Could volunteering for a political campaign hurt your chances?

[959691]

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[jarednogeek]

In a perfect world I’d say no. In reality I could see this having a negative impact. Did this keep him out of those 30 schools? Very doubtful.

 

[altblue]

Yeah, I don't think that by itself is keeping him out of 30 schools either. Maybe combined with another weak part of his app. I don't know too many of his details, so I can't say for sure.

Also, we had this conversation about a month ago. I haven't talked to him over winter break, so maybe his situation has changed.

It could have led to a subtle bias that was problematic at a school or two, leading to no II. But unless the description of the activity was especially poor, it probably wasn't enough to do him in altogether. You'd have to know more about his app what the problem actually was. You should be getting 3+ IIs out of 30 from a solid, well rounded app, and the Trump EC wouldn't account for that.

 

[JeSuisUnDoc]

I’m cereal right now, I think it would depend on what he wrote on his app. Without knowing more about his ECs and grades, I don’t think we can know for sure. Out of 30, I highly doubt that thing would be why he hasn’t received an II, I can’t imagine all the adcoms being against trump but I can imagine most would be.


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[907914]

If you don’t name the politician, party affiliation or ‘partisan’ policies you advocated and just describe what your role was in the campaign in neutral-yet-interesting terms, you will be good.

 

[Goro]

If you don’t name the politician, party affiliation or ‘partisan’ policies you advocated and just describe what your role was in the campaign in neutral-yet-interesting terms, you will be good.

This

 

[Walter Raleigh]

I don't know: it seems like it might have hurt him some. How much, I don't know. But he does have TRUMP SUPPORTER on his application, and medical school adcoms are more Democratic than Republican. Of course, things might be different at medical schools in conservative states. I don't think it was good for him, or that it did him any good.

 

[MacBee]

But he does have TRUMP SUPPORTER on his application

Experience Type: Community Service/Volunteer - Not Medical/Clinical
Experience Name: TRUMP SUPPORTER
Experience Description: Makin’ America Great Again (many people are saying)

 

[Master Thinker]

Yea, I wouldn't mention anything politics-related on an application. You never know who will be reading those things and given today's bloody political climate, I don't doubt that there would be some kind of consequence.

 

[DokterMom]

For most candidates, it would probably be a slight positive that an applicant is engaged and active in trying to make his/her community a better place. For a candidate who is particularly divisive and polarizing, it could certainly backfire.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

For most candidates, it would probably be a slight positive that an applicant is engaged and active in trying to make his/her community a better place. For a candidate who is particularly divisive and polarizing, it could certainly backfire.

Agreed; if this had been almost any other political candidate it would not be nearly as much of an issue. OP would probably be treated best if they'd volunteered for a center-left candidate.