Basic Criteria: Are competently written; are fully developed; avoid clichés; demonstrate an interest in and understanding of teaching processes.

Competitive Criteria: Demonstrate excellent, mature writing skills; the presence of a voice and personal writing style; critical thinking; ownership of the ideas presented; self-awareness; genuine interest in and connection to teaching processes.

Basic Criteria: Are competently written; are fully developed; avoid clichés; demonstrate an interest in and understanding of teaching processes.

Competitive Criteria: Demonstrate excellent, mature writing skills; the presence of a voice and personal writing style; critical thinking; ownership of the ideas presented; self-awareness; genuine interest in and connection to teaching processes.

Leadership Project Essay

Basic Criteria: Demonstrates ability to identify a genuine, local educational need and respond to it with a self-initiated project.

Competitive Criteria: Demonstrates creative problem solving in identifying significant need to fill; proposal is well organized, practical and fills the need identified; proposed plan of action reveals sensitivity and understanding of the population to be served; reveals grasp of the self's roll in working with others and seeing project through to fruition.

Academic Record

Basic Criteria: Strong transcript; strong test scores, if available.

Competitive Criteria: Consistent, excellent grades across transcript; high test scores, if available; evidence of availing most challenging courses available. Attendance record is evidence of commitment to a demanding schedule.

Extracurriculars Resume

Basic Criteria: Reveals some leadership and an above average level of energy for becoming involved in activities outside of the classroom.

Competitive Criteria: Reveals leadership, a high level of energy; initiative to create or seek out special activities or opportunities; a trend toward service and educational activities.

Teacher/Counselor References

Basic Criteria: Rate candidate above average or excellent in most categories. Are general positive.

Competitive Criteria: Rate candidate highly across categories. provide specific evidence of intellectual curiosity, analytical ability, ability to work with others, strong communication skills, initiative, independence, and interest in educational processes.