<p>When applying to grad school, i will definitely have some solid work/internship experience under my belt. but, how important is role of school clubs/activities/leadership?</p>
<p>Applying for Master of Public administration at top schools like harvard/columbia</p>
<p>Probably not that important unless it was something along the lines of Student Body President.</p>
<p>if I was hiring/admissions, I’d be interested in people who can relate to others and have interests outside and inside of school or area of study. I would not be too concern about their position in the club but be interested in their level of participation. </p>
<p>For MPA, I would think that outside activities and people relationships are very important.</p>
<p>I disagree. Applicants coming straight out of college to programs like HKS or SIPA are going up against many people with strong work experience. Not at all diminishing the positives of extracurriculars, but being president of the ultimate frisbee club isn’t going to hold a lot of water against starting a microfinancing program in sub-Saharan Africa. Schools are looking for leadership potential in addition to your academic background. Hence, something significant like being a senior member of your student government or holding a senior position in a very large student organization could show promise on your application.</p>