The Most Misunderstood Word in College Admissions
Leadership. This article could easily have been titled “The Most Overrated Word in College Admissions.” Colleges don’t exclusively want leaders. If every student admitted to a top-20 school were a leader, who would the followers be? There wouldn’t be enough followers for these “leaders” to guide. Colleges want impact! They seek applicants who have made significant contributions—whether as leaders or as dedicated members of initiatives that have achieved measurable success.
Leadership without impact is worse than doing nothing at all. Being a nominal leader of a club that meets only once a month, where members simply hang out, or leading a nonprofit destined to die as soon as you receive your acceptance letter, wastes valuable time. That time could be better spent doing something productive—like offering to take on additional responsibilities at a school club where you are just a member (not in a leadership position) or contacting your local municipal council to explore ways to make a real difference in your community.
True leadership should never be forced; it should emerge naturally as others recognize your genuine passion and contagious desire to change the world. When people see that you’re determined to make a difference, they’ll be inspired to support you and view you as someone they can learn from. If your only drive to become a leader is to get into Harvard, you likely won’t embody these qualities, will be a poor leader, and most likely waste time that could have been used to do things that would actually help you get into Harvard.
If you want to learn which extracurriculars are truly worth your time, check out this article: The Only 3 Extracurriculars You Need to Get Into an Ivy League School.
If you need help selecting extracurricular activities or maximizing the impact you are making in your current extracurriculars, schedule a free consultation with us to learn how we can help you utilize your time most efficiently, as you endeavor to get into your dream college.
