Showing Leadership on College Application - Suggestions?

[Anonymous]

My DC is a great student (mostly A's), takes many AP classes, plays 2 high school sports (LAX and Softball), and is also on a club softball team.

She did ok on her PSATs and we are hopeful a course this summer will increase her score.

My only concern about her college apps at this time is I can't think of anything she has done which demonstrates leadership.

She is finishing up her sophomore year.

Any suggestions as to what she could do to demonstrate leadership?

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Be a captain of one of the sports teams. Get involved in a club where she leads something. Start a club.

My DCs were both sports teams captains. One founded a club at school (not very hard to start, harder to sustain).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a great student (mostly A's), takes many AP classes, plays 2 high school sports (LAX and Softball), and is also on a club softball team.

She did ok on her PSATs and we are hopeful a course this summer will increase her score.

My only concern about her college apps at this time is I can't think of anything she has done which demonstrates leadership.

She is finishing up her sophomore year.

Any suggestions as to what she could do to demonstrate leadership?

Thanks in advance.

Captain of her sports teams? Teaching younger kids her sport at a summer camp or by volunteering to help a middle school team. Build on her strengths / loves.

[Anonymous]

I think leadership positions do come a bit easier during Junior and Senior years - your children are now the older kids at school and there are clubs, volunteer oops and sports teams that need leaders in official and unofficial roles. I would not actively seek a brand new activity for your child, but have him/her assert themselves in activities they already enjoy.

[Anonymous]

What other activities does she do?

Sports is a path to leadership but lots kids have that in their backgrounds. One thing that sticks out is that your child is a female and plays softball. Any way for her to build on that? What about being a referee for little league games?

[Anonymous]

What position does she play? Pitcher or catcher are leadership positions.

[Anonymous]

First, tell her parents that when they ask how she can be a leader, they are undermining her ability to be one.

Then encourage her to think not in terms of Being a Leader, which tends to get fetishized these days, and instead think about what's important to her and how she can contribute. Real leaders don't decide to be leaders. They decide to learn how to work well with others, and that makes others want to follow them. Or not -- mathematically, the world is going to have more followers than leaders. But a productive follower is more useful than someone who's in love with the concept of leadership.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/opinion/sunday/not-leadership-material-good-the-world-needs-followers.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage®ion=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed

[Anonymous]

I completely agree about being a productive follower. Now if only the colleges agreed. They're still looking for leaders.

[Anonymous]

You can't be a productive follower and expect to get in to most elite schools. Have your daughter volunteer to lead a club that might not be so popular. It is easier to become the head of a club that has fewer members and if she can recruit friends to join this club and turn it into something effectual, that is something she can write about in the applications. Sports teams are fine but they are sort of a dime a dozen . I am saying this as a parent who just went through the college application process

[Anonymous]

I like the idea of building off of her sports.

1.Find a local lax or softball team and volunteer at their practices.

2. Create a one-day "clinic" for kids wanting to start learning the sport. Just focus on her position -- pitcher, catcher, etc. or get a teammate to join in. Have it one day off season or right before season starts (helpful that it doesn't interfere with her playing time).

[Anonymous]

She doesn't have to check every box

If the student has been President of the Student Council, or a team captain especially of a Varsity Sport, or Science Honor Society President - - all of that is significant. That's what the box if for. It's for those kids. BUT they may not have the grades of the scores your DC has. They may or may not be as sought. I would not try to invent what isn't there.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone except 10:46.

Gonna see if she can ump and help coach the younger girls who play SB or LAX. She is a pitcher so that helps.

[Anonymous]

10:46 made a valid and important point. Do you actually want your DD to develop leadership skills or do you just want something leadership-like to put on her resume? If the former, ask your daughter to answer the question you posed here. And when she has an answer, have her implement it. Flag the issue, talk things through, offer encouragement, but let it be your daughter's project -- not yours.

Mom or Dad crowdsourcing a plan and then executing it, doesn't teach (or display or encourage her to develop) leadership skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10:46 made a valid and important point. Do you actually want your DD to develop leadership skills or do you just want something leadership-like to put on her resume? If the former, ask your daughter to answer the question you posed here. And when she has an answer, have her implement it. Flag the issue, talk things through, offer encouragement, but let it be your daughter's project -- not yours.

Mom or Dad crowdsourcing a plan and then executing it, doesn't teach (or display or encourage her to develop) leadership skills.

I disagree. Not everyone is born a leader. Not everyone wants to be a leader. Some people have more valuable skills than leadership, and some choose to reject management position in order to continue doing what they like. To force kid to learn and develop leadership skills may not necessary be a good thing for a particular child. However, the fact remaining the fact: colleges want to see leadership skills. I don't see any problem with parents helping child to "show" some leadership without forcing the child to become a leader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:10:46 made a valid and important point. Do you actually want your DD to develop leadership skills or do you just want something leadership-like to put on her resume? If the former, ask your daughter to answer the question you posed here. And when she has an answer, have her implement it. Flag the issue, talk things through, offer encouragement, but let it be your daughter's project -- not yours.

Mom or Dad crowdsourcing a plan and then executing it, doesn't teach (or display or encourage her to develop) leadership skills.

I disagree. Not everyone is born a leader. Not everyone wants to be a leader. Some people have more valuable skills than leadership, and some choose to reject management position in order to continue doing what they like. To force kid to learn and develop leadership skills may not necessary be a good thing for a particular child. However, the fact remaining the fact: colleges want to see leadership skills. I don't see any problem with parents helping child to "show" some leadership without forcing the child to become a leader.

h

Actually, colleges see through these made-up clubs and one day events kids do to "show" leadership. They want to see real and sustained leadership over time, such as being a class or student council officer, a sports team captain, or a leadership position in a real club or organization that already existed at the school. Guidance counselors and teachers also can comment in their recommendations on leadership qualities a student has demonstrated on a regular basis.

Just out of curiosity, why do you think that some skills are more valuable than leadership? How do things get done without someone who can plan and organize and encourage people along the way?