How much of a role, if any, do you think one's political and economic ideologies play in admission? If pressed, I would probably describe myself as an anarcho-capitalist, and though I don't come right out on the app and say ICANHAZANARCHYLOLZ, it's pretty apparent from my reading and activities. Power and Market, Anthem, Speech Against Conscription and War, and George Will's column in the Washington Post all make one reading list or another, and Ron Paul campaign volunteer is one of the three outside activities I list. I'm also trying to found a chapter of SSDP (students for sensible drug policy) at my school, and may include it in the app. I know a lot of the stances these things imply are somewhat at odds with those of (according to what I've heard, though I could be wrong) most people who work at colleges. I'm also aware that Columbia is particularly community oriented. Does including all of this show passion, or does it show the school something it would rather not see?
It should be a positive for you. Showing passion is what the admissions officers want to see, and it sounds like you've got it. Don't mollify your presentation because you think The Man won't appreciate your politics. If anything, Columbia is a fairly liberal school. Heck, I consider myself an economic conservative, and I was in SSDP at Columbia. Maybe toss an email out to the people running the club at Columbia, get a sense of what they're doing, and use that as fodder for your Why-Columbia essay. It'll make a powerful and unusual appeal that will be memorable - all of those are good things.
Denzera: Thanks, really helpful post. Contacting SSDP at Columbia didn't even cross my mind.
Bescraze: Woah dude, ya totally caught me. Yeah, the countless hours of reading, discussion, and deep thought had absolutely nothing to do with it. I just thought the Ron Paul pin would look good with my Slip Knot t-shirt and faux-hawk. Spot on.
"Bescraze: Woah dude, ya totally caught me. Yeah, the countless hours of reading, discussion, and deep thought had absolutely nothing to do with it. I just thought the Ron Paul pin would look good with my Slip Knot t-shirt and faux-hawk. Spot on."
HAHAHAHAHA.
I think you've got good chances, and you're probably a unique applicant. Denzera's right, don't undercut your application just because columbia's got the reputation of being a very liberal school. I also think you should include the SSDP in your application, even if it's just an idea at the moment--in some way it's going to show that you didn't do your EC's just for the sake of boosting your resume.
"I know a lot of the stances these things imply are somewhat at odds with those of (according to what I've heard, though I could be wrong) most people who work at colleges"
true this, but to be venturesome: Passion aside, those political affiliations should increase your chances, as you are definitely far from the average applicant. why do I think those views won't exclude you? - I've met a sizable number of kids on campus who are outwardly like that, some are my good friends others annoy me. But either way, they're around.
If you've been involved in anarcho capitalism and you believe in it, then flaunt it. The left wing activists do this all the time and get in. Admissions looks for commitment, dedication, conviction, intelligence (baldly put: passion). Columbia, contrary to popular belief, is not uniformly liberal, we have huge bipartisan and non-partisan political clubs, several sizable right wing clubs too. Anyone who has taken a class of econ, ceases to be socialist and extreme left wing. we're talking of about 500-600 / 1300 in CC and seas.
Bescraze: Woah dude, ya totally caught me. Yeah, the countless hours of reading, discussion, and deep thought had absolutely nothing to do with it. I just thought the Ron Paul pin would look good with my Slip Knot t-shirt and faux-hawk. Spot on.
Bescraze = pwned.
VC: there was a small but firm ron paul support group on campus last spring. you won't be completely alone...also ditto on what everyone else said.
Anyone who has taken a class of econ, ceases to be socialist and extreme left wing. we're talking of about 500-600 / 1300 in CC and seas.
Taking your statement at face value, it leaves open the possibility (and a very real possibility in my book) that half of Columbia students are extreme left wing socialists.
Of course, his statement is obviously meant to imply that 500-600 of each Columbia class of ~1300 students takes an Econ class, and thus respects free markets.
