Proven leadership ability is a key component in college admissions. Hundreds of thousands of students are at the top of their classes, and have excellent grades and test scores, but what often sets an applicant apart from the rest of the competition, is their outstanding involvement in school clubs, athletics, or community organizations.
Freshman/Sophomore years are an excellent time to start working your way up in a club or team, earning the experience and respect that will guarantee them a leadership role in your junior or senior year.
The Value of Leadership Positions
- Boost your College Application
A significant leadership role or two can make the difference between a decent application and a top notch one. The National Honor Society characterizes student leaders as resourceful, good problem solvers, promoters of school activities, idea-contributors, dependable, and persons who exemplify positive attitudes about life-in other words, model candidates for higher learning! - Builds Self-Esteem
Hard work, accomplishment, and recognition are vital factors in positive self-image. By taking on positions of responsibility at school and in their communities, students build confidence and feel good about themselves, which is just as important as looking impressive to admissions officers. - Invest in the future
Being a leader can benefit a student not only in high school and college, but in their professional life as well. The more comfortable you are now, will lead to other opportunities later in life.
Areas of Leadership
- Academic teams (math team, debate club, etc.)
- Arts (theater, band, choir, glee club, dance, etc.)
- Athletic teams
- Community service/volunteering
- Employment (after school jobs, internships, etc.)
- Peer tutoring/advising
- Political organizations (model U.N., alliance of students of color, international relations club, etc.)
- Publications (school newspaper, literary magazine, yearbook, etc.)
- Student government
How to Become a Leader
An article at eCampusTours.com offers several suggestions for taking on leadership roles in high school. Here is a summary:
- Know your strengths
Follow your passions; explore what you love; capitalize on what you can already do well. Are you a people person? Consider running for student government. Do you write poetry on the weekends? Apply for a staff job on the literary magazine. - Gain experience
Be willing to pay your dues. Before you can be editor-in-chief of the paper, you’ll have to work as a reporter or a proofreader. As a sophomore, you still have plenty of time to do the footwork before taking on leadership roles in junior or senior year. - Work well with others
Good managers have strong interpersonal skills. Be able to listen to other people, ask questions, establish trust, and create a sense of teamwork. - Be optimistic
Maintain focus and a positive attitude, especially in the face of difficulty. Grace under pressure is a key leadership trait. If your team has just lost a crucial game, don’t throw in the towel; encourage your teammates to practice even harder for the next one. - Take action
Leaders are ready to walk the walk-they don’t just talk the talk. Set concrete goals and follow the steps necessary to achieve them. Anyone can have a great idea, but not everyone can make that vision a reality.
And remember:
Actions are more important than titles
Even if you aren’t the captain of the varsity lacrosse team, you could be the leading scorer. You may not be the paper’s editor-in-chief, but you can write award-winning articles. Your commitment and achievement in a given activity are far more important than your title. If you’ve made an exceptional contribution to a team or club, ask the coach or faculty advisor to write you a recommendation letter, so that your contribution will shine on your college applications.
Resist the urge to pad your resume
Don’t do it! Don’t join a club or team merely to fluff up your extracurriculars. It’s important to choose activities that genuinely interest you-otherwise, you risk boring yourself and just being a participant to the organization. College admissions committees can usually tell when an applicant has padded their resume with non meaningful additions. Instead of a laundry list of activities, admissions officers would rather see meaningful and sustained participation in a few areas. Long-term involvement and responsibility in one or two organizations will strengthen your application, whereas being a participant in ten groups may not help you much.
#betheexample
