Public speaking is fantastic for college.
Luong, a Yale professor, details a "consistent trend" in admissions: dedication to competitive public speaking significantly increases the success rate of college applications. State and national award winners have between a 22% and 30% higher acceptance rate at elite colleges. Being the captain of a successful debate team improves an applicant's chances by over 60% compared with their non-debate peers.
In Chicago Public Schools, debate participants were 3.1 times more likely to graduate from high school than non-debaters after adjustment, and they also posted stronger ACT outcomes, including higher scores in English, Reading, Science, and Math. In Boston Public Schools, debate participation was associated with a 12-percentage-point increase in high school graduation and a 12-percentage-point increase in post-secondary enrollment. In Houston, debate participation was associated with a 0.66-point higher GPA, about 52 points higher SAT Math, and about 57 points higher SAT Reading/Writing after accounting for selection effects.
Colleges of all sorts (public and private, liberal arts and universities) offer substantial scholarships for successful public speakers who want to continue with competitions at the undergraduate level.
A study in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education found that students participating in a mock trial exercise scored 22% higher on a critical thinking test than a comparison group.
Regardless of your academic aspirations, Stanford confirms that the oral and written communication skills you develop through competitive public speaking help you excel. You become a better listener, note-taker, writer, speaker, and critical thinker.
And it’s hugely important for careers.
As journalist Erik Palmer explains: "there's no shortage of brilliant people with brilliant ideas but a serious shortage of people who can verbally communicate those ideas." Artificial intelligence is threatening many white collar careers and oral communication experts are in short supply and high demand.
Research by David Deming shows that the labor market increasingly rewards social skills. The student who learns to think clearly, collaborate well, and communicate persuasively is building a competitive advantage.
Some public speaking programs prepare students for specialized careers. For example, the St. John's Law Review finds that mock trial experience gives huge advantages to prospective lawyers. Once they get to law school, mock trial competitors feel more confident, have a better understanding of legal terminology, have more academic success in substantive courses, and are more proficient in litigation practices compared to their inexperienced peers.
Overall, the Martin Prosperity Research institute concludes that a combination of analytical and social skills create the largest positive lifetime impact on wages. Invest in activities that build these skills at a young age and you'll reap the rewards.