LEADS is a free, nonresidential summer program that gives students entering their senior year of high school the experience of taking a college-credit course.
What is LEADS?
LEADS stands for Learn, Explore, Advance, Discover, and Succeed. As a LEADS participant, you will:
- Learn in a college-credit course at Penn State Behrend, studying alongside college students and interacting with professors and other professionals.
- Explore potential future careers through virtual field trips, workshops, and lectures from local businesses and organizations.
- Advance your college career while still in high school. And, if you do well in your LEADS course and decide to apply to Penn State Behrend, you’ll be assured of first-year admission to Behrend once you’ve graduated from high school and completed the Penn State application process.
- Discover life as a college student, including access to the library, computer systems, learning resources, and campus facilities.
- Succeed in your path to becoming a college student, thanks to classroom experiences, career exploration opportunities, and college prep workshops.
Who may benefit from LEADS?
LEADS is designed for high school juniors with a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher who meet at least one of the following:
- The first in their family to attend college
- Come from backgrounds or experiences that are not always well represented in college
- Have financial need (for example, eligible for an SAT or ACT fee waiver)
Applications will be reviewed with an emphasis placed on the strength of the students’ high school course schedule, cumulative high school grade-point average, essay, and counselor recommendation.
LEADS Program Details
The LEADS program is free for participants. There are no tuition fees for LEADS students, and participants will receive any necessary textbooks, parking permits, and bus passes.
If you are accepted into the LEADS program and would like to take a math course, you will be scheduled for a placement assessment to determine appropriate course placement based on your math skills.
All participants will take part in an academic advising and course registration program held prior to the start of classes.
Courses will be scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Depending on the class, it might meet two, three, four, or five days a week. In addition to class time, participants are required to participate in in-person activities Wednesdays from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. Additional optional programming will be offered throughout the week.
Ready to learn more?
Contact the Office of Admissions at 814-898-6100 or [email protected].
Next Step: PaSSS and Excelerate
LEADS participants planning to attend Penn State Behrend might want to consider the Pathway to Success: Summer Start (PaSSS) and Excelerate program in the following summer. PaSSS and Excelerate is a six-week program available to select first-year students that offers tools and resources to increase the likelihood that participants will not only earn a Penn State degree, but also will do so in four years or fewer, potentially saving their families thousands of dollars in tuition and fees.