What we look for in an undergraduate application

We get this question every fall: “OK, but what are you really looking for in a successful Bachelor of Arts applicant?” The short, largely unsatisfying answer is that it really depends! We’ll tell you what we mean by this, but first, let’s get a few common misconceptions out of the way.

There is no “typical” applicant

Students at the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy have wide and varied interests reflecting their backgrounds, aspirations, experiences and the world around them. Whether you are interested in law, national security and defense, international development, public service, climate, education, poverty, or you just don’t know yet, UVA Batten’s charge is to help you refine those interests, build strengths and work towards your professional goals, whatever they may be. The single thing that unites all Batten students is their commitment to becoming purpose-driven, effective leaders poised to create meaningful change.

There are no GPA cutoffs

Your GPA is just one data point in our holistic review of your application. We understand that there are peaks and valleys in your academic journey, and we’ll look at your transcript to see performance in prerequisites and related courses, and hopefully, growth over time.

There are no must-take classes – except for the prerequisites – and no prescribed activities

We want to get to know you through the things that you choose to engage in, whatever they may be. Aside from taking prerequisite courses to build foundational knowledge and prepare for success in the curriculum, we want you to make the most of your time at UVA, make progress towards general education requirements and take classes that seem interesting. Your first two years are your time to explore, so try something new!

Similarly, you should participate in activities that interest you – they don’t have to be policy-related. Extracurriculars, research, internships and employment are your chance to engage meaningfully in your community, develop your authentic voice and build leadership skills, all critical steps towards personal and professional development.

So, what are we looking for in an applicant?

Our goal is to build a cohort of impact-driven, service-minded, ethical problem solvers. We will look at the different elements of your application for evidence of the following:

• Leadership – think about leadership broadly, to assess the formal and informal ways that you are a leader. How do you lead in your daily life? What leadership skills do you possess, and how do you practice them?
• Professional vision and motivation to study policy – tell us why you want to join UVA Batten and what you hope to go on to do next. Your motivation should be very clear, even if you do not yet have perfectly articulated policy interests or professional clarity – don’t worry, you will by the end of your time at Batten!
• Work experience and community engagement – this can include paid and unpaid roles, internships, jobs, research, extracurriculars, athletics, community service…you name it. Generally, as you move through your time at UVA, depth is more important than breadth – think about focusing your effort through sustained participation in the things that you are most passionate about.
• Overall academic performance – we want to see evidence of you challenging and pushing yourself, even if there are missteps along the way. And have no fear, if there are missteps, you’ll be able to provide that extra context in the application!

Finally, we recognize everyone has unique backgrounds, experiences, and strengths, and we really want to get to know what those are through the application process. A balance of factors will ultimately determine your admissions decision, so be confident about what you’re bringing to the table!

If you have any questions about our BA program, you can make an appointment with the Admissions Team or email us at BattenAdmissions@virginia.edu.