Post: #1

Hey guys. I've been browsing this forum religiously for the past few months but I just created an account recently.

I'm a high school senior who has just finished applying to colleges. I've applied to top-25 schools and I've worked my ass off in high school and have the credentials (99th percentile SAT, will graduate having taken 11+ APs, 4.4 GPA this semester, 400+ hours of volunteering, internships galore, leadership, bilingual/dual citizen, very good letters of recc., etc). My absolute dream is to work in politics. It's a honest-to-God calling. Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved discussing current events, and today politics is basically on my mind 24/7. It's a passion, hobby, love, etc. It's not one of those things I'm going to change my mind about; as cheesy as it sounds, I was put on this planet to pursue politics.

Now, the trouble is getting there. Obviously a big part of politics is networking: who you know, special connections, and being at the right place at the right time. All I can do about that right now is ensure that I attend the best possible college (HYPS). I won't get decisions back until late March/early April, and if I'm wait-listed, it could be even longer than that. Harvard is my dream school, but obviously it's competitive as hell to get in, so we'll see.

What I would like this forum's advice on it what I should study before I begin to jump into the political sphere. For the past few years, I've been cultivating an interest in medicine. I know exactly what I must do to get into a top medical school, and I'm certainly not afraid of working hard during college to get there. However, what makes me hesitant about medicine is the time commitment. My end goal is politics, and it makes no sense to put in so much work, time, and money into a career I want to eventually leave. Getting into politics young is crucial for me, and ideally I would like to have a position (state Senate, Senate/House) by my mid-30s. I'll graduate from med school at 25, but I won't become a full-fledged MD until 30 or so. I'd then have to work a few years either in private practice or in a hospital to establish credibility, but by then I fear that I will be too old and too far removed from politics because during med school and residency, I won't have time to pursue anything other than medicine.

So, that leads me to law. Before medicine, I had always wanted to become a lawyer. I'm gifted at reading/writing, and not so good at science/math. Persuasion, arguing, and mediation come very naturally to me; the only reason I swayed from law in the first place was because of the horror stories I had heard about the job market/security. However, after further research, it seems that the market barely impacts well-connected T-14 grads. I'm not afraid of taking risks, and because I love politics, working hard in law school/in law practice wouldn't seem like a chore.

Money is very important to me, but power even moreso. Medicine seems to stifle creativity; it's very formulaic, a big time waster for a political junkie, but there is a guaranteed high salary, and people automatically admire and respect you. Law is the exact opposite, but it aligns more clearly with my goals, and I would love what I am learning. Moreover, Big Law salaries are ceiling-less, and I could touch 7 figures before I venture into politics; that would be near impossible as a physician.

What do you guys think? Law or medicine for someone who eventually wants to go into politics? Am I too young to be planning this all out? Should I wait until college and explore my interests than? I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Post: #2

First, I believe that you're dead serious about what you say regarding your passion for politics. Some of the men who end up doing it and being very successful are obsessed with it in this exact way from a young age, and it wouldn't surprise me just from this post if you turned out to be one of them.

Second, I think you have your answer. The study of law is both the most traditional springboard into politics, and the most natural one. And it is a perfect fit for your abilities and inclinations as you describe. So that is what you should do. Don't waste your time studying medicine if you don't intend to pursue it as a lifelong profession.

If you graduate as a top student from one of the best law schools in the country, you will be able to chart your own path and you won't need to worry about your career. Take Ted Cruz as an inspiration, a credible presidential candidate at an age of 45.

Post: #3

(01-09-2016 02:30 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  First, I believe that you're dead serious about what you say regarding your passion for politics. Some of the men who end up doing it and being very successful are obsessed with it in this exact way from a young age, and it wouldn't surprise me just from this post if you turned out to be one of them.

Second, I think you have your answer. The study of law is both the most traditional springboard into politics, and the most natural one. And it is a perfect fit for your abilities and inclinations as you describe. So that is what you should do. Don't waste your time studying medicine if you don't intend to pursue it as a lifelong profession.

If you graduate as a top student from one of the best law schools in the country, you will be able to chart your own path and you won't need to worry about your career. Take Ted Cruz as an inspiration, a credible presidential candidate at an age of 45.

