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Summer Principals Academy NYC
Teachers College, Columbia University

in New York City

Admissions > Application Requirements and Procedures

Application Requirements and Procedures



Candidate Profile
  • Possess a vision of learning that promotes the success of all students;
  • Demonstrates the ability to set goals and establish benchmarks to assess progress;
  • Acts consistently with integrity and fairness to ensure that all stakeholders are treated respectfully;
  • Demonstrates a belief that all stakeholders play a critical role in facilitating student achievement;
  • Possesses the ability to thrive in high-pressure environments;
  • Applies creativity, passion, and endurance to adaptive challenges;
  • Possesses self-reflective competencies, and eagerly pursues opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Admissions Criteria
    • Three years of full-time paid teaching experience;
    • Current position in a public school  setting;                                                                                                                       Please Note: The Summer Principals Academy cannot place non-employed educators in Administrative Internships.  If you are currently teaching, it is your responsibility to find a sponsoring school where you will perform the Administrative Internship during the intervening academic year.
    • Commitment to serving as a leader in a public school setting;
    • Demonstrated track record of success as an urban school educator;
    • Minimum of one year of leadership experience (may include formal and informal roles);
    • Institutional Endorsement Form
    During the intervening school year, students are required to complete a 450- hour field-based internship performed where you are presently teaching - the sponsoring school.  We view your local school system as an important partner in the development of your leadership skills and we look forward to working with them in nurturing the growth of your leadership abilities. As such this will require the appropriate institutional endorsements, which informs us that your school has agreed to serve as the site for the Administrative Internship.  The Institutional Endorsement Form needs to be signed and returned to the Office of Admissions in order for your application to be considered complete.

    Application Materials
    • An Online Application: Please be reminded that the code for the Summer Principals Academy is ELBL
    • A Professional Resume
    • Official copies of all undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) transcripts
    • Two professional letters of recommendation
    • A thoughtful personal statement that addresses the following: (1) Please describe any formal or informal leadership experiences you have held, and what you have learned from these positions, and (2) Why do you believe SPA could be an appropriate program for furthering your leadership skills?
    • Please inform us if you are one of the following: (1) a TC alumni, (2) a Teach for America alumni, (3) a New York City Teaching Fellow
    • Please Note: The GRE is not required for admission to SPA

      Pathways to the Degree

      The Summer Principals Academy offers students two pathways to the Master's Degree in Education Leadership.    Admitted students who enter the program with a minimum of 24 credits of previously earned graduate coursework pursue the 60-credit Master of Education.  The Master of Arts pathway is designed for admitted students who do not possess 24 previously earned graduate credits at the time of matriculation.  Please be certain to indicate, based on previously acquired graduate coursework, the degree program to which you are applying.     

      Application Review Process

      All applications for admission to the Summer Principals Academy are reviewed by a team of administrators and faculty.  Candidates who successfully pass the document review are invited to join the admissions team for a Skype interview.  After a careful review of the candidates' application materials and interview, the admissions team conducts a holistic assessment and makes a recommendation to the Office of Admissions. 

      Submission of Application Materials

      In addition to submitting the aforementioned materials to the Office of Admissions at Teachers College, please download a PDF copy of your application and email the document along with your resume and personal statement to Nicole Limperopulos at Limperopulos@gmail.com.  Instructions for downloading your application as a PDF file can be found here.   

      Application Deadlines

      The application window for the 2013 Summer Principals Academy Cohort has closed. Applications for the 2014 Cohort will be available online in the early fall of 2014 at which point exact deadlines will be posted. 

      FAFSA

      Once your application for admission has been submitted to Teachers College, please be certain to complete both the 2013 – 2014 and 2014 – 2015 FAFSA applications.  The institutional code for Teachers College is G03979.  Please be certain to select Teachers College; do not select Columbia University.