What Leadership Means In Admissions

By Ishan Puri
Founder of Synocate

“Leadership” is a major buzzword in college admissions; it is found across applications through essay supplements, work experience, and extracurricular activities. But what do admissions officers really want to see?

Why Leadership Matters

On a scale of 1-4, with 4 being of most important value, schools like Princeton, Yale, Stanford, MIT, and University of Pennsylvania gave personal character a 4/4 in terms of importance in college applications. This specific data is derived from Synocate, and we have data that allows one to search for other factors influencing an application such as talent/ability, work experience, and extracurricular activities. Yale and Stanford are the top two schools focused on character AND extracurricular involvement, giving both a 4/4 in terms of importance. This data reveals that leadership is one of the best, and most impactful, ways to show character and exceptional extracurricular involvement, especially for Top 50 schools. Admissions officers from these colleges want to find students who are visionary, entrepreneurial, thoughtful, inquisitive, and exemplary.

What Admissions Officers Want to See

These are direct excerpts from the Undergraduate Admissions websites of several Top 50 colleges. Note the similarities:

We want to see the impact you have had on that club, in your school, or in the larger community, and we want to learn of the impact that experience has had on you” – Stanford University

We seek to identify students who will be the best educators of one another and their professors—individuals who will inspire those around them during their College years and beyond” – Harvard University

Decade after decade, Yalies have set out to make our world better. We are looking for students we can help to become the leaders of their generation in whatever they wish to pursue” – Yale University

The Admissions Committee is interested in knowing the duration of your commitments as this gives us insight into the depth of your involvement and a sense of the impact you’ve made in your community. Note leadership roles and/or specific responsibilities. These details highlight your initiative and developed capacity as a leader, role model, and doer” – University of Pennsylvania

There is definitely a common theme here. Words like “impact,” and “inspire” highlight why “leadership” has become such a buzzword this application cycle. Admissions officers across Ivies, Stanford, UC’s, and other Top 50 schools ask themselves these type of questions while reviewing applications: How has this student made lasting change to their club/team/etc through his leadership? How has he inspired others with his attitude? How can this student bring that spirit to my university’s campus?See this Synocate blog post

for more specific details on how to deepen extra curricular involvement. Admissions officers will read the applications of thousands of club presidents, captains, and elected officials. It is not enough just to have a position. Look for ways to better evolve your club or team; don’t be afraid to make changes for the better.

About the Author

Ishan is a Stanford graduate and is the founder/CEO of Synocate. He is the author of Amazon best-seller The Applicant: An Insider’s Guide to the College Admissions Process and is the top education writer in Huffington Post. For more information, visit www.synocate.com.