The Seeds of Success by Montana

The Seeds of Success by Montana - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Leadership is not a necessary quality to get through college. One need not be exceptionally smart or even dedicated to obtain a diploma after completing their four years of lectures and examinations. One merely needs to do their work—or at least a large portion of it—show up to most classes, and make sure the bill is paid. Whether this approach is sufficient for college success (keyword being success), however, requires a completely different answer.

Before we can delve too deeply into the parameters of college success, this concept needs to be clarified. It seems that, by and large, it is something subjective. For some, the attainment of the diploma alone suffices. For others, college success involves transitioning into a stable career. Still others are satisfied with a meaningful education, which is the fundamental purpose of college to begin with. I believe we can sort through this complexity by offering something for each.

A college diploma is worth somewhere in the ballpark of a hundred thousand dollars. Just ask any recent graduate what their student loan balance is. A college education, on the other hand, is invaluable. This is not to say that there is no true value in the certificate; after all, it is a tacit reminder that we were supposed to learn something those four years. What we learn during that time, nevertheless, does not come exclusively from the classroom, but comprises all individual experiences one can apply in order to ensure professional success after their departure from academia. Careers are not given out at graduation; they are acquired by individuals who are diligent, educated, and qualified. These are not the traits of a follower. Granted, some fall from college into professional stability by good fortune, but this is by no means dependable, and it would not feel right to call this college success. Rather, leaders ensure that when a path does not lie open ahead of them, they have the means to carve one out.

Qualification requires the diploma. This is nothing special in the modern age, and does not necessarily presuppose education. Qualification coupled with diligence, however, implies leadership. It not only involves the traits necessary for ensuring success in college and beyond, but its natural progression is education inside the classroom and out. Leaders make things happen while in college by learning their trade and concurrently applying it to real life. They reject a passive college experience in favor of the hands-on approach, knowing the value of a more substantial college experience, both for employers and themselves.

This leads me to conclude that leadership is absolutely necessary for college success. It requires something from each of the aforementioned elements—degree completion, education, and application—and leaders ensure their own success by securing all three. In this context, success means professional success, but it becomes clear that it is intimately tied with college success. There is universal agreement that leadership skills are required for the former, but this makes much more sense once the two are linked together. The seeds of success are sewn at the beginnings—i.e., in college—and leaders have the prudence to make this happen.