Business Leadership Program Application

Thank you for your interest in the Business Leadership Program. By applying you are also providing permission to the selection committee to review all academically relevant information submitted on your KU applications. Please note all eligibility requirements below, and if you have further questions, contact BLP Director Jennifer Harrison at JTKharrison@ku.edu.

The Business Leadership Program enrollment is highly competitive — approximately 30 students will enter the program. Decisions will be based on the materials included in your online application and on your KU application. You are eligible to apply if you meet the following conditions:

You are a high school senior directly admitted to the School of Business, and
You indicate one of the eight business majors on your application to KU to be considered, and
Either:
- Your high school GPA is 3.8 or higher (test-optional path), or
- Your high school GPA is between 3.5 and 3.79 and either your ACT Superscore is 28 or higher (or your SAT Evidence-Based Reading/Writing and Math score is 1310 or higher)
- We accept weighted or unweighted GPA, whichever is most favorable for the student.

Please note that you must complete and submit this BLP application to be considered. Application for BLP is a process separate from application to the University, School, or Honors Program. The application deadline is December 1, 2024.

Student Information

First Name

Middle Initial

Last Name

Mailing Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

Email Address

Birthdate

Mobile Phone

Academic Information

High School GPA

Have you taken the ACT or SAT? (check all that apply)

ACT

SAT

ACT score

SAT score

Application Agreement

The purpose of this application is to provide information to the application committee to determine whether you would be a good fit for the Business Leadership Program. It is critical that the information you submit is truthful and created solely by each applicant. Do you affirm that the responses submitted are solely the creation of you, the applicant, without assistance from parents, friends, or artificial intelligence tools (e.g., chatbot)? If so, please type below: “I, [type your full name] certify that the work I will submit on this application was created entirely and solely by me.”

Short Essay #1

List no more than five items (clubs and organizations, work experience, community service, awards and recognition, extracurricular interests, personal or family obligations, etc.) in descending order of significance (list the most significant item first). For each item, explain your role, time commitment (both amount of time you devote to the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved), and responsibilities. Be sure to note ways in which you exercised leadership skills in your activities. For example:

1. Debate, team member, approximately. 5 hours per week, each fall from 2020-2023. My debate partner and I prepared for and participated in policy debates each season. I prepared by thoroughly researching the topic, creating a case, drafting arguments, and practicing speech skills. I participated in four tournaments each year, twice placing in the top ten for the tournament. Through debate, I learned….

2. Student Council, Secretary, approx. 2 hours per week, fall 2022-spring 2023. I was elected Secretary of Student Council. In this role, I kept minutes at our meeting and served on committees helping to plan school assemblies. We put on three assemblies during the year. I recruited a speaker from the community to present at the assembly. Through my work in student council, I impacted the community by….

3. Java House, barista, approx. 20 hours per week, summer 2023. As a barista, I took customers’ orders and made coffee drinks to customers’ specifications. Working at Java House taught me that… I led by…

(500 word maximum)

Short Essay #2

How have your experiences affected your sense of who you are and what you hope to accomplish in college? There are no wrong answers. (400 word maximum)

Short Essay #3

Business Leadership Program students make the most of available opportunities to develop intellectually and lead others. Based on course availability at your school, how did you select the classes you took? (400 word maximum)

Short Essay #4

The BLP seeks to challenge KU’s most talented, ambitious first-year business students with experiential learning opportunities such as a multi-week team-based case competition, mock interviews, leader interviews, and a year-long group project. These experiences are meant to help students to think broadly and strategically, define their leadership style, exercise their learned skills. We aim to help these talented students become leaders on campus who are equipped to lead their future communities and workplaces, and to help solve problems that will face business and society in the coming decades. As a young professional, what kinds of problems do you hope to solve? Why do those problems motivate you? (300 word maximum)

Short Essay #5

There are many different and challenging academic and professional paths available to university students. Why do you want to study business or a particular business discipline? (300 word maximum)

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