Think about your college applications. When naming off your achievements did you attempt to portray yourself as a leader within your clubs and teams? If the answer is yes, then, my friend, you were sucked into the college admissions' games.
You would imagine that being a leader would result in increased college acceptances, but not when you are competing against thousands of other "leaders" just like you. The unfortunate truth is that very few of these hopeful applicants are true leaders. Most of these students were forced into the stereotypical Type-A student government president stereotype, attempting to grab any leadership position available and distinguish themselves from everyone else around them.
If you named off officer positions of clubs, captain titles of teams, or anything remotely similar on your college application, then you're probably thinking, "You're wrong. I'm a leader. I possess the qualities of a leader." Speaking from a self-proclaimed leader, who boasted student government president, senior officer of the dance team, vice president of the women's rights club, and more on my several college applications, let me be the bearer of bad news. Not everyone is a leader, and most people who believe they are, are not.
Most of the trailblazers we idolize today were simply masters in their fields and never intended on being leaders. I, like most of you, adopted leadership characteristics and sought out positions to develop these skills. While the "fake it 'til you make it" approach works for some who turn out to be true leaders, it has hollowed out the meaning of leadership. Being a leader to those around you symbolizes something incredible and inspiring. However, the college admissions process has forced many teenagers to believe the only way to succeed is to be a leader. And now being a leader means little to nothing, except in extraordinary cases.
The real issue at hand, however, is that colleges enforce it. Through the exaggerated praise of these "self-made leaders" and the types of questions asked on applications, universities only reinforce the idea that students must be able to fit the description of a Type-A leader. Rather than insinuating that the only successful students are those who claim dozens of meaningless positions, schools must be clear about the kind of leaders they want to see. And beyond that, they should inspire and encourage excellent students who rise to leadership for a cause rather than a resume. Otherwise, our next generation of rising leaders will be more focused on hollow rewards, like college acceptances, rather than inciting change and being an example.
