To include political things on my resume or not Forum

[nicolelaw123]

I've done a lot of work with conservative student groups... I have a lot of things on my resume, regardless, but should I include my leadership experience in Republican groups? I don't know who's going to be reading my apps, and though legally you're not allowed to discriminate against political affiliation, I think its touchy territory. What do I do?!?!

[Ramius]

Won't matter, include it to make your days look busier. Unless by "conservative political groups" you mean "bomb abortion clinics regularly," nothing will be inflammatory about your resume.

[middlebear]

Won't matter, include it to make your days look busier. Unless by "conservative political groups" you mean "bomb abortion clinics regularly," nothing will be inflammatory about your resume.

Yeah, I think the main thing is that as long as you're not leading some hugely controversial/offensive group, you're fine.

ETA "not".

[sparty99]

I've done a lot of work with conservative student groups... I have a lot of things on my resume, regardless, but should I include my leadership experience in Republican groups? I don't know who's going to be reading my apps, and though legally you're not allowed to discriminate against political affiliation, I think its touchy territory. What do I do?!?!

No.

[downbeat14]

.

[sparty99]

Even though I'm anything but Republican, I would look at you more favorably with leadership experience in those groups than without them. List it. There's no way anyone is going to discriminate against you for a political leaning. It takes all kinds!

If I saw that you were a Republican, I might consider skipping you. If you have leadership experience then I'm sure you have belonged to other clubs. The fact that you were in these clubs isn't really that important either, which is another reason why I wouldn't include it. They are student-ran organizations which who really cares. It's like being the president of a frat. Who cares. It's not substantive work experience, generally. It's not professional employment. It is just a student organization. By putting down your political affiliation you risk being passed over. Not sure why you would do that. What if you apply to a law firm that is a heavy Obama donor?

[A. Nony Mouse]

Please ignore sparty. I'm not sure he realizes this is the admissions forum, not the employment forum. Law schools don't care what your political affiliations are. Putting involvement in Republican groups on your resume will not affect your chances at law school admission. (I don't think it will affect your employment chances, either, though an employment resume is often different from an admissions resume.)

[ratfukr]

legally you're not allowed to discriminate against political affiliation

This sounds made up and I call flame

[mike0331]

I am very active with pro-2a issues including ongoing legal volunteer work with a state version of SAF, founding a shooting sports club, and speaking at statehouse hearings... I opted to include it, even in my PS. Although I consider it a civil rights issue first and foremost.

I have a hard time believing anything short of extremism will make a difference.

Mike

[ratfukr]

Does abuse of ellipses come from reading boomer Facebook updates and comments on political blogs, or is it just a not reading books thing?

[BillsFan9907]

I had some pro-life work on my resume. I didn't make a big deal of it, it was just under my college resume. It was brought up in a non-confrontational manner in both my UVA and HLS interviews. "Oh sounds intetesting. Tell me a bit about your political work." I really do think that adcoms became apolitical when it comes to their jobs. Honestly, I now question whether they would even budge at an ISIS sympathizer as I was made to believe republicans are not seen much differently in academia.

[BillsFan9907]

I am very active with pro-2a issues including ongoing legal volunteer work with a state version of SAF, founding a shooting sports club, and speaking at statehouse hearings... I opted to include it, even in my PS. Although I consider it a civil rights issue first and foremost.

I have a hard time believing anything short of extremism will make a difference.

Mike

Ditto. I brought up shooting as one of my hobbies for an interview. Turned their dad was a cop and took them shooting as a kid. This was a T-14 interview, not U Idaho just to be clear.

[RCSOB657]

I have similar activities as Mike. I put it under leadership positions in Activities on LSAC's website. I included it as part of my Leadership Resume addendum where asked and I wrote about it in my PS. Although there I was completely neutral as to which side because the PS was about ethics not platform. I'm not T1 or even T2, but I was specifically commended on my political activities by 3 of the schools to which I applied. Just remember the people you are send this to are strangers, and probably at least one person viewing your file in each school has opposing viewpoints.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I had some pro-life work on my resume. I didn't make a big deal of it, it was just under my college resume. It was brought up in a non-confrontational manner in both my UVA and HLS interviews. "Oh sounds intetesting. Tell me a bit about your political work." I really do think that adcoms became apolitical when it comes to their jobs. Honestly, I now question whether they would even budge at an ISIS sympathizer as I was made to believe republicans are not seen much differently in academia.

To the extent there is any anti-conservative bias in academia - which I think is incredibly overblown and not actually an issue - it's a faculty thing. No one cares about students' politics.