Leadership Advice

Kanogo said:
Hey everybody! I'm applying for the class of 2026 and I have a huge concern about my leadership. At the moment, the only leadership posts I held at school are being the swim team captain and founder/president of a school club. I have not been involved with my school's student council, however, I still tried to apply, but I ended up losing the election. I also am not involved with Boys' States, Boys Scouts, etc. This summer I will be trying to crack down on community service and hopefully gain some kind of leadership experience, but opportunities will most likely be limited.
Any advice for me at this point? Also, how should I go about making up that 30% [of the application] for leadership?

Thank you for your help!
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Scouts.
Specifically, Sea Scouts.
 
Specific to coaching, I think this is one that can be discussed at length in essays and interviews. Our DS taught TaeKwonDo for 6 years. In that capacity, he was able to discuss teaching young students who wanted to quit when things were difficult. He discussed teaching them in front of their parents and having to hold his ground respectfully with parents when they question methodology, or a student not being ready for a belt promotion. Proctoring the belt tests was yet another way in which he lead students.

He had taken a dual credit education professions course in high school and it really showed him how many different styles of learning there are. He was able to take that knowledge and employ it with teaching and he was able to build his lesson plans based on the different learning styles.

He had several kids who had learning disabilities and that gave him a different set of challenges and he would adjust his lessons accordingly, or take them aside for additional support.

That is leadership. You don't have to necessarily have a varsity letter with 'captain' emblazoned on you. My kid never played a traditional high school sport. But you can do a bit of research on different ways in which one can lead those around them, and see what you are already doing that you may have not considered as leadership. It sounds like you are doing some of these things now with swimming, so look at that with fresh eyes.
 
Heatherg21 said:
Specific to coaching, I think this is one that can be discussed at length in essays and interviews. Our DS taught TaeKwonDo for 6 years. In that capacity, he was able to discuss teaching young students who wanted to quit when things were difficult. He discussed teaching them in front of their parents and having to hold his ground respectfully with parents when they question methodology, or a student not being ready for a belt promotion. Proctoring the belt tests was yet another way in which he lead students.

He had taken a dual credit education professions course in high school and it really showed him how many different styles of learning there are. He was able to take that knowledge and employ it with teaching and he was able to build his lesson plans based on the different learning styles.

He had several kids who had learning disabilities and that gave him a different set of challenges and he would adjust his lessons accordingly, or take them aside for additional support.

That is leadership. You don't have to necessarily have a varsity letter with 'captain' emblazoned on you. My kid never played a traditional high school sport. But you can do a bit of research on different ways in which one can lead those around them, and see what you are already doing that you may have not considered as leadership. It sounds like you are doing some of these things now with swimming, so look at that with fresh eyes.
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Thank you very much! I found that very helpful. Congrats to your DS too!
 
Kanogo said:
I don’t know of a Sea Scouts program near me. However, I do know there is a sea cadets program. Are they the similar?
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Not similar at all.
Sea Scouts is a program of the Boy Scouts and is centered around nautical experiences
Sea Cadets is a program of the Navy League and is centered around learning about the Navy itself.

As a rising Senior, I would not consider there to be enough time for either to move the needle on your candidacy at this point.
 
OldRetSWO said:
Not similar at all.
Sea Scouts is a program of the Boy Scouts and is centered around nautical experiences
Sea Cadets is a program of the Navy League and is centered around learning about the Navy itself.

As a rising Senior, I would not consider there to be enough time for either to move the needle on your candidacy at this point.
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Thank you, sir.
 
My DS got his leadership cred's from 4H and church and band. Yes he was a soccer player, cc runner and track runner but I think that factored more into athletic fitness than leadership. His pastor was extensively interviewed by USAFA, perhaps because said pastor is also a private school principal, and they talked a lot about his interpersonal skills. In 4-H, ds served as president of a couple clubs in addition to doing his animal and non-animal projects, and he eventually became a paid 4H dog judge, so lots of leadership skills involved there. 4H is a community service based organization so he was well-covered there as well. Btw, he received a conditional appt to USAFA (failed medical) and bfe to USNA so it all worked out in his favor. He ultimately wound up doing Plan B
 
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