Leadership on Display by James

Leadership on Display by James - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

What do high school students do after they graduate high school? Often, they follow their parents advice and pack their bags for college. With the increasing need to obtain a degree and the inflating cost of tuition, any wise college applicant should evaluate what it takes to make college a successful experience.

College success is a matter of personal definition. While some may deem college success as obtaining their desired degree without breaking the bank, another student may value challenging themselves by stepping out of their comfort zone. Regardless of a student's definition of college success,one common factor to college success is leadership. Unlike high school, teachers will not hold your hand through college. Rarely do professors take attendance or require participation. Therefore the responsibility to show up to class and actively participate in learning falls upon the shoulders of the student. Another reason why leadership skills are a prerequisite for college success is because no one goes to college alone. Students are in constant communication and relationship with professors, peers, coaches, and faculty. Active listening and effective communication help to make these relationships thrive. A final reason that college success requires leadership skills is because college is simply hard work. Consider the daunting view of a freshman arriving at college with the full knowledge that he/she has four years of reading, writing, solving, and memorizing ahead of them. It takes serious focus and work ethic to dedicate four years of your life and to come out successful. College may seem like a cumbersome task for a measly degree typed on a piece of paper, but rest assured a successful college journey cultivates leadership as well. No successful college student can escape the fact that their leadership skills were placed on display.