When I tell people about my passion, they either laugh at me, pity me, or condescendingly wish me "good luck". Thank you for believing in me, it truly means a lot. And thanks for the advice regarding law. You've convinced me to utterly drop medicine. Fuck that...it's a great career, and if I wasn't so captivated by politics I'd certainly pursue it, but for me and my aspirations it's just a no-brainer to ditch it.

Post: #4

(01-09-2016 02:37 PM)Prince of Persia Wrote:  When I tell people about my passion, they either laugh at me, pity me, or condescendingly wish me "good luck". Thank you for believing in me, it truly means a lot. And thanks for the advice regarding law. You've convinced me to utterly drop medicine. Fuck that...it's a great career, and if I wasn't so captivated by politics I'd certainly pursue it, but for me and my aspirations it's just a no-brainer to ditch it.

You're very welcome. Most people do not have a particularly finely tuned sense of how serious someone is in their intentions, so they take the conventional view that a high school student is not to be taken very seriously. And that is justified in most cases, but there can be exceptions. I felt from the tone and structure of your post that you are very serious, and are probably one of those men that have the politics bug in them from birth. Of course, that's not to say that you could never change your mind or become interested in something else (or that there would be any problem in your doing so); but I think that there is a very good likelihood that you will devote your life to politics just as you say.

My feeling is that you will take excellent care of all the academics and career prerequisites, so I would give you three main pieces of general advice on other matters:

1. Never neglect to take care of your body. If you want to be successful in the long term, a sound body will be just as important as a sound mind. Always find time to exercise, to spend time outdoors, to get some sun in the summer, no matter how much time your studies demand. And most importantly, don't subject yourself to excessive device stress from being always hunched over a smartphone, checking/using it at all times, absorbing blue light late in the evening etc. That is the bane of your generation, and it's terrible for your posture, testosterone levels, and long-term health and happiness.

If you are going to be a successful politician (and a happy man) you will need to have a strong masculine presence and that means good posture, a good stance and walk and general disposition. Spending all your time hunched over a smartphone and anxiously checking it and pinging it destroys these things. Always be mindful of this and you will be way ahead of your peers.

2. Seek out and maintain genuine and long-lasting friendships with other intelligent men. Don't view them purely instrumentally as "connections" or "networking" -- instead, cultivate them as serious and significant friendships. Few things will reward you more over time, both in your eventual political career, and your life in general.

3. Be careful in your choice of a female mate. This will likely not be relevant for a while, but few things can drag a man's promising career down more surely than an unsuitable wife. So when it comes time to choose one, choose wisely.

Post: #5

You're obviously an intelligent guy, and this is not really a difficult question. You're overthinking it. The relevant question is:

How many current politicians have law backgrounds vs. medical backgrounds? I would wager it's well over 10:1 in favor of law, honestly it's probably closer to 100:1. The study and practice of law is much more conducive toward launching a political career than the study of medicine. Full stop. No debate whatsoever.

You will want to get involved in student government at your college as well. What many people fail to appreciate is that politics is essentially a sport like any other. It is played at different levels and for different stakes, but the game remains the same (i.e. Peewee football vs. NFL are both football, similarly running for student body president at a decent sized school and President of the United States are both political games). The political skills you learn early on with relatively low stakes will serve you well in your later career and save you from making stupid blunders and tactical errors. Most important for climbing the ladder is learning how to build factions and gain political allies. This is a lifelong art and a game that most people aren't even aware is being played. When you finish school and land a job at a good law firm, you'll want to get involved with your local political party and get to know the movers and shakers in that scene. Use your connections through the firm (particularly big wig partners/rainmakers who know everyone - try to have one take you under his wing) to help establish yourself as a player. If you manage to get that far I'm sure you'll figure out the rest on your own.

And remember, people can sense those with a lust for power. It's an offputting trait. Seeking political power is like trying to fuck a woman - if you're too desperate for it, people sense it and run away from you. If you're seeking power for its own sake you will fail. You need to establish an unshakable vision and purpose that drives you, a reason to hold power, otherwise you'll come across as just another Ivy League striver looking to make a name for himself. We've already got too many of those.

