Leadership?

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mupreopt

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I am an undergraduate student.
If I remember correctly, optometry school want leadership experience.
What exactly does this mean? I am not at all a leadership type of person.
How do I get leadership experience? The only type of leadership I can think of is being a president/vice president of a club but not everyone can be president/vice president because there are so many students. So what exactly is leadership experience?
 
Please don't attack me on this one.
I want a leadership experience but I really don't know where to get leadership experience. How do I look for one? I'm quiet and shy and not really a leadership person.
 
I find it really hard not to flame you... so here goes.

Find something you're good at and help other people be good at it too.
Ex. If you're good at baseball, coach a little league team.
Good at math? Get a job tutoring.
 
zyg0te said:
I find it really hard not to flame you... so here goes.
Click to expand...

Why are you guys so ticked off? I've done nothing wrong. All my questions are serious and I meant no harm by them. I was hoping for some support but instead I got the opposite. You guys are treating me like I'm a bad guy or a troll. I'm really dissapointed.
 
I think you're misunderstanding "leadership experience." When optometry schools say they want leadership experience, they are looking for a person who is wililng to go out of their way and make a difference. As a future health profession, you will need to possess the leadership qualities. Therefore, take a stance. I dont think the other members were trying to put you down in any way. It's just leadership experience can include a variety of things. In the end, it really depends on you. Join a club. Join many clubs. Be active in those clubs. Titles such as "president" or "vice president" are not as important as you think. Volunteer on your free time. Fight for causes you support. Do things that are good for other students and your fellow community. Remember that you will NEED those leadership qualities when you become an optometrist because no one else is going to tell you what to do at your job 😀

Hope this helps!
 
I don't have any leadership experience from college. Don't stress yourself about having every quality they're looking for. While it'll obviously help you to show them you have leadership qualities, if you are strong in other areas you'll be okay.
 
Ibabiejae said:
I think you're misunderstanding "leadership experience." When optometry schools say they want leadership experience, they are looking for a person who is wililng to go out of their way and make a difference. As a future health profession, you will need to possess the leadership qualities. Therefore, take a stance. I dont think the other members were trying to put you down in any way. It's just leadership experience can include a variety of things. In the end, it really depends on you. Join a club. Join many clubs. Be active in those clubs. Titles such as "president" or "vice president" are not as important as you think. Volunteer on your free time. Fight for causes you support. Do things that are good for other students and your fellow community. Remember that you will NEED those leadership qualities when you become an optometrist because no one else is going to tell you what to do at your job 😀

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was worried because I thought I would have to take on a leadership role like being a president of a club or something.
Will helping to build a Habitat for Humanity house count? My college is doing this for the first time where the college students will help build the house.
I had other examples but I forgot what it was.
 
I agree, I really wouldn't stress this either. I wasn't the president of anything. Heck, I didn't even join a club during college. I got in just fine to several schools. The schools just want to see that you aren't a weirdo. If you can hold yourself confident in front of others (not cocky, but confident) then the schools will see that in the interview. But, having leadership roles definetly won't hurt your application.
 
mupreopt said:
Thanks. I was worried because I thought I would have to take on a leadership role like being a president of a club or something.
Will helping to build a Habitat for Humanity house count? My college is doing this for the first time where the college students will help build the house.
I had other examples but I forgot what it was.
Click to expand...


OF course habitat for humanity counts!🙂 You're putting the effort to do something good.Even little events like that counts. Like everyone said, dont worry about it too much!
 
i agree with the above. you don't need to be a president, or start a club, or something. i got asked what leadership experience i've had at my scco interview. unfortunately i blanked out for a good moment, because i thought the same thing...i hadn't been a president, let alone be in a club. i guess the term can be a bit misleading in that sense, cause i didnt think of the things i DID do. but now that i recall, i have been a tutor for inner city kids. too bad i couldnt recall that DURING my interview. oh well...

so my point is, be prepared to talk about it during your interview! (although im guessing you haven't applied yet)
 
Thanks Ibabieja, JMU07, Oogilily, and melucla.


I am relieved. I have no problems with volunteering. This don't make me as nervous. When they use the term leadership, I thought I had to lead a club or something where I had to give a presentation, and do other leadership stuff. That would make me nervous. But volunteering, no problem.


melucla, no I haven't applied yet. I've looked over my college catalog and the requirements for my major many times and for some reason, I didn't see that I needed 48 credit hours of 300+ level courses to get my degree until my 2nd year or so in college. Also, after failing orgainc chem 1, I started taking only two classes a semester so that I could have more time concentrating on organic chem. For these two reasons, I will be graduating 2.5 years later than expected.
 
Oogilily said:
The schools just want to see that you aren't a weirdo.
Click to expand...

Exactly ! No blue hair ....take out the eyebrow piercing rods , cover up that tatoo on your neck when you go to interview.... and you should be fine.
 
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