Tower Scholars

Students currently enrolled at SMU may apply to become a Highland Capital Management (HCM) Tower Scholar via the competitive admissions requirements out-lined below. Interested students with a GPA of 3.300 or higher may apply in the spring of their first year of enrollment at SMU. Note: To be considered for admission, students must agree to complete the prerequisites/corequisites for the minor in public policy and international affairs.

The selection process for choosing HCM Tower Scholars will be based on merit and determined by the application and interview process. Applicants must submit the following four items:

1. Transcript(s) of all college/university coursework.
2. An online application with basic information, including areas of study, awards, interests and activities.
3. An 800–1,000 word essay.
4. Two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from an SMU faculty member.

The applicant pool will be evaluated using a variety of relevant criteria, including, but not limited to, the following: the relevance of the minor in public policy and international affairs to a student’s career goals; a strong academic record; a strong extracurricular record with demonstrated interest in community and/or public service; demonstrated leadership and a sense of social responsibility; and excellent written and oral communication skills. The selection committee will recruit students from a variety of majors and schools and will consider diversity, broadly defined. Once the applicant pool has been evaluated, a select number will be invited to the final stage of the application process, which is an interview with the Minor in Public Policy and International Affairs Selection Committee. In addition to all of the criteria listed above, the selection committee will seek to evaluate the verbal communication skills of each candidate and will expect candidates to be able to express why becoming an HCM Tower Scholar and being accepted into the Public Policy and International Affairs Minor  would be meaningful given their specific career goals.