Post: #6

(01-09-2016 03:47 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:  

(01-09-2016 02:37 PM)Prince of Persia Wrote:  When I tell people about my passion, they either laugh at me, pity me, or condescendingly wish me "good luck". Thank you for believing in me, it truly means a lot. And thanks for the advice regarding law. You've convinced me to utterly drop medicine. Fuck that...it's a great career, and if I wasn't so captivated by politics I'd certainly pursue it, but for me and my aspirations it's just a no-brainer to ditch it.

You're very welcome. Most people do not have a particularly finely tuned sense of how serious someone is in their intentions, so they take the conventional view that a high school student is not to be taken very seriously. And that is justified in most cases, but there can be exceptions. I felt from the tone and structure of your post that you are very serious, and are probably one of those men that have the politics bug in them from birth. Of course, that's not to say that you could never change your mind or become interested in something else (or that there would be any problem in your doing so); but I think that there is a very good likelihood that you will devote your life to politics just as you say.

My feeling is that you will take excellent care of all the academics and career prerequisites, so I would give you three main pieces of general advice on other matters:

1. Never neglect to take care of your body. If you want to be successful in the long term, a sound body will be just as important as a sound mind. Always find time to exercise, to spend time outdoors, to get some sun in the summer, no matter how much time your studies demand. And most importantly, don't subject yourself to excessive device stress from being always hunched over a smartphone, checking/using it at all times, absorbing blue light late in the evening etc. That is the bane of your generation, and it's terrible for your posture, testosterone levels, and long-term health and happiness.

If you are going to be a successful politician (and a happy man) you will need to have a strong masculine presence and that means good posture, a good stance and walk and general disposition. Spending all your time hunched over a smartphone and anxiously checking it and pinging it destroys these things. Always be mindful of this and you will be way ahead of your peers.

2. Seek out and maintain genuine and long-lasting friendships with other intelligent men. Don't view them purely instrumentally as "connections" or "networking" -- instead, cultivate them as serious and significant friendships. Few things will reward you more over time, both in your eventual political career, and your life in general.

3. Be careful in your choice of a female mate. This will likely not be relevant for a while, but few things can drag a man's promising career down more surely than an unsuitable wife. So when it comes time to choose one, choose wisely.

Thank you again, that is brilliant and universal advice. Appearance is key, but your inner health/happiness/emotions will manifest on the outside eventually (look at how haggard Hillary looks, for example lol) so you're spot on about cultivating visceral connections with people and not spending too much time on electronics. I am one of the very people I know who is not glued to their phone/social media all day long, and I'm glad. I guess I'm old fashioned, but there's nothing better than just grabbing lunch with someone, whether they're a friend or potential SO.

Also, the world would exponentially be a better place if every man was introduced to this forum. It is so hard to find a community of fellow men who are interested in bettering their lives, whether it be through education, occupation, meeting women, etc; everyone here seems thoughtful and intelligent.

Post: #7

Great advice by LoZ and scorpion.

Be careful about your digital footprint. Scott Thompson probably thought nothing of lying about studying computer science when he was a new grad. But then he became the CEO of Yahoo and someone (Daniel Loeb) was sufficiently incentivized to dig for dirt. You might think nothing of posting on RVF now, but a headline along the lines of "Is Prince of Persia a closet misogynist? Aspiring politician was member of online community that advocates rape" could end your career. I'm not saying delete your account, but it might be worth your while to look into VPNs/tor/other methods of internet anonymity.

Best of luck to you. We need as many politicians of pure heart and good intentions as possible.

Post: #8

(01-09-2016 03:55 PM)scorpion Wrote:  You're obviously an intelligent guy, and this is not really a difficult question. You're overthinking it. The relevant question is:

How many current politicians have law backgrounds vs. medical backgrounds? I would wager it's well over 10:1 in favor of law, honestly it's probably closer to 100:1. The study and practice of law is much more conducive toward launching a political career than the study of medicine. Full stop. No debate whatsoever.

You will want to get involved in student government at your college as well. What many people fail to appreciate is that politics is essentially a sport like any other. It is played at different levels and for different stakes, but the game remains the same (i.e. Peewee football vs. NFL are both football, similarly running for student body president at a decent sized school and President of the United States are both political games). The political skills you learn early on with relatively low stakes will serve you well in your later career and save you from making stupid blunders and tactical errors. Most important for climbing the ladder is learning how to build factions and gain political allies. This is a lifelong art and a game that most people aren't even aware is being played. When you finish school and land a job at a good law firm, you'll want to get involved with your local political party and get to know the movers and shakers in that scene. Use your connections through the firm (particularly big wig partners/rainmakers who know everyone - try to have one take you under his wing) to help establish yourself as a player. If you manage to get that far I'm sure you'll figure out the rest on your own.

