School Leadership Positions?

USNFilms

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2010
Messages
86
Hey everyone, I have a question for you all.

In the eyes of the Naval Academy admissions, which is better:
to be senior class president or senior student body president?

If you don't know what I mean by student body, just tell me.

Thanks
 
It doesn't matter. What matters is what you do in those positions to lead. Thus, I would pick the position where you will have the greatest opportunity actually to be innovative, to drive things to success, etc.

As a BGO, I typically ask, "What do you do as [team captain, senior class president, etc.]. When someone says, "not much really," or can't actually tell me what he/she did in that position, the job loses a lot of importance in my mind. OTOH, someone could tell me he or she had never been elected to an office but organized some huge project -- that would impress me.
 
It doesn't matter. What matters is what you do in those positions to lead. Thus, I would pick the position where you will have the greatest opportunity actually to be innovative, to drive things to success, etc.

As a BGO, I typically ask, "What do you do as [team captain, senior class president, etc.]. When someone says, "not much really," or can't actually tell me what he/she did in that position, the job loses a lot of importance in my mind. OTOH, someone could tell me he or she had never been elected to an office but organized some huge project -- that would impress me.
Thanks, I understand what you are saying.
 
I find that interesting and am glad to see that some BGO's ask about that. My son was never really asked for much clarification from the MOC's on what he did in any particular role. And I've kind of thought the same thing - he's NHS President (which sounds good!), but if you asked him what he does (and he replied honestly), it would be the "not much" answer. It doesn't take more than 15 minutes a month out of his life.

But he's in Academic Decathlon, which he's found that most people don't know or really care what it is to ask about it on his resume. Yet, they go in an hour before school nearly every day to work on it and he honestly spends more time studying and researching for it (and writing speeches, practicing interviews, writing essays) than he does for all of his actual academic classes put together. But on paper it doesn't look like anything that exciting.

So I agree - to the OP - either of those will look great on a resume - whether they sound great in an interview depends on what you actually DO and can tell them about!
 
Also, help out your BGO and bring a "resume" to the interview. BGOs do NOT have access to the stuff you send USNA, so we're flying blind. If you bring a resume, I'm likely to ask about some of the stuff on it, which gives you an opportunity to shine. It also helps the BGO remember you.:thumb:
 
Thats a great idea to bring a resume!! You would definitely get a true understanding.

Many things are really not that apparent if it is not the norm.....sports captain, etc.

My son has activities that might not be the regular "shine" activities. He is Field Commander (drum major) for our high school band. There is so much to this activity and on the USMA summer session ap it was no where to be found.....we did write it in. He had to go to a 5 day camp to learn the fundamentals, he actually marches with all the commands and moves a whole hs band along with directing the music (which means you have to know the music!!) It is amazing when you watch and think about the hours in practice to do this. Because he is in it, I understand all there is to this otherwise it would be completely foreign to me!! ...and it was before he tried out for field commander :)
 
This advice is not timely now as most of you have submitted your applications long ago, but here goes anyway.....Most applications, scholarships, etc have some space somewhere for comments. If you have something, like marciemi's son's Academic Decathalon, that you desperately want to expound upon, get it in there. Or somewhere in that application.

You have asked some teachers to do recommendations for the SA you are applying for........provide them with a resume and even a copy of your application. Tell them you have something, like the Academic Decathalon, that you feel is unique and there is not really a place on the application to express the amount of time, commitment, dedication, etc you have given to that activity. Ask if they could mention it.

When you get ready to do any type of application, read the criteria, the key words, ie: what is the selection committee looking for? Next, list why you want or feel you qualify for whatever it is you are applying for. If there's no space on the application for your activity or unique quality, find a place to get it in there: the places where they ask for more information (you wouldn't believe how many folks leave those things blank), the essays, the letters of recommendation, etc.

Even if your activities are listed and you can check them off: President of Senior Class, etc, ALWAYS, ALWAYS tell the committee more about the position....... "As President of NHS, I organized four teacher appreciation days, baking 9000 cookies......." Lots of these "leadership" positions are simply popularly elected and somewhat figurehead type positions. If you actually did some good stuff, make sure the committee realizes that!
 
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