Reflection Questions Before Applying

Not everyone with an interest in Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) is ready to apply during the current application cycle.

While many who attend our online or in-person information sessions do apply to join the next cohort, a significant number plan to apply in the future. If this is the case for you, please consider your answers to the reflection questions we’ve included at the bottom of each section below. 

Timing Options

To apply for admission to the 2027 cohort, applicants must have earned, in January 2020 or later, a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an international college or university of recognized standing. This seven-year eligibility window offers flexibility when it comes to your application process. Additionally, for applicants who served in the military, we extend the eligibility window by two years (to January 2018) in acknowledgement of your service commitments.

Reflection Question: When is the right time for you to apply? Are there other experiences that you want to pursue before going to graduate school? 

Selecting a Graduate Program

Knight-Hennessy Scholars is not a degree-granting program and cannot admit you directly to Stanford. We provide leadership training that complements your graduate education. For most, our application process is concurrent with your graduate school application process. Only those who apply and are admitted to an eligible Stanford graduate program can be Knight-Hennessy scholars.

Not all graduate programs are eligible for Knight-Hennessy Scholars, and each graduate program has its own requirements. 

Reflection Question: Which programs and degrees at Stanford are most interesting to you? Do you feel you know enough about those program(s) and degrees? 

Reflect on Your Leadership Experiences

In his book Leading Matters, John L. Hennessy, KHS co-founder and Shriram Family Director, asks his readers to “identify the virtues you admire, strive to embody them, and be humble about the journey.” We believe that everyone benefits from this advice. 

Make time to reflect on your academic, professional, and personal journey and consider what you’ve learned along the way. Spending time thinking about your experiences before you apply to KHS will enable you to more fully articulate how you align with our values and selection criteria when completing your KHS application. 

Reflection Question: How do your actions and accomplishments align with specific traits in the KHS Leadership Model? 

Where Are You in Your Leadership Journey?

At Knight-Hennessy Scholars we have a clearly defined set of criteria we look for when reviewing applications. As you consider your many life experiences, consider thinking about two critical questions:

• How are you leading yourself?
• How are you leading others?

These two questions serve as a framework through which to understand and assess your goals, aspirations, and achievements. 

Reflection Question: How would you define and assess your abilities when it comes to leading yourself and leading others, referring to the KHS Leadership Model? What have been defining moments in your leadership journey?

Next Steps

We know that individual candidates will not embody every aspect of our Leadership Model. We’re selecting a cohort that collectively reflects the goals, behaviors, and traits outlined above and look forward to answering any questions you may have about the process. We encourage you to learn more about KHS by hearing from our scholars directly on our podcast, Imagine A World; on our social media channels (@KnightHennessy); and by reading their scholar insights and scholar Q&As. Please stay in touch.