And remember, people can sense those with a lust for power. It's an offputting trait. Seeking political power is like trying to fuck a woman - if you're too desperate for it, people sense it and run away from you. If you're seeking power for its own sake you will fail. You need to establish an unshakable vision and purpose that drives you, a reason to hold power, otherwise you'll come across as just another Ivy League striver looking to make a name for himself. We've already got too many of those.

Yes, you're absolutely correct about physicians in politics. The only prominent ones I can think of off the top of my head are Carson, Rand/Ron Paul, and Howard Dean...AND they all got into politics AFTER having completed their medical education; none of them were interested in politics from the get-go. Also, Dean only rose to fame because the guy above him died randomly, Carson obviously performed an incredibly rare procedure, and Rand had doner money from his father's contributors. Medicine seems to attract people who want to devote their entire lives to it, and at this point I'd only be interested in leveraging it as a political hook, not because I actually give a rat's ass about osteoporosis or curing iodine deficiency in Tibetan toddlers or whatever.

I had never actually thought about student government. Thank you for bringing that up, that could be a huge game changer. I was involved in student council my freshman year of high school, but it was stupid; I didn't care one bit about planning dances, bake sales, etc. But college-level student government is on a whole other level. You're spot on about experience: learning how to balance a university budget, acting as a liaison between administration and students, etc. would certainly give me the upper hand when it comes to running for a "real" position. I'm also 90% sure I want to join Greek life/Eating Clubs/Finals Club/etc., as it offers a guaranteed wild party scene, continuous flow of hot chicks, and life-long connections.

Again, you're right about being desperate for power. Being too tenacious is very unattractive...anyone can claim to want to be President, but not everyone has the knowledge or drive. Humility is of the utmost importance, and working on portraying a calm exterior is something I'll be working on continuously. Thank you for all of the fantastic advice, I really appreciate it!

Post: #9

(01-09-2016 04:26 PM)Peregrine Wrote:  Great advice by LoZ and scorpion.

Be careful about your digital footprint. Scott Thompson probably thought nothing of lying about studying computer science when he was a new grad. But then he became the CEO of Yahoo and someone (Daniel Loeb) was sufficiently incentivized to dig for dirt. You might think nothing of posting on RVF now, but a headline along the lines of "Is Prince of Persia a closet misogynist? Aspiring politician was member of online community that advocates rape" could end your career. I'm not saying delete your account, but it might be worth your while to look into VPNs/tor/other methods of internet anonymity.

Best of luck to you. We need as many politicians of pure heart and good intentions as possible.

Thank you for bringing that up. I'm already stressing over my Iranian citizenship/ethnicity being used against me, and the last thing I need is more dirt.

I agree. Politicians have the ability to do so much good on a macro scale, and the more people with a bona fide interest in making America the best it can possibly be are attracted to politics, the better.

Post: #10

Neither.

Although, 40% of elected officials hold law degrees, that's down from the past and it's trending downwards as time goes on.

Law and Philosophy are great things to know for governing.
Social science is great for becoming a technocrat.

If you really want to run, a solid business background and successes, as well as getting involved in party politics now.

Law is a real crap shoot. Unless you've got the #'s for the top 6, and then parlay that into a big firm, and then start volunteering and organizing for your party of choice - it's a hard way to get elected. Politicians with JD's are a huge #, but they used to be the majority in total. Now they're just the biggest group of people.

If anything, as a young person, the best way to get into the spotlight is to get involved in local politics and then just be successful with your regular life.

The one politician I knew back in the day, got elected BEFORE he went to law school. (getting elected actually got him housing and tuition free of charge)

And he did that by being involved in his local politics.

Does law school teach you about politics? To Govern? To legislate?
Not in the least. Philosophy, social science, political science, economics, business, history AND law might give you an idea - but actual leadership comes from actually leading.

