<p>Donovan: Do pages engage in debates about policy or politics?</p>
<p>I am the us senate page from nj, anyone else out there. Looking forward to seeing you all</p>
<p>Which semester is the best one to apply to? Iām an incoming sophomore (Class of 2014), and Iām pretty sure that I can apply to next summerās (as an incoming junior), but I was wondering if applying as an incoming senior would be better. After all, as a junior, I would have better ECs and more leadership opportunities. Also, which sessions are less competitive? (Lol, sorry, I had to ask, even though itās probably impossible to discern.) Iām kinda worried about applying to the semesters during the school year, also, and would rather do it incoming junior year (next summer). But because of the aforementioned qualities, I am a bit hesitant to do so. So any advice/comments are welcomed!! Thanks!! (Also, sorry for using sessions and semesters interchangeablyā¦ Iām too lazy to āconsistenfyā (Iām going āShakespeareā on you guys, as future-President/Supreme Leader Palin would say, haha) it. Again, thanks!!!</p>
<p>Jon: It happens more often than we would have liked. Because pages are often knowledgeable about political issues, the debates come quick and easy, and thus get very fiery. Itās stimulating conversation, but can present itself in the most inopportune moments. I.E. a 1 AM debate with my roommates over aborting and born gay vs. behavioral gay.</p>
<p>I guess that will be ok. I can debate social issues and certain political issues but if anyone asked me about the economyā¦ I would freeze. And how often do Pages speak with senators? Letās say I wanted to discuss with Senator Rubio about illegal immigration given Floridaās immigration problem or Senator Schumer about education in New York. Would that be a possibility?</p>
<p>Has anyone else found out if they are a senate page for the fall semester?</p>
<p>Is there anyone who is Paging Spring 2012</p>
<p>Irishokie, my daughter was selected for the fall. Sheās curious about who she will be meeting in D.C. Where are you from?</p>
<p>I am applying for fall 2012 I am in Alabama applying to Shelby. I have a 3.7 gpa unweighted all advanced classes, am about to become an eagle scout, in JROTC, on debate club, and am in newspaper. What are my chances?</p>
<p>I also have excellant letters of recomendation.</p>
<p>So this is kind of an old thread but I couldnāt help myself. Iām a former Senate Page, class of Fall 2010. If people have additional questions, Iām here :)</p>
<p>Also: my class did in fact have a Supreme Court visit. We watched an oral argument on a case for about an hour. All of the justices were there except for Kagan. It was awesome! Sotomayor was just firing question after question. She talks a lot. Anyway, I think we only got to go because during my session the Senate was in recess for about half the time because of the election and everything, so we just went in the morning one day. My session also went to the State of the Union. It was three days before we left for good and we got to see everything 
I still have a copy of the speech. One time, the VP said āHelloā to me. My roommates were awesome.</p>
<p>This program was the hardest thing Iāve done. No matter how smart or cool or connected you are, or how long you can go with very little sleep, at some point you will feel like youāre not going to make it much longer. In the first couple weeks I was certain I would get thrown out.
It was grueling and frustrating and really really tiring, but I graduated nonetheless with honors and gave a speech at the closing ceremony. If you can apply, do it. Itās the best thing that will happen to you. As for āchancesā and such, it depends on your senator and whether they grant spots on connections or through an application process. Just see what happens.</p>
<p>Room 12, represent!</p>
<p>Hello everyone!</p>
<p>Iām glad blueWednesday posted on this thread, I almost forgot about it!</p>
<p>Does anyone know how to apply for the summer session? I applied last year to be a Senate page, without success, and this year for the Senate Youth Program, only to be selected as an alternate. I would love to try one last time!</p>
<p>I was just nominated by my senator to attend the spring 2012 session. I have just a few questions if anyone has gone through the program.
-I know you cannot have your cellphone, but do they allow computers in your dorm?
-Are you allowed to leave on some weekends to go home, and are there any breaks, such as spring break?</p>
<p>@Boston95</p>
<p>Hey!
Iām also going to be a Senate Page 2nd Semester. Who have you been nominated by? My nominating Senator is Mark Warner (D-VA). And Iām also very curious about the phone/internet policy.</p>
<p>And I donāt know if you have received your handbook, but there are breaks and you are allowed to request an overnight absence.</p>
<p>@mwunsc</p>
<p>Hey Iāve been nominated by Senator Scott Brown (R-MA). I havenāt received a handbook yet, but Iāll probably get it soon.</p>
<p>@boston95
It should answer most of your questions. Also, be prepared to fill out a ton of paperwork.
and btw, I sent you a PM.</p>
<p>Iām applying to the fall 2012 semester, but my senatorās (Murray) website doesnāt have a deadline for the application. For all you other applicants, when is your deadline? Iāve been preparing for this for quite some time now, and the last thing I want to do is miss my opportunity window. I live in Washington.</p>
<p>My senatorās website lists the Fall application date as June 1st.</p>
<p>Typical Senate page (Donovan95) thinks heās better than a House Page. He needs a REALITY check.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Being a page does NOT automatically get you into an Ivy League school. You need to have other fantastic extracurriculars on your app as well, and often that still isnāt good enough.</p></li>
<li><p>Being a Senate Page is NOT more highly regarded than being a House Page. Both programs essentially the same, just working on different houses of Congress.</p></li>
<li><p>Just because the Senate is the āUpperā house doesnāt mean itās better. In fact in EVERY bicameral legislature in the world, the āLowerā house is considered to be more influential.</p></li>
<li><p>Our academic program is EVERY bit as good as yours. My lit teacher wrote for the New Yorker, and although there were no AP courses offered, we could still take the exams if we chose. I took them and achieved my high scores just FINE with my āinferiorā House page education.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The only thing you said that was true about the Senate Page Program was that you can donate your way in. Which Iām sure is how you and most of your friends got in. There were VERY FEW wealthy House pages in my class, and the ones that were wealthy CERTAINLY didnāt buy their way in; they worked for it.</p>
<p>Itās sad the House Page Program no longer exists for students who are not pompous to work in the Senate :(</p>
<p>I was a House page, and if youād like any information about stuff relating to the page program, PM me :D</p>
<p>I will not serve as a Senate Page until the Spring, but I do think I can respond to some of those arguments.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>While it is true that in most countries the lower house of a bicameral legislature is the more influential, in the United States the upper house is more influential.</p></li>
<li><p>A girl from my school and former House Page informed me that the school was a joke. She said that because itās on a national learning curve, she got a 98% in every class. Iām not sure what the standards of the Senate School are, but the House curriculum definitely is not exceedingly challenging. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Also, when I conducted my interview at my Senatorās office the people in charge told me that the house program has been having problems for years. A woman said that ātheir kidsā had been caught drinking and that such problems have never existed in the Senate Page Program.
Lastly, the mere fact that the Senate portion of the Page Program still exists affirms its superiority.</p>