<p>The essay prompt is something along the lines of "describe a setting in which you interacted with people who's experiences and or beliefs differ from yours. Address your initial feelings and how those feelings were changed or not changed by the experience. </p>
<p>So currently, I am working with one of the two major political (repub/democrat) parties as an intern. I want to begin attending events and meetings of the opposite party as a mole - you know a spy. That way I can retrieve information about their actions/plans/methods. Potentially, I could get an internship with the other side so that I could be even more immersed in what they are doing.</p>
<p>Seeing as how I would be working with people exactly opposite to me, I think doing this and writing an essay about it could work well. I think it's also pretty authentic and fascinating - the whole spy thing. I would also write about how it changed my beliefs. (I became a libertarian).</p>
<p>The problem I see is that this could make a college think I was unethical and or malicious. Another danger of this is that it is highly political and there is just about no I could spin it to keep out my political beliefs because I would end up saying where I first interned and who I spied on and stuff.</p>
<p>Also, how would that work on a college app? If I said I was a mole for a political party (for that portion I would not need to mention what political party I worked with).</p>
<p>Sorry this was poorly worded. Typing on my phone. What do you guys think? Any potential with this essay?</p>
<p>I think when it comes to college essays - you should leave out politics/political beliefs, because very rarely can a high school student convey political beliefs in an appropriate and professional manner without insulting or distorting opposing views.</p>
<p>Also - I don’t think it’s a good idea to write an essay about how you successfully deceived an entire group of people by pretending to be an honest employee/intern when in reality, you were just taking advantage of the situation to undermine the institution you were working for and further the interests of yourself/another group. </p>
<p>The college essay doesn’t need to be dramatic - it just needs to speak volumes of who you are in a positive light. The admissions officer needs to put down the essay and think; “hey, I really like this kid.” </p>
<p>A boy last year from my high school got accepted to Yale and Princeton and his essay was about letting his friend give him a lousy haircut. The essay doesn’t need to be a roller coaster of emotions and twists and turns - just think of something good about yourself (your sense of humor, your resilience, your ability to respect other’s opinions) and think of <em>any</em> situation where such an attribute was showcased. </p>
<p>Preamble, per usual, is right. Much like the dinner table, politics should stay out of the conversation. Also, keep in mind how you present yourself to the colleges. Do you want to be deceitful, with some negative attributions? More than likely, you don’t. </p>
<p>Try your hardest to convey your best personality traits through the essay–that’s all they really want. Well, that and decent writing.</p>
Yeah, I do think it would make you look unethical, mostly because, well, it is unethical and somewhat malicious. </p>
<p>I also don’t think “spying” would really benefit the party you’re in favor of that much anyhow–you’re making it seem much more James Bonds-y and cooler than it is. But maybe that’s just me and it wasn’t part of your question.</p>
<p>Anyhow, yeah, there’s a good chance it might make the adcoms look at you in an unfavorable light. </p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like a good idea just reading about it on here, but you could write a draft of it and have a few people (preferably with a wide range of political views) read it to see what they think. </p>
<p>
Does anyone else feel like there have been a lot of hair essays recently? I had a hair essay, I’ve read several hair essays, I was watching College Jeopardy and someone on there had written a hair essay…</p>
<p>@halcyonheather - I think its because hair at face value seems pretty pointless but it’s actually a hallmark of a lot of people’s identity - especially teenagers. </p>
<p>Oh, another thing - your question instantly reminded me of Watergate which is something a college essay should probably never be reminiscent of, ever. </p>
<p>@preamble1776 I thought the same thing. He posted this in the regular College Admissions section too, and I started off a post there with “Good job Nixon! You still some secrets.”</p>
<p>I suspected these responses but I didn’t suspect how try hard they would be. Thanks for the advice guys. I will still do it but I won’t write about it. I just wanted to avoid writing the typical story about tutoring underprivileged kids or coaching kids in the special Olympics. Isn’t that boring??? Honestly I don’t even know why being a mole would be so bad. I won’t let them know I did it though :).</p>
<p>Also it is not that James Bondsy but it is a big deal because what is happening in my state/region is going to strongly impact the future for the entire nation so what I do has some influence.</p>
It could very well be illegal. I don’t know the law regarding that type of thing and am too lazy to look up specifics right now, but I’d advise you to tread carefully. At the very least, I’d imagine that if the opposing people found out and wanted to, they might be able to catch you on some technicality.</p>
<p>It’s also unethical, but who cares about that?</p>
<p>@Jewishboy1975 It’s hard to differentiate your essay from thousands of others, but you’ll find a way! And politics isn’t entirely taboo–the transition you mentioned to libertarianism sounded interesting. I wrote about my shift from reactionary conservative to a communist pinko to finding myself as a moderate, but then I wove in bits and pieces about my personality and my ability to analyze issues from different perspectives, etc. etc. etc. Good luck!</p>
<p>Illegal? It’s definitely not because I wouldn’t file any paperwork probably and I would just walk around with them and get people to sign up for voting and stuff. I mean the worst that could really happen is I get yelled and cursed at. No harm done. As far as ethics go… Who defines that! Unless you are a religious person, I don’t know why you would give a rats butt about laws that you are making up as you go. No such thing as ethics for you agnostics either! </p>
Awesome. Why not discuss this in a philosophy class after you get into college?</p>
<p>
I believe that the world will suck less for everyone if everyone behaves according to certain ethical rules, which are debatable. Whether we made the rules up doesn’t matter…at the most fundamental level I care more about practical consequences than anything else. </p>
<p>Yeah most people have morals… Remind me how that was relevant? My argument is that their morals are based on nothing. Unless you think man inherently has morals, which is complete folly.</p>