Is it bad if I don't have any leadership positions?

Hi everyone, I'm a high school junior and I've been involved in a few clubs, but I haven't held any leadership positions. Will this hurt my college applications? Should I try to get more involved in leadership roles? Thanks for your help!

Hello! It's perfectly fine to be worried about this aspect of your college applications. However, it's important to remember that leadership positions are just one of many factors that colleges look at when evaluating applicants. While having leadership experience can certainly be a plus, it's not the sole determining factor for acceptance.

Colleges are looking for students who have a variety of experiences and skills. If you have been actively involved in clubs and activities, that involvement will still be viewed positively. It shows that you're engaged and interested in your community, which is definitely a good thing.

Basically, colleges care about the depth of your accomplishments, and while leadership is one way to show depth, it's not the only way. You can still have impressive extracurriculars without being a leader (not everyone is meant to be one!) via awards, self-driven projects, or being accepted into selective groups/competitions.

If you still have time before submitting your applications and you're genuinely interested in taking on more responsibility in a club or organization, then by all means, go for it! But don't do it just for the sake of having a leadership position on your application. You can learn more about ways to improve your extracurriculars junior year here: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-improve-your-extracurriculars-junior-and-senior-year

Basically, focus on the activities that you're most passionate about and look for ways to make a meaningful impact in those areas. Ultimately, it's the quality of your involvement and the impact you make that will be most impressive to college admissions officers. Best of luck!