Leadership

I'm really starting to regret not joining the Boy Scouts when I was younger, as now I'm set back on the leadership portion of the application as I can't become an Eagle Scout. Is there a particular point value given to each leadership activity that you do? My current activities that could score me some leadership points are:
-XC Team Capt
-Indoor Track Team Capt (most likely)
-Outdoor Track Team Capt (depending on how the coming season goes, although I don't want to count chickens before they hatch)
-Boy's State
-Student Council
-MA Student Government Day Rep for my School
-I was a LIT (Leader in training, similar to a Counselor in training) in an agricultural program for children at a local farm
-Lifeguarding??? (A great deal of responsibility, but I doubt it's really leadership)

Does anyone have any tips for bulking up one's leadership portfolio, especially if that person is not an Eagle Scout? If so, it would be greatly appreciated.

While Eagle Scout is valued more than Senior Patrol Leader for the Extracurricular portion of Leadership Potential, it doesn't mean you are out of luck. Boys State is good as well. Would say Student Council, but I don't know what position you hold. Being an officer is good, VP is better, Class President a bit better, with overall student body president being the top for that chain. Working can also contribute to extracurricular, but it has to be sustained -- multiple years with a sufficient amount of hours. Life guarding usually meets the hours, but is generally seasonal.

Multiple sports team captains is awesome for the Athletic portion of Leadership Potential. With that said, Leadership Potential (which also includes the School Official Evaluations) is 30% of your WCS. 60% is academic based. I see MA, so you are from a pretty competitive state, I would make sure you put focus where it is due. You are pretty strong on Leadership, make sure you have the academics to back it.

845something said:

Multiple sports team captains is awesome for the Athletic portion of Leadership Potential. With that said, Leadership Potential (which also includes the School Official Evaluations) is 30% of your WCS. 60% is academic based. I see MA, so you are from a pretty competitive state, I would make sure you put focus where it is due. You are pretty strong on Leadership, make sure you have the academics to back it.

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Second 845something on focusing on academics. West Point is looking for a whole candidate, not just a candidate with great leadership experience.

What I have seen is that there is a tendency among candidates to focus on their strength hoping it will make up their weakness. It doesn't work like that, there is no extra credit. Even if you become an Eagle Scout, it won't give you any extra point in your academics.

grking said:

Does anyone have any tips for bulking up one's leadership portfolio, especially if that person is not an Eagle Scout? If so, it would be greatly appreciated.

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So many things other than Eagle Scout that you can do....

Boys State, JROTC, Start a Club, Become President of a Club, Organize a fundraiser, Become CPR certified, Join a volunteer fire fighting unit, Coach a youth team, Tutor students, Become a mentor, Organize an event like "Marathon Dance" at your school, Start an SAT prep class, Join Civil Air Patrol, Become a team captain or manager, Become editor of your school newspaper, Start a community newspaper, Organize a community crime watch, etc...

Just remember, like the other posters said, the academic piece is proportionally more significant. Best wishes as you progress on your application.