If you can throw a party and people come out, you've got what it takes.
That's a learnable skill, but it's not easy.

WIA

Post: #11

(01-09-2016 11:53 PM)WestIndianArchie Wrote:  Neither.

Although, 40% of elected officials hold law degrees, that's down from the past and it's trending downwards as time goes on.

Law and Philosophy are great things to know for governing.
Social science is great for becoming a technocrat.

If you really want to run, a solid business background and successes, as well as getting involved in party politics now.

Law is a real crap shoot. Unless you've got the #'s for the top 6, and then parlay that into a big firm, and then start volunteering and organizing for your party of choice - it's a hard way to get elected. Politicians with JD's are a huge #, but they used to be the majority in total. Now they're just the biggest group of people.

If anything, as a young person, the best way to get into the spotlight is to get involved in local politics and then just be successful with your regular life.

The one politician I knew back in the day, got elected BEFORE he went to law school. (getting elected actually got him housing and tuition free of charge)

And he did that by being involved in his local politics.

Does law school teach you about politics? To Govern? To legislate?
Not in the least. Philosophy, social science, political science, economics, business, history AND law might give you an idea - but actual leadership comes from actually leading.

If you can throw a party and people come out, you've got what it takes.
That's a learnable skill, but it's not easy.

WIA

Extrapolating from my current GPA and SAT/AP/etc. scores, I'm pretty certain that I can swing the GPA/LSAT score for a top school, especially if I go to an uber-grade inflated school (i.e. Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Stanford). Networking skills are something that I'll definitely work on, though.

As far as pursuing neither medicine nor law, I really want to have a graduate degree and solid career before transitioning into politics. My tastes are far too refined to not be making enough to support the kind of lifestyle I like, and politician's salary's are dismal (and rightly so; people shouldn't be attracted to politics for the money).

Post: #12

Prince of Persia,

You've got some superb advice from the senior posters. You should print it out and tape it on your door.

I'll only add this. You've just finished applying to colleges so you don't need to take the law vs. medicine decision now. You can even go through the first year of college taking all the relevant pre-med courses to keep your options open. They are tough courses that will strengthen those mental muscles. There are no real pre-requisites for law so the decision on that can wait till your sophomore or junior year.

The biggest thing for you is to make sure that nothing derails your ambitions. There are plenty of things and people who can do that in a college environment. College has become a tough place for a masculine man. You need to keep your head straight and tread carefully.

Keep us updated on your college plans so we can help you along the way. I've spent a lot of years in American universities so feel free to PM me.

Post: #13

Chiming in on this as well.

Along time lurker here as well, guess I will make my first or second post in this awesome community.

I have to say, Prince of Persia, I am envy of how ambitious you are and at the same time happy for you to know what you want to do. As a matter of fact, not many highschool seniors know what they want to do not even after they graduate from college (that includes me). Seeing that you have nearly perfect SAT scores and intelligent you sound from above, shows you're ahead of most people. With that said, I just wanted to add that no matter what follow what your heart wants, in this case go for politics and the best way to do it is go the law route like what above mentioned.
But above all, I agree with what John said above, "make sure nothing derails your ambitions" because it will only get harder and there will be a lot of distractions down the road.

Good luck with your future endeavors and keep us posted! With that, thanks for reading my reply.

Post: #14

Law, but you have to be able to swing it and make it to a top school.

Post: #15

(01-10-2016 04:37 AM)John Quincy Wrote:  Prince of Persia,

You've got some superb advice from the senior posters. You should print it out and tape it on your door.

I'll only add this. You've just finished applying to colleges so you don't need to take the law vs. medicine decision now. You can even go through the first year of college taking all the relevant pre-med courses to keep your options open. They are tough courses that will strengthen those mental muscles. There are no real pre-requisites for law so the decision on that can wait till your sophomore or junior year.

The biggest thing for you is to make sure that nothing derails your ambitions. There are plenty of things and people who can do that in a college environment. College has become a tough place for a masculine man. You need to keep your head straight and tread carefully.

Keep us updated on your college plans so we can help you along the way. I've spent a lot of years in American universities so feel free to PM me.

Yes, I'm very lucky to have received excellent advice, including yours.

