Even if you don’t pay a lot of attention to politics today, it’s always great to stay tuned in to hear people’s beliefs and ideas; after all, politics and government help shape current events as well as other important factors in the world today. Many college students do put a lot of focus on their political views. Numerous colleges have clubs and organizations for students with strictly Democratic, Republican, Conservative, etc. views. So whether students want to join clubs that support their political views, or just want to be at a campus where politics is more prevalent than at other schools, I’ve researched institutions with a very politically active student body! Students who are politically involved are able to exchange their beliefs and educate others about their opinions. With the different types of views in the world, people’s cultures, races, and life experiences all help shape different political views. Take a look at the top three politically active schools:
The George Washington University: Washington, D.C.
The George Washington University, also known as GW, is located in the political heart of the United States. Only blocks away from the White House and minutes from major departments, the students can be completely immersed in a government environment. With its Elliott School of International Affairs and Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, students can put their various political ideologies into their careers. Even if students are not hoping to be the next U.S. president, they are still able to learn a lot from being in D.C. and with students who tend to be very involved in politics.
Georgetown University: Washington, D.C.
Georgetown University is another nationally ranked school. With a student body of less than 8,000 students, some of the most popular majors at Georgetown are international relations and affairs, and political science and government. Because Georgetown is also located in D.C., students can be surrounded by politics all the time! Georgetown even has the oldest school of international affairs in the United States: the Walsh School of Foreign Service. And, like GW and any other schools, students do not have to major in politics, government, international affairs, or anything like that to be around politics. Because many students do major in that subject, however, they can learn about other political ideas, beliefs, opinions, and so on.
New College of Florida: Sarasota, Florida
Diverting away from the D.C. scene, a small school known as New College of Florida is one of the most politically active schools in the country. One of the most popular majors at the school is political science and government. The student body, as well as the professors, is known for encouraging an academic and political environment. Students are required to write a senior thesis to graduate as part of their graduation requirements.
Here are some other schools that made the list!
- College of the Atlantic: Bar Harbor, Maine
- American University: Washington, D.C.
- West Point (The U.S. Military Academy): West Point, New York
- University of Chicago: Chicago, Illinois
- Harvard University: Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Bates College: Lewiston, Maine
- Hampshire College: Amherst, Massachusetts