Are Leadership Skills Necessary For College Success? by Nathan

Are Leadership Skills Necessary For College Success? by Nathan - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

To determine the answer to this question, one must first define what is meant by “college success”. This may mean different things to different people. To some it means making the Dean’s List, while to others it means simply obtaining a degree. For the purposes of this essay, I will go with the latter definition.

I contend that it does not require leadership skills to obtain a degree. Leadership skills are characterized by a “take charge, follow me” kind of attitude. And while those attributes are suitable for success in business and industry, they are not required for college.

To obtain success in college one must be focused enough to do the work required to pass each course. In my determination, this requires four essential skills: concentration, discipline, organization, and perseverance. I will discuss each in turn:

Concentration is necessary when in class. Effective note taking and comprehension of the lecture is essential in understanding the material. Concentration is also mandatory while studying. This is perhaps, the most important of the four disciplines.

Discipline is required when faced with the social distractions that college presents. One must keep one’s focus on the task at hand to avoid distractions. Naturally, there are times when social activity is helpful and is just plain fun. But discipline is needed to determine when to indulge in these activities.

Organization is mandatory. When taking five courses, determining what assignment is due and when its due, is crucial. In addition, keeping everything organized allows one to effectively make use of the time allotted to do the work in each subject. It also avoids the anxiety of misplaced or forgotten assignments. A good sense of organization makes the challenge of learning much easier.

Perseverance is also required. Sometimes it is very tempting to simply give up and dismiss challenging material as being too difficult. We have all been in this situation where the material just seems to be incomprehensible. It is when confronted with such challenges that the maturity of the student is called upon. One must have the humility required to seek help when needed. Men in particular, are reticent to do this. Males often consider themselves to be self-reliant and independent. This ego-posturing must give way to the demands of the course. Admitting that one does not have the ability to figure out the answers all by themselves is an admirable quality that marks a successful student.

So it is not leadership per se', but these four qualities, which I believe, will lead to success in a college environment.