Is leadership experience essential for getting into Ivy League colleges and top LACs?

Applying to College Admission Stories
1

I’m thinking of applying to:

  1. Harvard
  2. Yale
  3. Stanford
  4. Wharton
  5. University of Chicago
  6. Cornell
  7. Swarthmore
  8. Pomona

My grades (IB) and SATs are surely adequate for these colleges, but my extra-curriculars are quite modest. Also, I have not really held any leadership positions, while many other candidates will be presidents of student councils, captain of sports teams, chairpersons of clubs etc.

Is it necessary to have leadership experience to get into