Leadership - the Class They Don't Teach at College by Abigail

Leadership - the Class They Don't Teach at College by Abigail - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Is college the proving ground of success or the fertile soil for developing the skills needed for achieving an ambition?

I believe college should be viewed as the opportunity to improve one's mental and physical capacities. Certainly prior leadership skills would be a plus in any college environment, but it can also be learned through experience. Any student should be considered a success who graduates with the full knowledge necessary for his chosen career and feels more confident and assured than when he started college. We do not expect a student to have thorough knowledge of his major before he starts, so why should we expect areas like leadership to be a prerequisite?

Leadership must be learned and exercised. It is the ability to focus on a specific cause or goal and help those around him reach higher than even himself. Few people can assume leadership and do it successfully without a degree of trial and error. College is an excellent opportunity for this.

Future college students should be encouraged to enhance their leadership skills, no doubt. But it does not signify that they will be any more successful in college than those who are not as skilled. Those who would classify themselves as followers will gain confidence as they progress through their college education.

To conclude, we should not put pressure on shy or reserved young people to conform to a certain standard we deem beneficial. Instead, we should continually strive to make college the optimum opportunity for students to learn what they need to learn. That is what education is all about.