with you before we meet each other this Sunday!
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She didn’t get in trouble, but it isn’t recommended. Oftentimes it can take away the opportunity from other students, because by the time pages are selected it is too late for the senator to reselect another. Apply to your senators (MAYBE 2). In my state (Oklahoma), only the senior senator appoints, so I applied to one!
Hii! I’m applying to be a page for Summer II, and I was just wondering if you could provide me some insight on my chances of getting in? I’m in great academic standing, and I’m definitely asking my history teacher and debate coach for letters of rec. However, I don’t have many political connections. I’ve worked on campaigns and done poll working. I’m also involved in a few political clubs at my school, but that’s pretty much it.