It is hard to believe the 2023-2024 academic year is over! As Grounds quiets down before the upcoming celebration of the amazing Class of 2024 BA and MPP graduates, we are looking forward to a break before welcoming future classes of students to Batten this fall.  

Last year marked a whirlwind of events, including the annual Fall Frank-a-Palooza, monthly Chattin' with Batten events and information sessions, application workshops led by Batten CIOs, our inaugural Meet the Dean Event (a collaborative effort with the Second-Year Council), and so much more! Throughout the year we enjoyed getting to know prospective Batten students while learning more about their passion for policy and leadership at events across Grounds like OAAA’s Black Friday, the UVA Majors Fair, one-on-one advising sessions, Food and Foresight Friday at the MSC, and class visits, or from reading student’s Batten applications. Weekly Batten Hours provided a space for the public to experience the Batten Community, where speakers ranged from members of Congress, to President Biden’s Deputy Director of Platforms, to former CIA Operatives.  

This spring, Batten proudly admitted its inaugural cohort of Bridge to Batten (B2B) graduates into the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Policy, while welcoming a second cohort of B2B scholars into the classroom. Tailored to support academically promising First Year UVA students with high economic need, this initiative aims to cultivate a cadre of leaders primed to effectuate meaningful change within their communities and the world at large. You can read more about the Spring 2024 cohort’s experience here. 

As the semester ends and we look towards the summer, the Admissions team leaves you with advice about what to do now to prepare for next year’s application cycle. 

First and foremost, make sure you are making progress on program prerequisites. If you are considering our Public Policy and Leadership major or minor, be sure to enroll in social psychology (PSYC 2600 or LPPL 2600), microeconomics (ECON 2010), and for those applying to the major, Introduction to Public Policy (LPPP 2200). Students thinking about the Social Entrepreneurship Minor should enroll in ENTP 1010: Startups. And those interested in the Accelerated MPP should take microeconomics (ECON 2010) and a calculus-based math course.  

You must earn a C or higher in each of the prerequisites before beginning your program, so courses may be taken during the semester you apply or even over the summer. However, keep in mind that your performance in prerequisite courses is an important data point in our evaluation, so if you haven’t completed the course by the time of application be sure to amplify other dimensions of your candidacy to fill the gap! For example, you could consider signing up for one of Batten’s electives with open seats to show your performance in our coursework if you are not able to enroll in LPPP 2200. If you are interested in the Accelerated MPP and intend to fulfill any of the prerequisites with transfer or test credit, consider signing up for a statistics course this fall to demonstrate your quantitative proficiency at the collegiate level! 

Second, connect with the Career Center! There are a number of wonderful career counselors, including in the Public Service and Government Community, who are experts on the many paths UVA students take to enter policy careers. If you are still seeking a summer opportunity or want to use the summer to get ahead, consider making a virtual appointment with their office! Outside of their expertise on various industry areas and ways you can get started, they are also authorities on resumes, one of the main components of the Batten application, and can review yours and give you helpful feedback in the fall. 

Third, reflect on what motivates you and find new ways to get involved! As you look back at the academic year, consider the things that resonated with you and find ways to seek out even more opportunities to make an impact in Charlottesville and points beyond! The fall will be a great time to join a new committee in your student organization or start something new, so take some time this summer to reflect on how you can deepen the practice of your leadership skills and passions! Whether you opt to join one of UVA’s many CIO’s, volunteer through Madison House or another local organization, or participate in UVA’s intramural or club sports, you should seek out those things that make you, you. We look for quality engagement, not quantity, so find ways to deepen your connections on Grounds and in your community. 

Finally, begin to think about recommendations! If you already have someone in mind for your application, continue to foster that relationship. However, if you are still deciding on your recommenders, take the initiative to get to know your professors and TAs this fall – attend office hours, ask questions, and be an active classroom contributor. You should consider reviewing our post about the recommendation form to seek out individuals that can help answer those questions for us. For the application, you’ll need at least one academic reference and one reference highlighting something else that makes you special. Get on the radar of those potential recommenders early so they can really get to know you and provide a substantive, glowing recommendation in a timely fashion! 

We hope you take some time this summer to celebrate the successes of this academic year, recharge, and relax for 2024-2025! While we will not be hosting Open Office Hours over the summer, you are always welcome to make a virtual appointment or reach out to BattenAdmissions@virginia.edu with any questions. We look forward to seeing you this fall with a full slate of Admissions activities, including information sessions, application workshops, and opportunities to meet with our Batten Ambassadors.