Students and Leaders All Take Risks by Chloe

Students and Leaders All Take Risks by Chloe - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

I believe that leadership skills are extremely helpful towards being successful in college. Without leaders, we would not have an efficiently running nation. Leaders guide and influence people on a daily bases. One major key towards success is great communication. Since leaders set examples, they must have good social skills. Great leaders are successful when they are responsible, organized, and open-minded while also having passion for what they do.

Leaders know what they want and how to obtain it. College students who have a set goal are more prone to be successful because they are motivated by assurance. Successful leaders must be able to communicate well with others. Students who have great social skills tend to be more prosperous during their college years. By that I mean, they get further in life compared to people who lack decent social skills. For example, when a student who has great social skills and grades asks a teacher for a recommendation, the teacher is more likely to write positive remarks about that student compared to one who is smart but lacks in social skills. Teachers enjoy students who participate in class discussions because not only does it improve the student’s communication skills, but it also allows the teacher to see from another perspective. Several times I have encountered discussions in which I did not agree with my professor’s view. Once I explained my view and why I disagreed with theirs, they were very interested and learned how I thought as an individual. I also noticed that my professors were happy that they were able to learn new things from me, even though I was the student. So when my professor wrote my recommendation, she was also able to write that I was a hard-driven, knowledgeable student all because I participated in class instead of being that quiet kid in the corner of the room.

Courage and honesty come a long way in leaders; I believe that these two characteristics are extraordinarily important in order for students to be truly successful in college. Students must have the courage to make certain decisions that will guide them towards success. Courage is required when making smart risks. Students must have the courage to choose what to do with their time during their college years. Some may have to take the risk of working only part-time somewhere or to not work at all so that they can strictly focus on their studies, or some may take the risk of working full-time to help pay in order to go to college.

Honesty is what defines a truly successful student. Leaders and students should not cheat or lie when reaching towards a goal. Students who cheat and receive A’s, really cheated themselves because they did not take the time to study the material therefore they did not retain the knowledge that could have benefited them later on in life. While leaders lead, smart leaders also follow. Being open-minded is key in today’s world, especially with all the advancements that take place. Open-mindedness includes being a follower at times; this allows a person to gain additional knowledge which will enrich their skills. Even the best and greatest leaders still have room for more knowledge.
College students who acquire leadership skills are prone to be successful. Leadership skills will help guide them towards making the right choices for important matters. Their organized and responsible characteristics will only increase their work as well as personal values. True leaders are always aware of how they must stay open-minded because being close-minded will only take one so far. But of course, a leader without passion is worthless. Passion must be present within a leader to help motivate and drive them towards their goals. All brilliant people are not leaders, but having leadership skills as a student will certainly increase chances towards being successful in college.