Definitely. There are many distractions in college: people who will be less motivated, people who just want to waste their parent's money partying 24/7, etc. I need to surround myself with like-minded people and be careful as to not do anything to controversial (i.e. getting caught with drugs, cheating, etc.)

Thank you, I definitely will update you all when I receive my decisions and beyond. If luck is on my side and I get accepted to multiple top schools, I will for sure seek out this forum's advice on where to attend.

Thanks again!

Post: #16

(01-10-2016 06:10 AM)kitlolz123 Wrote:  Chiming in on this as well.

Along time lurker here as well, guess I will make my first or second post in this awesome community.

I have to say, Prince of Persia, I am envy of how ambitious you are and at the same time happy for you to know what you want to do. As a matter of fact, not many highschool seniors know what they want to do not even after they graduate from college (that includes me). Seeing that you have nearly perfect SAT scores and intelligent you sound from above, shows you're ahead of most people. With that said, I just wanted to add that no matter what follow what your heart wants, in this case go for politics and the best way to do it is go the law route like what above mentioned.
But above all, I agree with what John said above, "make sure nothing derails your ambitions" because it will only get harder and there will be a lot of distractions down the road.

Good luck with your future endeavors and keep us posted! With that, thanks for reading my reply.

Thank you so much, but there is no need to be envious. Everyone has a unique talent; they just discover it at different points in life. Just keep an open mind and try not to close yourself off from anything (i.e. telling yourself finance isn't an option because you "hate math") and opportunities will present themselves to you on a silver platter.

Yeah, law seems like the best option for me and my interests. Along the way, I am sure that people will try to tear me down, so I'll always keep the advice I've gotten here in the back of my head to remind myself that anything is possible with a dash of good ol' Puritan work ethic and dedication.

Thank you for your wishes, and I hope you find something that interests you soon. Please message me if you need advice!

Post: #17

(01-10-2016 07:40 AM)Neo Wrote:  Law, but you have to be able to swing it and make it to a top school like a Yale or Harvard.

Keep in mind that some schools are ultra liberal so that's what you'll be surrounded with 24/7. Even with strong numbers (3.8+ GPA, LSAT 173+) you better make sure that your extracurriculars and profile match what they're looking for. Example, working on the Trump campaign would probably disqualify you at a liberal school no matter how good your numbers.

With that said, a lot is going to be networking and luck. Conspiracy theorists tend to put a lot of credence into how so many politicians come from these schools, like it's a plot for global domination. It's really a good ole boy system. Imagine your college buddy is CEO or a senator in 30 years, or you go work at a top law firm in DC right after law school and get involved in politics. It is true that a lot of famous and super wealthy people send their kids to these schools, so that's another in to the political arena.

Yeah, if I end up not having the numbers for a top school there's no way I'll pursue law; it'll be a dead-end and I'll be stuck making 60k for the rest of my adult life (if I'm lucky) and my chances at working for Big Law will be shot.

Getting involved in politics early on in college is absolutely crucial, so it is tricky to not do anything that will set off uber-liberals at some schools. As much as I would love to work for Trump, that would definitely be a red flag and something that could haunt me later on. Do you think joining clubs like College Republicans and working for not-so-controversial GOP candidates (Santorum, Paul, etc.) would disqualify me as well? There is no way I can go through college pretending to be a liberal, and I would never want to attend a school that would discriminate against me for my closely-held beliefs. I was under the impression that law schools/lawyers were mostly right of center, though.

And yeah, attending an elite school will open so many doors for me. Not that I would be disqualified from getting into a top law school/firm/politics in general if I attend a decent school (i.e. UC Davis, Boston U, U Wisconsin) but it would be infinitely easier coming from a well-connected background like at HYPS.

Post: #18

Forget Medicine. It's a long, grueling, antisocial, dirty path. You can't scale it very well. You have to be cool living in scrubs, dealing with the bodily fluids of clients that resemble your average DMV waiting line. The money's not that impressive unless you are a surgeon or specialist. It has nothing to do with politics, and is a difficult career to lateral out of.

You want to be in finance or law / corporate america for the lifestyle and career you are after. A brief stint in the armed forces as an officer can also be surprisingly high yield and open a lot of doors. Elite grad schools eat it up, and there's lots of networking opportunities.

