As a junior this year I had many opportunities to run for leadership positions in a lot of the clubs I’m in but now I’m wondering if I ran for too many and it’ll just look extra/or like I’m padding my resume on college apps.
My positions:
Vice Pres of National Honor Society
Student council treasurer
French club vice president
Prose editor of my school’s literary arts magazine
Relay for Life co-captain
Treasurer of Model United Nations club
and I’m a mentor in a new program my school is doing (“Freshman Transition Program”).
Too many? Honestly I’m passionate abt my school’s literary magazine and student council, but the rest of these are not that much work and I just do them because I like doing them (ex, for french club we just get together at lunch and sample fondue sometimes).
Why do you think they are too many? If you are truly doing all of those ECs then you should list them. My kids had a lot, so they ended up grouping them.
You can never have too much leadership. However, I think it’s important to focus on one thing that you’re passionate about rather than trying to do everything. Colleges like to see commitment/passion
Are you achieving anything? What does the Vice Pres of National Honor Society do? If you just have a title but don’t accomplish anything, then you have too much.
I would judge it by quality over quantity. If you aren’t doing notably more as an officer than a regular member is doing, that isn’t the kind of leadership that is going to be any kind of tip in college apps.
You are making the same error that many high school students make. When colleges say that their looking for “leadership”, they do not mean that they are looking for kids who “held leadership positions”. Many leadership positions are no more than popularity contests, and many are nothing but a title.
Look at every EC that you have and think: “what have I accomplished?”. Be honest with yourself. Did the club change when you became leader because of your leadership (in a good or neutral way)? Did your period as president add something to the club that wasn’t there when you became president? If not, than the title is just padding.
So, while you may be able to hold five leadership positions, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to be a real leader in that many organizations. If you are, than your academics will most likely suffer. You can be active in five clubs, however, you cannot be a leader in five clubs.
I honestly completely agree with what you’re saying. I just find it very daunting that I have to transform an extracurricular in my school permanently solely because of my leadership, to look good to colleges. I’d have no idea where to start with that.
It’s not really about “transforming” an extracurricular, just making an impact in it.
You shouldn’t need to force it, either; find the extracurriculars you enjoy so much and you’re so committed to that you naturally want to make an impact.
Let me ask you a question - if you did not want to change the club, to “leave your stamp on it”, why did you want to be the president of the club?
You don’t have to make profound changes, but doing things like expanding membership, adding activities that were missing, things like that. For example, as a leader in the French club, isn’t there something you can do to make it better?
That is why five leadership positions are too many - because it would take too much time and effort to actually be a leader in five clubs, rather than just hold leadership positions in five clubs.
No, it’s not about leader titles. It is about leadership qualities. Saying, “…daunting that I have to transform an extracurricular…” misses the thinking. One can exhibit the thinking and action without a title or even outside the club context. It’s not a job resume, it’s a college app. Nor is it proven by some target number of titles. Wrong focus.
^ Selective schools might expect the GC letter to discuss exceptional leadership. But an example of good leadership would be to improve what is going on with that French club. You don’t need to have a job title to help line up more meaningful activities.
There are 2 separate issues here. Having 5 leadership “titles” is not going to hurt the OP, and there is no reason for OP to drop the clubs or the position unless the time commitment interferes with academics or OP’s ability to make a real impact in one more EC’s. However, having bare titles is not going to advance OP’s application as commented above.
There are a several places where impact can come up. First in the activities section of the Common App, there is space to briefly describe the activity, accomplishments and recognition. Significant effort and accomplishment may also come up as a topic in one of the various essays. Finally, it may come up in the LoR’s, especially for any noteworthy accomplishments of which the LoR writer had been a part or even aware.
One of my kids has several leadership positions. Whenever she has suggested changes she has been shot down by the school, even after gaining the backing of the student body. The default setting is that this is the way we’ve always done it at this school.