In the United States, roughly 70,000 students annually graduate with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Only one-tenth of that, about 7,000 students, graduate with degrees in philosophy. Philosophy, or at least some form of it, is one of the original university programs dating back to the very origins of universities as we know them today. Universities were fundamentally guilds of scholars and teachers, and philosophers made up a sizable chunk of that. Compared to its origins, philosophy today is a tiny fraction of the university ecosystem.
This doesn’t mean it’s unimportant, though. Philosophy offers students the opportunity to seek understanding through the past and the present, and philosophers help us to make sense of the world we live in and the events that shape us. Most students who study philosophy as undergrads intend on pursuing a master’s degree and a Ph.D. (literally, a Doctor of Philosophy), and eventually going on to an academic role or position in a think-tank or similar place.
If you’re considering majoring in philosophy in college, you may not know where to start when it comes to extracurriculars. There aren’t many direct analogs between high school activities and a philosophy degree, so you’ll need to get creative to help your application stand out. Luckily, we’re here to help. Below are the four activities you must be doing if you want to study philosophy in college.
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Debate or Mock Trial
Philosophy is all about thinking, and it’s especially important that you are able to grapple with tough ideas that conflict and clash, holding them both up for examination without forming opinions before diving in. This requires practice, and we find that debate or mock trial are both amazing places to get some miles in. Through these types of clubs, you’ll learn how to think, argue, convince others, and — most importantly — listen.
Literary & Arts Journal
Just as you need to know how to think out loud (which you’ll work on in debate or mock trial), you need to know how to write convincingly on paper, too. Working with your school or local literary & arts journal — or starting one if your community doesn’t have one yet — will give you the opportunity to expand your skills processing information, presenting it to others, and arguing for a particular perspective or interpretation of the work. In this case, the ‘information’ you’re processing is art or literature, and that looks really good on your college app.
Book Club
You’ve been working on presenting ideas in debate or mock trial, and in a literary and arts journal, but now it’s time to bring developing your skills to another forum — a book club. Whereas debate is for an audience in person and a journal is for an audience on paper, book clubs offer a safe and nurturing opportunity to explore new ideas through narrative and story in a conversational format among friends. There is no winner in book club, and we consider that to be a really good thing.
Summer Courses or Independent Study
Ok, ok, technically this is still school not an extracurricular…but it’s extra-school! Most high schools have anemic offerings when it comes to philosophy courses if they offer any at all. To address this gap, you should take a summer course (or courses) at a local college or through a college summer program for high school students that is focused on philosophy. If that isn’t an option, propose an independent study to your administration at school. Maybe you can add something to your schedule that will help you go deeper into philosophical texts you’re only just skimming over in your English or history classes.
If you’re considering a major in philosophy, you are part of a rarified group of intellectual students who want to spend a big part of their college experience thinking super hard, wrestling with ideas, and communicating their understandings of the world to others. If this sounds fun to you, you’re on the right track.
If you see holes in your activities list, send us an email. We help students fill in the gaps in their applications to get into their dream schools.