Theres plenty of money in law and politics. These people are connected. That's what being a politician is all about. If you go to decent school like BU and can only muster $60k for the rest of your life you do not have the hustle to be a politician. Many of these types make the big money on the backend of their careers. Look into the career trajectory of lobbyists for example.

Don't be shortsighted focusing on that "six figure" starting salary. You have to think bigger than that. Good luck.

Post: #19

Go to the best school you can for undergrad, make connections, build your political skills by working not only in student government, but also in some capacity in the local town council or municipal government.

Avoid drugs and raunchy social media posts, as everything electronic will be used against you at a later date.

Start going to church once a week, even if you are 100 % atheist.

Join toastmasters, work on public speaking and being comfortable with large groups of people.

MILITARY!

Marines is probably your best choice. Ideally you want to be sent in to combat after college. Maybe join the ROTC in college.

A big plus if you get wounded and get a purple heart. A negative if you lose your legs or die.

To sum it up, COLLEGE + PUBLIC SPEAKING + CONNECTIONS + CHURCH + USMC

Post: #20

Be careful about who you align yourself to in politics. I have a rival from college who now works on the Hillary campaign. His tweets are next to hilarious and i've thought about trolling him with a fake Twitter account especially with all of the Hillary dirt coming out recently.

Needless to say, it is pretty obvious he picked the wrong team to be on and will subsequently get shafted for the next 8 years because of it at least at the federal level.

OP, have you considered starting small and working on a local campaign? The city and state level of government is actually a good place to get your feet wet. You can also avoid the problem of the libtard I mentioned above wasting 2 years on a dead campaign.

Post: #21

(01-10-2016 01:29 AM)Prince of Persia Wrote:  Extrapolating from my current GPA and SAT/AP/etc. scores, I'm pretty certain that I can swing the GPA/LSAT score for a top school, especially if I go to an uber-grade inflated school (i.e. Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Stanford). Networking skills are something that I'll definitely work on, though.

As far as pursuing neither medicine nor law, I really want to have a graduate degree and solid career before transitioning into politics. My tastes are far too refined to not be making enough to support the kind of lifestyle I like, and politician's salary's are dismal (and rightly so; people shouldn't be attracted to politics for the money).

Brah, if you're as smart as you claim you are, and really do get into HYPS, forget medicine or law. Go straight into finance. Work 2 years as an analyst, bank around 180/k per year for the first two years, taking you to age 24. Then, get an MBA from Harvard, Stanford, or Penn and go into private equity until you're 30. At that point you'll have earned something on the order of a few million dollars and made connections with the people who actually matter in this shitty world of today.

If you then still feel like pursuing politics, you'll have the necessary resources. If not, you'll be earning high six figures or low 7 figures with several decades more of this kind of ever growing earning power to look forward to. Barring winning the lottery or achieving atypical success as an entrepreneur, life is all about that first job. The best way to leverage HYPS (again assuming you get in, which is doubtful) is to go into finance. Attending a top 5 school and NOT using it to get into finance would be frankly 'tarded.

Post: #22

Lizard of Oz is spot on his advice. Do what he says and you will be far in advance of many of your peers, who aren't thinking past the tips of their dicks.

If you want to do what you're talking about, get into an Ivy League school or equivalent (e.g. NorthWestern, Chicago-Boothe, etc).


Keep in mind that your grad school matters a hell of a lot more than your undergrad, with the possible exception of high finance where the right pre-undergrad experience can set you up for cushy private equity or corporate strategy roles. Also keep in mind that there is somewhat of a crunch in law, where law degrees are rapidly becoming less demanded and less financially/prestige rewarding than they used to be.

Second, don't be heartbroken if you don't get into those schools. There are a lot of other schools which do extremely well in areas of strength. I know of at least two state schools that consistently place undergrads into top finance jobs. Georgetown has ridiculously good placement both grad and undergrad, while the University of Texas will set you up nicely if you're smart and ambitious.

Post: #23

(01-13-2016 05:46 AM)Fast Eddie Wrote:  

(01-10-2016 01:29 AM)Prince of Persia Wrote:  Extrapolating from my current GPA and SAT/AP/etc. scores, I'm pretty certain that I can swing the GPA/LSAT score for a top school, especially if I go to an uber-grade inflated school (i.e. Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Stanford). Networking skills are something that I'll definitely work on, though.

