You may be surprised to hear that America’s leading colleges are no longer seeking students based only on their excellent high school grades and test scores. They are now looking for students who have skill sets beyond the classroom and far more emphasis is being placed upon a student’s extracurricular activity record.
Top schools want well-rounded students who will make the most out of educational opportunities and the resources around them because they believe that they will one day make meaningful impacts on their communities and in the world.
In my 20 years of interviewing and preparing students for elite colleges, I have found that next to a stellar record of excellent academic performance, examples of leadership skills are by far the most important criterion used by admissions officials. Application essays allow students to elaborate on their leadership activities and successes in the extra-curricular area.
It is sometimes difficult to develop leadership skills within the confines of traditional secondary school activities. The students who get noticed are those willing to step outside the box and launch their own ventures in school or in their communities.
I have worked with many students interested in developing leadership skills who started school and community projects. This avenue can be time-consuming but a successful project is almost guaranteed to set you apart in the admissions process.
Here is what made these individuals successful:
First, they chose concerns that were important to them — in one instance, a program to help improve the environment. Another created a plan for combating drug use among students. Those who were successful wrote informal proposals for their projects, had a clear vision of what they wanted to accomplish and knew who they needed to get on board to help achieve their goals.
Next, they prepared two key elements that must be included in any proposal — a mission statement and a detailed implementation outline. The mission statements were relatively simple and specified what they sought to accomplish and the outlines spelled out the specific steps needed to accomplish the missions.
The projects that were successful also required the following:
* A dedicated support team and active membership base
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* A communications plan, which will help to build community support and excitement for the project. A successful plan will require that you design and write promotional materials to advertise your activities
* Activities to build community support and excitement for your project
* Realistic budgetary parameters that will ensure the long-term viability of the organization.
Colleges will take notice of leadership skills that come from launching and growing your own venture. Good grades and test scores continue to be important to admissions counselors, but a leadership role in community service activities and career relevant work experience will help you to stand out among the thousands of applicants.
Gerald Bradshaw is an international college admissions consultant with Bradshaw College Consulting in Crown Point.