I usually never post here but I just couldn’t get this out of my head and it was bugging me.
So I ran for president of student government and I unfortunately lost by just a few votes and I was really upset since it was something I was extremely passionate about and committed to and it was something that I was looking forward to basically all of my high school years. I am involved in multiple clubs and I will be either the president or vice president of those clubs come this school year, but being president of student government was essentially supposed to be the center piece of my leadership roles. I will still be a member of student government as the representative of the Board of education but not as president. My school always says that the positions are just labels and that everyone does the same amount of work and is involved equally but I still am upset that I didn’t win. My question now is, would colleges see a difference in being a member of student government and being the president of student government?
P.s Just for context i’m hoping to go to top tier schools (specifically Cornell).
Class committee is the same amount of work as being president. It depends on the difference you make at your school and if you can showcase that through your essays. Yes, being class president sounds better, but making a difference says more.
I’m not sure how exactly you have come to understand your loss, but I would be interested in reading an essay about it… Rather than worry about it, think about what it has offered you.
Rep to the BoE is pretty good, if you go to their meetings, interact, have something of value to say. You have to understand leadership is a quality, a frame of mind, a contribution, not some title alone.
More than that, if you have to ask if “president” is some tip, you may be missing just what does impress colleges.
Being the “representative of the Board of education” sounds very impressive to me. Having that on your college application instead of “president of student government” will not make or break your application. Your admission decision will not hinge on this distinction, but will be based on the entire application.
President is definitely impressive (we have like a 5 year streak of them going to Ivies). However, BoE rep sounds just as if not more impressive/formal than President. Also, stop beating yourself up over this- there is absolutely nothing you can do to change how the past turned out. You are obviously a VERY talented individual, and ultimately one title of one position won’t make a huge difference, especially since you have a similar role regardless, so be proud of who you are and stop wishing that the past was different. Best of luck to you.
Do NOT get caught up in being president. It is not the title, but what you do with any leadership position. I have seen it many times where being elected a high school President is just a popularity contest and colleges know that! Good luck to you
Thank you everyone for your supportive and insightful replies, they really helped me so much because I’ve just been so caught up on this situation for so long and felt so bad about it, but now I feel better because I understand that it’s what I do in my current position that makes an impact, rather then the title, and that colleges know that it can sometimes be a popularity contest and I have to show them how I’ve grown from this experience. So, thank you everyone!
