Admissions Criteria

The Leadership Program — open to entering SPA students and those with a second major in SPA — maintains very high standards and admission is competitive. The Program seeks students who have a demonstrated passion for leadership, a passion for social change, and a commitment to public service. We look for students who will bring strong academic abilities, creativity, initiative, enthusiasm, dedication and follow-through to their work. Thus the Leadership Program seeks students who have, perhaps through their work in their schools, civic or religious organizations, families, or sports, demonstrated a strong:

• Capacity for leadership;
• Dedication to learning more about leadership; and
• Ability to work well with others, which requires a true appreciation for new ideas and new people, a willingness to genuinely listen to others, a dedication to effective communication, and an ability to follow through with commitments.

The Leadership Program seeks students who will contribute to a diversity of leadership styles, personality types, experiential backgrounds, and political predilections because the Program believes that in such an environment effective leadership is best developed.

These qualities are evaluated through an application which requires the student to submit:

• 3 short, but compelling, essays
• 1 resume
• 1 online recommendation

Additionally, we will consider the applicant’s high school transcript that has already been included with the student’s application to AU; applicants need not submit another copy of their transcript. However, academic achievement is just one factor in the selection process. While many Leadership students excel academically, others excel in other ways.