Students risked disciplinary action at nearly 3,000 high schools in the first nationwide walkout for gun policy reform in March.
But they most likely didn’t risk their hopes for college admission.
“There’s an obvious difference between standing up peacefully and demonstrating for beliefs, versus individuals who make a choice to destroy property or become violent in any way,” says Kristen Capezza, associate vice president for enrollment management at Adelphi University in Garden City, NY.
According to a database maintained by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, hundreds of colleges nationwide have expressed support for student activists on Twitter and their websites.
A second nationwide walkout is scheduled for April 20. Data suggest college-bound teens are motivated to make a difference. More than one in five first-time college freshman said they demonstrated for a cause in the past year, according to the latest CIRP Freshman Survey from UCLA. More than one in four respondents said influencing the political structure is a “very important” or “essential” life goal.
“You never underestimate youth with a voice and energy,” says Erin Goodnow, co-founder and CEO of Going Ivy, a college admissions consulting group in Phoenix. “If colleges see that you have that in high school, then they like that; it’s what they want on their campus.”
Student leaders and activists can frame their involvement in a way that can help, not hurt, their college admission chances. Experts explain how to do it.
• SHOWCASE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
The college essay is your best chance to tell colleges what you’ve done in support of a cause you care about and how you’ll contribute to their community. Colleges want students who solve problems and engage with others, says William Bugert, program manager for College Possible, an AmeriCorps organization that supports low-income students through college admission.
“Instead of just looking at activism as riots in the streets or a one-sided approach of telling people what you want, consider how you engage someone with an opposing view and work with them to come to a collaborative solution,” Bugert says.
You’ll also need to do more than list activities, experts say. Explain why you’re passionate about the cause.
• LEVERAGE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPS.
The leadership skills you demonstrated in organizing a protest may be just what a scholarship committee is looking for. You may need to find a niche scholarship that you qualify for, and if you win it, it can help you pay for college .
Look for scholarships with local civic organizations or inquire with your school’s guidance office. You may also search for scholarships awarded for civic engagement or leadership on databases such as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Scholarship Finder tool, Cappex or the College Board.
