You Determine Your Own Success by Nicole

You Determine Your Own Success by Nicole - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Being a leader and possessing "leadership skills" is not necessary for college success. Not everyone is capable of being a leader in a group and it is not a required trait in order to obtain a bachelors degree. In my personal opinion, hard work and dedication are characteristics that trump leadership skills in order to achieve college success. Throughout a student’s college career he or she is going to be tested time and time again under stressful conditions and only those who have the perseverance and passion to continue their education are going to be successful in their undergraduate or graduate careers. College is one of the most arduous times in a young adult’s life being that they are on their own and responsible for every aspect of their life. Many students do not know how to manage their time efficiently and because of this do poorly on their exams, assignments, and projects. Having leadership skills is not going to help a student get a better grade on their exam or understand the material given to them throughout the semester. Only those students that put in the time and effort to comprehend and absorb the material are going to succeed in college.

In addition to finding the time to tackle everyday tasks, students must be willing to put in that hard work for four entire years. This type of commitment is not easily accomplished but without it the success of the student in college is bleak and limited. Many students enroll in college, but never finish the entire length of their undergraduate or graduate careers. The desire to finish their degree should outweigh the length of time it takes to do so. If a person’s dedication is not strong enough to withstand this time frame, then their college endeavors will ultimately be unsuccessful. Thus, instead of being a mandatory trait for success, I feel that having leadership skills is an additional asset that will be helpful in a student's lifelong career post graduation. However, it is not a deciding factor in the success of the student during their college experience.