Okay, so you think you want to study political science but you have no idea where to start. That’s totally fine. However, don’t wait until the last minute to get started on developing this interest. Colleges want to see you become as expert as you can in your interest area before you start studying–they like to see proof that you’re committed to your academic interests.
This gives you not one, but two legs up. Wait, is that just jumping? Anyways, not only will you build out your profile with these tips, but you’ll also find out your true interests. If you get through a few of these and realize you loathe everything political, you’ll save yourself a ton of time in the long run. Here are our favorite ways to develop your interest in political science:
Online Classes
Yes, the Internet is great for things like video essays about the oral history of the Kool Aid man, but did you know that you could learn about almost every topic on Earth for free or relatively cheap???? Yeah, pretty nuts.
We love using Coursera and Open Yale Courses to find intro classes for clients interested in political science and public policy. There are a ton of options out there, whether you’re interested in American Politics or International Relations. Some of our favorites include Capitalism: Success, Crisis, and Reform and Civic Engagement in American Democracy
Reading
Time to crack some spines. Book spines, that is. Once you take a few classes, you’re going to realize there are specific topics within political science that appeal to you more than others. If through the course (we love puns) of your exploration you realize you’re super interested in lobbying and interest groups, you should read books like Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community or The Lobbyists, How Influence Peddlers Get Their Way in Washington. These will help you cultivate your interests further and get more specific in what you want to do.
Summer Programs
Summer programs are awesome if you want to get a glimpse into what college is like while exploring your interests. Plus, they can help you with that pesky college list you need to start developing. By the point you start looking for summer programs, it will help to have your ~potential niche~ in mind since that can help narrow down all your options. We’ve covered summer programs for political science before, so take a look at the list of our fave summer programs.
Internships
Now that you know that your passion is international politics or legislation or interest group politics, you can find a place to put that to the test. Look for internships with campaigns, NGOs, nonprofits, government agencies, local and state (and maybe national) politicians, clerkships, etc. We love seeing a paid internship, but don’t just take it to get paid. This work should really develop your niche further, and shouldn’t just be there to be there. Doing the same thing three summers in a row or doing mindless busywork won’t show any growth and it won’t give you anything to talk about on your applications.
Research
So if you’re a poli sci person, emphasis on the sci, you might want to look into exploring the more academic side of politics. Overton window, anyone??? We won’t lie, getting research opportunities as a high school student is extremely hard, but if you can snag one, we’re impressed. Try reaching out to colleges and professors who share your niche interest area. Maybe you read one of their books and got hooked, that’s a good intro to a cold email.
Get Published
You’re probably reading this like, “what in the world are they talking about, I am 16.” Fair, but you have a lot of options when it comes to publishing papers on poli sci topics. You can start a blog on a platform like Medium, where you explore the topics you’ve found through your research, or you can submit articles to a variety of magazines and journals. Whatever your niche is, start looking for small-to-medium publications that serve that niche. You’ll have a better chance getting your work in there, which can help you build a reputation to get into bigger publications.
The most important thing here is that you should be developing a genuine, legitimate interest in political science. If you realize you hate it during the summer before junior year, you don’t have to keep stressing and forcing yourself to enjoy it – you can transition to something else. And hopefully, by doing this you’re going to foster a really deep passion for politics that helps guide you through college and beyond.
If you’re a high school sophomore or junior looking to develop your extracurriculars, reach out to us today.