Leadership Skills are Not Only Necessary for College Success, They are Crucial by Madison

Leadership Skills are Not Only Necessary for College Success, They are Crucial by Madison - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my four years of high school, students are always being encouraged to “step up to the plate” and take on some type of position that would characterize him or her to be a leader. Those who were considered to be school-wide leaders at my private boarding prep school also got additional benefits and advantages: permission to have a television set and mini-fridge in the dorm room, pantry/dining hall privileges of when they were allowed to get their meals in relation to the time of everyone else, and extended lights-out freedoms. Leadership was based upon achieving a high-ranked position in the student government, student councils, or even to help make sure the dorms run smoothly. Leadership was based upon power and assistance.

Leadership, as defined by Webster’s dictionary, is the power or ability to lead other people. However, I personally define leadership differently. Leadership, in my mind, is a concept that consists of multiple things: listening, acting, and doing. Leaders take in the ideas and thoughts of others and have the motivation and determination to make sure that they get heard and helped. Whether it be tutoring another student in your class to help him or her understand the topics being taught, volunteering at a local soup kitchen, or babysitting your younger siblings, leaders empower and inspire other people, and through this, are able to create change.

College success is dependent upon academic performance, social interactions, adapting to a new environment, and one’s enjoyment of the entire four-year experience. Leadership skills are not simply beneficial in a college setting, they are crucial. Time-management, self-motivation, decision-making, problem-solving, and action-planning are all leadership skills that are necessary for success in college and for the rest of one’s life. Knowing how to react and respond to every situation thrown at you is one of the most important things a young adult needs to learn, and this is often a process that involves acquiring and utilizing many leadership skills. Collaboration and cooperation are two challenges inside and outside the classroom that a student often has to overcome in college. They both, to be accomplished and conquered successfully, require true leadership among those completing the task.

Acts of leadership and leadership skills are both crucial for college success. Students need to learn how to thrive in diverse environments and control many different variables in their lives in order to achieve a strong sense of independence and growth. Whether three students are working on a project together, walking to the dining hall for a Sunday brunch, or enjoying all of the activities the university has to offer, leadership skills such as good organization, efficient planning, and the ability to make compromises make everything run much more smoothly and successfully.