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    Leadership Development Pre-College Program
    In-person Program

    Leadership Development Pre-College Program

    by Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Programs

    Build practical leadership skills through faculty mentoring, company visits, team challenges, and a personal leadership project at Carnegie Mellon.

    Last verified: 5 Oct 2026Reviewed by:BSBen Stacy

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    Leadership Development Pre-College Program at a glance: cost, dates and eligibility

    Current status

    Applications open

    Eligibility

    Current high school sophomores or juniors

    Age range / Year group

    Ages 16+

    Location / Region

    Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States

    Cost

    $7,574; $9,926

    Duration

    5 weeks

    Format

    In-person

    Application deadline

    1 March 2027

    Save deadline
    EthicsSocial Sciences
    Accommodation: Campus dorms; commuter option
    Meals: Campus dining plan
    Certificate / Outcome: Certificate of Completion
    Campus experience: Company visits and peer activities
    Tutors / faculty: CMU faculty; one-on-one mentoring

    Leadership Development Pre-College Program summary

    Carnegie Mellon's program develops leadership through practice, combining self-reflection with faculty-led discussions, team challenges, and company visits.

    Students create a personal leadership project, deliver presentations, and tackle a capstone involving crisis simulations and strategic pitches.

    It suits students who want to improve communication and teamwork while testing how they respond to unfamiliar situations.

    What is Leadership Development Pre-College Program?

    Carnegie Mellon's Leadership Development Pre-College Program explores how people lead themselves and others. Its academic focus is social, emotional, and behavioral skills, including integrity, empathy, communication, teamwork, and ethical decision-making.

    Students combine faculty-led discussions and self-reflection with case studies, company visits, and practical team challenges. The experience builds toward a personal leadership project and a capstone where students develop strategic pitches and present solutions to judges.

    Why Succeed highlights Leadership Development Pre-College Program

    • One-on-one CMU faculty mentoring gives students individual support alongside group learning.

    • Company visits connect classroom leadership concepts with professional practice.

    • The curriculum progresses from self-discovery to relationships, applied projects, and capstone challenges.

    • A personal development plan and presentation work make students' growth concrete.

    Who is Leadership Development Pre-College Program for?

    Best for

    Students who want to practice leadership through teamwork, reflection, public speaking, and unfamiliar challenges.

    Not ideal if

    You primarily want college credit or prefer learning without active group participation and presentations.

    Is Leadership Development Pre-College Program worth it?

    The strongest value is repeated practice in communicating, collaborating, and responding to pressure. Faculty mentoring, industry visits, and a personal leadership project offer several ways to connect those skills to a student's own goals.

    Families should judge the experience by its teaching and personal development benefits. It awards no college credit, and Carnegie Mellon states that Pre-College admission has no influence on undergraduate admission.

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    Cost and what is included

    $7,574; $9,926; includes College-level classes taught by CMU faculty., Campus housing for residential students., Campus dining services., CMU ID Card with an Arts Pass., Free Pittsburgh Regional Transit access..

    Accommodation

    Campus dorms; commuter option

    Meals

    Campus dining plan

    Provider details

    Review the Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Programs provider page and official sources before making a final decision.

    Dates and logistics

    5 weeks; Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.

    What to check before committing

    Confirm current dates, payment terms, travel arrangements, cancellation rules and what is included with the provider.

    Compare this program with similar options before deciding on dates, cost, format and fit.

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    How much preparation does Leadership Development Pre-College Program need?

    Effort level

    High participation and moderate application preparation.

    Best started

    Begin six to eight weeks before your applicable application deadline.

    Main challenge

    Reflecting honestly on your experiences and presenting confidently.

    Typical preparation

    • Request your recommendation early so it arrives with your completed application.

    • Draft each 300–500-word essay using specific experiences and your own voice.

    • Gather your unofficial transcript and any required financial or English proficiency documentation.

    • International families should confirm immigration arrangements before planning travel.

    Useful if

    You want a structured way to strengthen teamwork and communication.

    What do students do on Leadership Development Pre-College Program?

    Students move from understanding their own leadership strengths to practicing leadership with others. Reflection, interactive challenges, professional visits, and presentations connect each stage of the curriculum.

    Step-by-step process

    1. 1

      Explore your strengths, values, and goals through self-assessment and guided reflection.

    2. 2

      Practice time management, public speaking, active listening, and feedback.

    3. 3

      Develop teamwork, conflict navigation, and networking through simulations and group challenges.

    4. 4

      Present your leadership development project and reflect on your growth.

    5. 5

      Tackle capstone case competitions, crisis simulations, and strategic pitches.

    Leadership Development Pre-College Program dates and deadlines

    Application deadline

    1 March 2027

    Basic application route; 11:59 p.m. EST.

    Upcoming
    Save deadline

    Programme dates

    26 June-31 July 2027

    Upcoming

    Scholarship decisions

    1 April 2027

    Scholarship decisions are released together.

    Upcoming

    International move-in

    25 June 2027

    Arrival between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

    Upcoming

    Orientation day

    27 June 2027

    Campus orientation and peer introductions.

    Upcoming

    First classes

    28 June 2027

    Instruction begins.

    Upcoming

    Final classes

    30 July 2027

    Final instructional day for five-week programs.

    Upcoming

    Eligibility and requirements

    • Be at least 16 by the program start.

    • Be a current high school sophomore or junior when applying.

    • Show a genuine desire to develop as a leader.

    • Participate actively and embrace unfamiliar challenges.

    • Demonstrate respect, positivity, and willingness to collaborate.

    • International students must attend in person with appropriate immigration status.

    • Commuters must meet the local permanent-residence requirement.

    • Submit English proficiency results when required.

    How much does Leadership Development Pre-College Program cost?

