I’m currently a sophomore who’s interested in dual majoring in political science and econ but recently I’ve been struggling with building my resume to be more competitive. Right now I’m worried about my lack of extracurriculars and awards.
So far, I’m ranked in the top 10 out of a class of around 900. My current extracurriculars include being a part of my schools varsity orchestra (selected for all-region in a competitive region in texas, but didn’t rank notably well ), varsity debate (sophomore representative, finaled at a couple tournaments in congress which isn’t bad considering our congress team lacks resources and only started a year ago, but this year had to drop competition for a month to recover from health issues, at this point im prob not gonna tfa state qual), model un, honors academic decathlon (our team is one of the top in the state but i started this year so i’ve only done a few meets), and national english honor society. I’m also part of my church’s volunteer league but we really just help set up church events.
The problem is, I wanna apply for things like the Youth in Policy Fellowship, do Congressional internships, do political science research, etc. But I don’t really have any spike to really stand out among applicants to these things. How can I bolster my application right now to land opportunities in the summer/early fall of next year?
Oh also, forgot to mention, I plan on starting a Junior World Affairs Council chapter at my school. And I’m also interested in doing writing competitions
But those that look at ECs- they needn’t be related.
Example -my kid is in Poli sci and IR. Her ECs - walking dogs at the shelter, Jewish youth group, Humane Society.
You could be in band, get a part time job, volunteer at the library.
So whatever interests you - as long as you make an impact. Maybe tutor at the local Boys and Girls Club.
That you do orchestra is wonderful. Debate too. That’s enough but build tenure.
But go for the things you are talking about. But do them for the right reason - you want to - and not college apps. But getting a part time job will always look good.
Seems to me you’re on a great path.
Most kids don’t do research in hs (or college as an EC for that fact). It may be hard to find but you can ask your teachers if they have contacts. As for the other things - apply - if you don’t get - no problem - you’re already well on your way to success.
I agree that there’s no need to do ECs related to your major - even among colleges that place high value on ECs, they’re mostly looking for meaningful commitment over time (which could include a job and family responsibilities as well as traditional ECs) rather than a career path – it’s more common than not to switch majors in college, so there’s no reason to put yourself on a specific pathway now. And you’re already involved with some relevant activities.
However – if you’re looking to explore various aspects of government and politics in new ways, you might think about journalism, student government, volunteering for political campaigns (or the local political party of your choice), and participating in community service activities that focus on civic engagement (nonpartisan GOTV or other issues-based campaigns, environmental work, etc.). Really, any volunteer work is great because you can learn about civics by engaging with different parts of the community that face different challenges.
For writing competitions, check out Scholastic (this year’s deadline has passed, but be on the lookout for next year’s competition). Also, the NY Times holds various student competitions throughout the year (editorial writing, letters to the editor, etc.). Here’s more info about that: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/learning/our-2024-25-student-contest-calendar.html I agree with @tsbna44 that it’s unlikely that you’ll do meaningful research in political science in high school and maybe this isn’t something you should aspire to. Quality political science research take years to learn how to do, and most students don’t really attempt it until late in college (with a capstone project, for example) or grad school. For now, go for meaningful applied experiences like those I suggested above.
What you’re already doing is terrific, and there’s no need to pile on. Better to do a few things really well than lots of things half-way because you think it looks good on an application.
If you are interested in politics, I agree that volunteering is a great way to start seeing how politics really works and networking with potentially useful people. In our area, there are municipal elections in 2025, and I think those can be very interesting with lots of opportunities for volunteers to really get involved. There are also political organizations constantly looking for volunteers.
Check your city council. Sometimes they have committees that high school students are eligible to serve on. Our city loves when young people get involved in committee work. What about your state representative, assembleymember, senator? If they have offices near you, then may have opportunities for high school students. Depending on your specific interests, there may be nonprofit organizations that do grassroots advocacy or analyze policy and develop policy proposals. There are also youth-focused nonprofits that engage and educate young people on the political process through get out the vote initiative as well as webinars where they talk about civic engagement and train young people to get involved. All of these things would give you a taste of what politics might be like.
