<p>I thought I’d post this question here since parents seem to be very knowledgeable about college issues. </p>
<p>How can I do what I love? I want to be able to do things that I love to do yet still have them count towards college. Obviously, simply reading books that interest me aren’t good enough, it seems top colleges want awards and real hard activities to go with them.</p>
<p>So what do you guys suggest for me if I am interested in history, politics, international politics, and writing? What can I do over the summer? Note, my school really doesn’t have many opportunities related to those interests, and not too many people are interested in politics and history anyways.</p>
<p>Yes, great idea Booklady, I am actually doing that now. I am an intern at our local museum/historical society. Though, I thought, is the fact that it is just local and nothing big or nation-wide hurt me?</p>
<p>Write for your local newspaper – even if you live in a big city, chances are there is a small community paper nearby. Offer to write a weekly column about politics or international relations or whatever you like writing about. Or teach an after-school class to elementary or middle school students on politics or international relations. Volunteer for a political campaign.</p>
<p>You don’t need national awards to get accepted to college. Showing initiative in your own community can be impressive. Look around the museum/historic society. What does it need? Figure out what you can do to make it a better/more attractive/better financed/better promoted – whatever – institution. Then do it.</p>
<p>Can you do an internship with your local/ state/ national representative? All members of the House of Representatives look for [unpaid] HS interns for both their local and Washington based offices in the summer. Offer to volunteer for someone running for national office as well. With the election coming up, this is a once in 4 year opportunity. Start pounding the pavement to see where you can help.</p>
<p>If your politics are liberal or libertarian, there’s another interesting annual essay contest sponsored by the ACLU.</p>
<p>I’m sure there are others. Do a little research. </p>
<p>You don’t say what year you are, but one thing you might be able to do is to take the two AP Government exams. My kid never took a government course, but took the AP US Gov’t junior year and scored a 5. I think it helped a little to validate her (truthful) claim that she was very interested in government and current events and spent some time reading about them.</p>
<p>While the parents have great suggestions, I have one thing to chime in…</p>
<p>Colleges love seeing involvement in your local community. To me, it is more impressive to volunteer in your county than to go away to Africa and build huts on some exotic adventure tour. I have pretty disparate interests, including some that aren’t exactly college-application fodder (like skateboarding!). However, I have devoted my time to doing what I loved, which is what I wrote in my EC and essay statements. I was never in a national band, won a science fair, or was even a president of any club…but I got into really great schools, because I had good grades and test scores and was a cool person with interests.</p>
<p>I agree about finding ways to get involved in your community, like continuing to volunteer at the historical society, and trying to get internships with political campaigns or newspapers. But don’t stress trying to use your ECs to wow colleges - trust me, it may feel like it, but it’s not necessary :).</p>
<p>Also, I know you said not many people at your school are interested in politics or history, but it still might be possible to start a club or activity at your school, which will also show a lot of initiative and leadership. For example, reading books that interest you isn’t enough, but what if you start a book club? Or a writing club where people workshop each others work. Or a publication of some sort…my school had a history magazine where people submitted academic papers they were proud of and had them published (like a literary magazine, only for history). Even if people aren’t that into history, they might still like to show off their best work. Etc. etc.</p>
<p>I’ve always been partial to independent research projects. Your interests are perfect for researching an issue and writing a paper (longer than what you’d normally write in school). You may be able to get a faculty mentor and get in on your transcript, or you can enter a contest, or you can just write it on your application. Colleges love students who show that they love to learn, and it would be great if they see that you’ve shown initiative in order to do what you are interested in.</p>
<p>For the record, I recommended working on a political campaign as a natural project for someone interested in politics. I have no idea if it would wow an admissions committee. If it was me I wouldn’t care, either, but your mileage may vary for sure.</p>
<p>I’m hoping one of the other parents can help out here, but I know that there’s a National History Week/Month (?) that highlights high school student research as well as a national historical publication that prints only research papers by high school students. I believe that colleges think very highly of student participation in this program, and think the OP might enjoy it. But what is it called?!?</p>
<p>Working on a political campaign doing anything is impressive.</p>
<p>Does your school have a debate team? Might be a little late to start with that, but most people would connect that with political interest (candidates need to know how to do it).</p>
<p>“So what do you guys suggest for me if I am interested in history, politics, international politics, and writing”</p>
<p>Volunteering on the political campaign or in the office of any public official or candidate for office.
Working on an entry for History Fair. Getting a local professor to advise you on that project.
Starting a club related to your interests, and working hard so that the club offers real activities related to it: guest speakers, debates, publications, etc.
Attending a summer writing program. There are many. If $ is a problem, earning the money to attend such a program or getting a scholarship to one.
Being very involved in student government or model UN.
Participating in Boys or Girls state.</p>
<p>What top colleges are looking at is students who’ll be active contributors to campus life and to society in general. Students who just spend their time reading about subjects that interest them aren’t likely to be those kind of active contributors. Top colleges want students who are not just interested in things, but are going to pursue their interests in a way that affects society. This could mean by being academics who publish research or people involved in leadership roles in civic and other organizations.</p>
<p>These are all excellent ideas. Thanks to all of you who contributed. </p>
<p>I have a question, what about Writing contests… what are some of the writing contests around, how can I find all of them? Are there any that you would recommend me?</p>
<p>Northstarmom, thank you for your post :). Question: you don’t think its too late to start a club related to politics and history? (I’m a junior btw)</p>
<p>Celita - are you interested in journalism at all? There are a lot of journalism camps and programs all over the country, and a lot of them give awards for the best feature writing, news articles, etc. at the end of the program. You learn a lot, too.</p>
<p>Google “summer journalism programs” - My d attended two different programs for a couple of weeks for two summers and really enjoyed it.</p>
<p>There are also some excellent writing programs that are not related to news writing, but creative prose and poetry. This is an excellent program I would recommend.</p>