As far as pursuing neither medicine nor law, I really want to have a graduate degree and solid career before transitioning into politics. My tastes are far too refined to not be making enough to support the kind of lifestyle I like, and politician's salary's are dismal (and rightly so; people shouldn't be attracted to politics for the money).

Brah, if you're as smart as you claim you are, and really do get into HYPS, forget medicine or law. Go straight into finance. Work 2 years as an analyst, bank around 180/k per year for the first two years, taking you to age 24. Then, get an MBA from Harvard, Stanford, or Penn and go into private equity until you're 30. At that point you'll have earned something on the order of a few million dollars and made connections with the people who actually matter in this shitty world of today.

Exactly where does an analyst make 180k/yr? A first year analyst at a Bulge Bracket bank will typically make 70-80k base and 75% bonus on a good year.

Quote:Forget Medicine. It's a long, grueling, antisocial, dirty path. You can't scale it very well. You have to be cool living in scrubs, dealing with the bodily fluids of clients that resemble your average DMV waiting line. The money's not that impressive unless you are a surgeon or specialist. It has nothing to do with politics, and is a difficult career to lateral out of.

You want to be in finance or law / corporate america for the lifestyle and career you are after. A brief stint in the armed forces as an officer can also be surprisingly high yield and open a lot of doors. Elite grad schools eat it up, and there's lots of networking opportunities.

Theres plenty of money in law and politics. These people are connected. That's what being a politician is all about. If you go to decent school like BU and can only muster $60k for the rest of your life you do not have the hustle to be a politician. Many of these types make the big money on the backend of their careers. Look into the career trajectory of lobbyists for example.

Not sure I'd want to be in the current military, but I can testify to that as well...ESPECIALLY for military officers who have an ivy league or service academy undergraduate degree. Even if you aren't the doors that are opened can be ridiculous. I'm not being facetious when I say that it can be easier to make connections through other vets than it is through Ivy league degrees, and I've edged out Ivy League kids for interviews by getting ahead of them and contacting other vets at companies.

Post: #24

(01-13-2016 03:11 AM)scenicway Wrote:  Forget Medicine. It's a long, grueling, antisocial, dirty path. You can't scale it very well. You have to be cool living in scrubs, dealing with the bodily fluids of clients that resemble your average DMV waiting line. The money's not that impressive unless you are a surgeon or specialist. It has nothing to do with politics, and is a difficult career to lateral out of.

You want to be in finance or law / corporate america for the lifestyle and career you are after. A brief stint in the armed forces as an officer can also be surprisingly high yield and open a lot of doors. Elite grad schools eat it up, and there's lots of networking opportunities.

Theres plenty of money in law and politics. These people are connected. That's what being a politician is all about. If you go to decent school like BU and can only muster $60k for the rest of your life you do not have the hustle to be a politician. Many of these types make the big money on the backend of their careers. Look into the career trajectory of lobbyists for example.

Don't be shortsighted focusing on that "six figure" starting salary. You have to think bigger than that. Good luck.

Great advice. Will do, and thanks for the reply.

Post: #25

(01-13-2016 04:03 AM)VolandoVengoVolandoVoy Wrote:  Go to the best school you can for undergrad, make connections, build your political skills by working not only in student government, but also in some capacity in the local town council or municipal government.

Avoid drugs and raunchy social media posts, as everything electronic will be used against you at a later date.

Start going to church once a week, even if you are 100 % atheist.

Join toastmasters, work on public speaking and being comfortable with large groups of people.

MILITARY!

Marines is probably your best choice. Ideally you want to be sent in to combat after college. Maybe join the ROTC in college.

A big plus if you get wounded and get a purple heart. A negative if you lose your legs or die.

To sum it up, COLLEGE + PUBLIC SPEAKING + CONNECTIONS + CHURCH + USMC

I actually am an atheist, but I've been thinking about "converting" to Christianity or Catholicism. As a Persian, I could have opponents trying to label me as "Muslim" (I am incidentally islamophobic, if anything) so going to a church seems like the best option, especially if I start at a young age. Also, I may be too paranoid, but do you think I should keep my mouth shut about aspiring for politics? Could people secretly attempt to dig up dirt to blackmail me later on, etc.?

Thanks for the advice!!