    Application fee

    $75 — Non-refundable; waived for qualifying scholarship applications.

    Funding or discounts

    • Enrollment deposit: $800 — Non-refundable; credited toward the program fee.
    • Need-based scholarship: Tuition, housing, and dining — Financial need required; U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
    • Scholarship recipient deposit: $100 — Available for campus spending through the CMU ID Card.

    What's included

    College-level classes taught by CMU faculty., Campus housing for residential students., Campus dining services., CMU ID Card with an Arts Pass., Free Pittsburgh Regional Transit access.

    How to apply to Leadership Development Pre-College Program

    1. 1

      Complete the official Pre-College application and select Leadership Development in your preferences.

    2. 2

      Upload your most recent unofficial transcript and optional standardized test scores.

    3. 3

      Enter your recommender's email so they can submit the required letter online.

    4. 4

      Upload three original 300–500-word essay responses as PDF or Word files.

    5. 5

      Request scholarship consideration and upload financial documentation if applicable.

    6. 6

      Provide official English proficiency scores when required.

    7. 7

      After admission, submit the enrollment reply form and applicable deposit within seven days.

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    What does Leadership Development Pre-College Program cover?

    The program covers the following focus areas.

    Week 1: Self-Discovery

    Explore leadership, SEB skills, personal strengths, values, and SMART goals.

    Week 2: Self-Leadership

    Practice self-discipline, time management, public speaking, active listening, and feedback.

    Week 3: Relational Leadership

    Build teamwork, conflict navigation, relationship-building, and networking skills through group challenges.

    Week 4: Leadership in Action

    Reflect on your growth and present your leadership development project.

    Week 5: Leadership Capstone

    Tackle case competitions, crisis simulations, strategic pitch decks, and presentations to judges.

    Curriculum may be adjusted based on participant interests and current developments.

    Who teaches on Leadership Development Pre-College Program?

    Program Director Rubab Jafry O’Connor is a Distinguished Service Professor of Management at Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business. Students take part in faculty-led discussions, hear from industry experts, and receive one-on-one mentoring from CMU faculty.

    Where do students stay on Leadership Development Pre-College Program?

    Residential plan

    • Campus dorms: Residential students stay in assigned Carnegie Mellon campus dorms.
    • Campus dining: The dining plan covers most meals and offers vegan, vegetarian, kosher, and Halal options.
    • Parent-verified absences: Overnight departures and private-vehicle travel require advance requests and parent or guardian verification.
    • Residential curfew: Students may not enter or exit residential buildings during curfew hours.

    Non-residential plan

    • Local commuter option: Students and their parent or guardian must live within approximately 30 miles of campus or within Allegheny County.

    What happens after Leadership Development Pre-College Program?

    After completing this program, participants often pursue:

    Receive a Certificate of Completion.

    Create a personalized leadership development plan.

    Complete an individual leadership project and presentations.

    Build connections with peers and mentors.

    Apply leadership skills in school, community, and future professional settings.

    The program awards no college credit or transcript.

    Where does Leadership Development Pre-College Program take place?

    The program takes place at Carnegie Mellon University's Pittsburgh campus, with company visits across the city. Students traveling alone can use the university's free airport shuttle on the designated arrival days after selecting a shuttle through their Travel Plans form.

    Leadership Development Pre-College Program FAQs

    SEB means social, emotional, and behavioral skills. The program develops qualities such as communication, teamwork, confidence, integrity, and emotional intelligence.

    No college credit or transcript is awarded. Students receive a Certificate of Completion.

    Students develop a personalized leadership development plan and an individual project. They give TED Talk-style presentations and create strategic pitch decks during the capstone.

    Yes. The student and parent or guardian must have a permanent residence within approximately 30 miles of the Pittsburgh campus or within Allegheny County.

    A very limited number of need-based scholarships cover tuition, housing, and dining. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and provide financial documentation.

    Yes, if they can attend in person with an appropriate immigration status. Carnegie Mellon does not issue I-20 documents for Leadership Development, and remote attendance is not permitted.

    Students need their own computer, notebooks, and stationery such as pens and pencils.

    Carnegie Mellon states that admission to its Pre-College Programs has no influence on a student's undergraduate application to the university.

    Alternatives to Leadership Development Pre-College Program

    Compare these programs if you want leadership learning connected to broader social questions, sports, or business.

    Alternatives to Leadership Development Pre-College Program

    Leadership Summer Course

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    Social Sciences
    Deadline: Not announced
    From £5495
    13-24
    Oxford
    In-person

    Best for

    Students comparing leadership-focused summer study

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    Ben Stacy

    Content reviewed by

    Ben Stacy

    Co-founder, Succeed | Former secondary teacher and educational leader

    Ben works at the intersection of education, technology and school adoption, with expertise in how secondary schools evaluate data-driven tools and how education technology is used in practice.

    View author page

    Sources & verification

    Source types reviewed

    • Pre-College Programs Application
    • Absence from Campus Request - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University
    • International Applicants - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University
    • Admitted Students - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University
    • Admission - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University
    • Cost and Scholarships - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University
    • Arrival - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University
    • Discover Sessions - Presentations and Q&As - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University
    • Leadership Development - Pre-College Programs - Carnegie Mellon University

    Succeed uses official provider information where available, but keeps this public page focused on comparison and planning inside Succeed.

    What we verified (on 5 Oct 2026)

    • Program dates checked

    • Application deadlines checked

    • Eligibility requirements reviewed

    • Scholarship conditions reviewed

    • Fee cycle distinguished

    • International restrictions reviewed

    • Certificate terms checked

    How Succeed uses this information

    We use source material to verify core facts, then show older cycle dates as reference when a current cycle is not available. Always check current application instructions before applying.