Hey guys, I've been invited to the National Youth Leadership Forum for National Security - has anyone here been part of it before? Is it a worthwhile experience or would my time be better spent elsewhere? Any insight would be appreciated!
It's exciting to hear you have been invited to the National Youth Leadership Forum for National Security! These types of programs can provide meaningful experiences and certainly enhance your understanding of the subject matter.
However, it's essential to remember that with programs like this, the benefits are primarily for personal growth and learning. The National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) can be a great experience to understand more about national security, meet like-minded peers, and gain exposure to potential future career paths. They often have engaging guest speakers and develop simulations that allow you to get a feel for the real-world applications of national security.
Though this sounds appealing, it's important to know that such programs generally do not carry a significant amount of weight in the college admissions process. This is because they usually are not highly selective, making them less impactful when considered as an 'extracurricular' in the context of college applications.
If you're considering this program specifically to boost your college application, please understand they fall under the Tier 4 category in the 4 Tiers of Extracurriculars that colleges consider, and thus likely won't make a big impact. You can learn more about extracurricular tiers on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/breaking-down-the-4-tiers-of-extracurricular-activities
Does this mean you should not participate? Not at all. If you're genuinely interested in the field of national security, this program could give you a deep dive into the topic outside of a traditional classroom setting. Additionally, getting exposure to these topics could spark ideas for future projects or areas to research more independently.
In conclusion, the value of attending the NYLF: National Security really depends on what you aim to get out of it. If it's primarily to improve your extracurricular profile for colleges, you're likely better off investing your time and energy elsewhere. CollegeVine's blog has a series of posts providing examples of programs that are generally regarded as more prestigious, sorted by both area of interest and geographic location: https://blog.collegevine.com/category/extracurricular-activities/summer-activities/
But if NYLF: National Security simply aligns with your interests, and you believe it would be a meaningful experience for you, then go for it! I hope you find this overview helpful, and if you do attend, I hope you enjoy your time there!
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