Students are eligible to apply if they:
- love their community and want to use their college education to make a difference as a leader on campus and at home;
- will graduate from high school in 2021, or previously graduated in 2020 or 2019;
- are not currently enrolled at a four-year college (students at two-year colleges may apply);
- live in one of our seven Act Six program sites; and
- want to attend at least one of the Act Six partner colleges in their program site.
While ethnicity and family income are considered as factors in selecting an intentionally diverse group of scholars, there are no income restrictions, and students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
There is no minimum GPA requirement and admissions standards vary across our partner colleges. In general, applicants with a GPA below 3.0 will need to demonstrate their readiness for academic success in college through their recommendations, essays and/or test scores.
Apply Now
The Act Six application consists of seven major components, which all must be submitted by the December 1 deadline. Details and instructions for each component are available below the Getting Started form at the bottom of this page.
- Getting Started Form
- Main Application Form
- High School Transcript and Counselor Report
- Community Recommendation
- Teacher Recommendation (optional this year)
Phase I: Online Application
Applicants complete an initial online application that includes a basic college admissions application as well as additional essay questions, letters of recommendation, and family financial information. All application materials must be submitted on December 1 by 11:59 pm. After an initial screening of written application materials, applicants are notified whether they will advance by email on December 11.
Phase II: Video Submission
Due to COVID-19, the typical in-person Phase II events are not being conducted this year. Instead, candidates will be given a prompt and have one week to submit a 3-minute, unedited, individual cell phone video to supplement their application materials by December 18. Videos are assessed on their content, not on the quality of the filming. A local community committee considers candidates’ written and video components to name 15-25 semifinalists for each partner college. Decisions are emailed on January 26.
Phase III: Virtual Campus Visit
Due to COVID-19, the typical in-person, multi-day Phase III campus visits are not being conducted this year. Instead, semifinalists will participate in a one-day interactive virtual event between February 6-21 with 15-25 other semifinalists for the single college for which they were selected. Phase III allows students to learn more about the college as they participate in multiple evaluation activities that may include a personal interview, a real-time writing task, an academic seminar discussion, and group problem-solving activities. A parent or guardian will be invited to participate in a portion of the event. Partner colleges select finalists and decisions are emails on February 23.
Final Decision and Announcement
Finalists are given one week to decide and commit to the Act Six program by March 1, agreeing to participate fully in the six-month training program. Applicants may withdraw from the process at any time prior to this commitment. The new class of Act Six scholars are formally announced to the public on March 10.
Act Six scholars must be:
- committed to anti-racism and compelled to work for justice and equity,
- passionate about learning,
- eager to foster intercultural relationships,
- willing to step out of their comfort zones,
- committed to serving those around them, and
- ready to make a difference on campus and at home.
The selection process also places high value on applicants’ teamwork, critical thinking, communication skills and academic potential.
Selecting Act Six scholars is a complex and multi-faceted process that considers many factors. The selection committees use the following questions to guide their evaluation of Act Six applicants. These questions best summarize what we are looking for in Act Six scholars.
- To what extent will the student contribute to the racial, economic, and experiential diversity of an Act Six cadre?
- To what extent is the student prepared to succeed and thrive academically at the selected college?
- To what extent will the selected college be a good fit for this student?
- To what extent will the student eagerly engage in a year-long exploration and discussion of Christian perspectives on leadership, diversity, and social justice?
- To what extent does the student understand and desire to advance the stated mission of the selected college?
- To what extent will the student be a service-minded leader and an agent of transformation on the college campus?
- To what extent will the student be committed to serving others and to what extent will s/he view the Act Six initiative as an opportunity to reach out to those around them?
- To what extent will the student be committed to and effective in fostering intercultural communication and acting as an agent for social change on the college campus?
- To what extent does the student see a sense of purpose in their participation in the Act Six Initiative?
- To what extent will attending the selected college and participating in the Initiative align with and/or transform the student’s goals and vision for their life?
- To what extent will the student be able and willing to persevere through hardship? How resilient are they to the challenges and struggles that life brings?
- To what extent does the student possess a depth and strength of character that will serve to encourage, support, and empower those around them?