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Leads Program

Emory LEADs Experience

A top priority for Emory University is our commitment to access, equity, and inclusion for all students. Emory’s Office of Undergraduate Admission is dedicated to creating a diverse pool of applicants from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and intellectual perspectives. We strive to shape an applicant pool that represents the breathtaking diversity of our world to create a community where students aren’t just existing, but one in with which students engage and intentionally learn from one another.

Introducing our emory leads experience

The Emory Leadership, Enrichment, Advocacy, and Discovery (LEADs) Experience offers resources to support high school seniors as they begin the college application process and explore their leadership potential beyond the classroom. LEADs also includes an in-person Leadership Retreat in late September. LEADs is designed to support the recruitment of talented, high-achieving high school seniors who are either first-generation college students and/or from a rural or lower socioeconomic background, and/or students who do not have the means to visit campus.

Our Purpose

The goal is to motivate students to learn more about themselves, develop their leadership potential, and further solidify their confidence, so that they can navigate the college application process feeling emboldened in the power of knowledge and the informed choices they make.

Through LEADs, you as students will gain a clearer understanding of how to pursue leadership, enrichment, advocacy, and discovery opportunities in college as well as the steps and timeline associated with how to stand out in the college application process, including how to:

  • Determine the characteristics of colleges and universities most important to you
  • Understand your strengths and weaknesses to find colleges and universities that best fit your long-term aspirations
  • Complete the college application in a way that showcases your authentic narrative and lived experiences
  • Explore academic interests as a way to broaden your potential career paths

Our Takeaways

All Emory LEADs Experience students will receive access to:

  • Four (4) LEADs College Admission Guidebooks and One (1) Key Resources Brochure, in both English & Spanish (Available by Late Summer)
  • The Emory LEADs Experience Live Discussion Board
  • Engagement opportunities with current student leaders, including via Welcome to College
  • Dedicated Admission Staff to support you in this process
  • Five (5) monthly newsletters, beginning in August

Our Timeline of Events

  1. May 21

    The Emory LEADs Experience Application opens.

  2. May 29

    The virtual Emory LEADs Experience Interest Session for counselors, educators, and CBOs is held at 2pm Eastern.

  3. May 29

    The virtual Emory LEADs Experience Interest Session for all interested students and families is held at 8pm Eastern.

  4. August 1

    The Emory LEADs Experience Application closes at 11:59pm Eastern.

  5. By Mid-August

    Students receive the first LEADs Newsletter.

  6. August 21

    The virtual Emory LEADs Experience Welcome Session, open to all applicants, is held at 7:30pm Eastern.

  7. By September 8

    Students are notified if they have been selected to attend the in-person Leadership Retreat.

  8. By Mid-September

    Students receive the second LEADs Newsletter.

  9. September 25-27

    The Emory LEADs Experience continues with our three-day, overnight Leadership Retreat for a limited number of select students to explore campus in the fall.

  10. Early October

    Students receive the third LEADs Newsletter.

  11. October 16

    The virtual College Admission & Financial Aid Q&A Session, open to all applicants, is held at 7:30pm Eastern.

  12. By Mid-November

    Students receive the fourth LEADs Newsletter.

  13. By November 15

    The deadline for students interested in applying for ourEmory Merit Scholarships.

  14. December 4

    The Emory LEADs Experience Concluding Session, open to all applicants, is held at 7pm Eastern.

  15. By Mid-December

    Students receive the fourth and final LEADs Newsletter.

Our Audience

Any high school senior interested in learning more about Emory University and the college application process can participate. However, our programming is designed to support the recruitment of talented, high-achieving high school seniors who are either first-generation college students and/or from a rural or lower socioeconomic background, and/or students who do not have the means to visit campus.

If you are interested in participating, complete the LEADs Application.

Participation in LEADs, or lack there-of, has no impact on your admission decision or scholarship opportunities at Emory University.

Emory University does not track demonstrated interest or factor it into an applicant’s decision. We believe this helps us to admit students based on who they really are.

If you have any questions, please contact Associate Dean, Lupe Alfonso, at lupe.alfonso@emory.edu.

LEADs Application