I am entering my junior year and only an officer for one club (Co-pres, Spanish Club), even though I am very involved with two other service clubs (YLC, Key Club). Simply put, I’m super stressed that my lack of leadership this year is going to kill my chances when applying for top colleges next year. I will most likely be cross country captain, possibly concertmaster of orchestra, and could have leadership roles in my advanced journalism class that creates our school newspaper.
So, here are my questions: How much does leadership matter when applying to top school (20% acceptance rate and lower). How much do colleges want to see? Will this kill my chances? Is there anything else that will matter more, chance-wise (besides grades and testing scores, of course)?
Btw, I forgot to clarify that the cross country, orch, and journalism leadership would take place senior year. That’s why I’m worried about my junior year.
Keep in mind that there is more to leadership than being in an elected position. I’m sure you know that people get elected for lots of reasons, including their attractiveness and popularity. But often, it’s the unelected members who get things done, do the organizing, inspire others to do the tough jobs. If that sounds like you, maybe you can get your guidance counselor or recommenders to address that in their part of the app.
I see applicants all the time who have declared that they were shift foreman, first seat this or that, Club President, squad leader, etc., and it makes me want to ask them “Oh yeah? What happened?”
“What do you mean, ‘What happened?’”, they respond.
“What happened while you were Club President or squad leader?”, I repeat.
Meaningful leadership takes place at the classroom level as well. Students who make the classroom a better place rather than inwardly focusing on their points and grades are accepted, in my experience, into selective colleges.
Leadership can be more meaningful if there’s no “in order to” - that is, if you’re doing it spontaneously for the sake of the activity involved, and not to accumulate leadership points. Ideally, this is something better addressed by teachers and GCs who are familiar with the applicant.
This isn’t directed at you but you can be a “President” of a club, school or organization without being much of a leader. Titles mean more with substance. I have a suspicion that if someone is really a leader it will show up throughout their application because it will show in what they do. I know that is rather nebulous, but I think a true leader will not be seeking ways to show leadership.
OP: who are the opinion leaders at your school? Who influences your classmates or the staff? Who are the drivers of the notable organizations in your community. Those are the leaders. Does this naturally describe you? If not, then you’re not a natural leader. That’s fine. No one honestly expects it. Titular leaders often are simply resume padders. HS students trip over themselves to show “leadership” and “passion” that it’s become blasé and mostly “meh” for admissions officers. My sincere advice for you: sample things and pour yourself into things inside and outside of school you truly enjoy or are curious about.
You can be a leader without having a title and you can be a follower with a title of president/CEO/founder.
A student who starts up a club because he heard of it in another school or in the news and wants it on his college application to show leadership is a follower.
A student who takes it upon herself to mentor younger students on her math team and encourage her friends to do the same is a leader.
The main issue is not following a cookie recipe of what you think colleges want, the main issue is showing colleges who you are.
@JustOneDad nailed it above. “Being a leader” doesn’t mean winning a popularity contest, which is what most of those “leadership titles” are. Then the person sits back and figures “leading” means just doing whatever that club or team has been doing the last N years. News flash, that’s not leadership. That’s just checking a box on your college application.