Career path advice for an incoming college student?

[Blue3]

Be open-minded.

Delay choosing a major and instead spend your first 1-1.5 years doing all the required courses and trying out a bunch of different classes.

Your major and your college name don't matter nearly as much as the actual work you put into it.

Go to office hours with your professors at least twice a semester, and keep in contact with your favorite professors after their class ends.

Your college degree won't entitle you to ANY kind of job. It's just a small factor among many.

Make the most of your time, whatever that means for you. Enjoy it if you can, but if you have a sucky experience, also remember it's only a few years.

People make mistakes all the time, don't be perfectionist to the point of being anxious. But not all mistakes are equal - don't make stupid mistakes you'll definitely regret years later.

[Blue3]

Valuable internships are more available in some areas than others.

I highly recommend a year of AmeriCorps after college - lots of practical experience. For policy/polisci majors, there's basically an AmeriCorps program in each policy area - healthcare, education, the environment, housing, etc. Just pick one that's bigger and more established, and talk to alumni or current workers in it. Not AmeriCorps in general, but the particular organization and location. Bigger ones are City Year, NCCC, etc.