The effectiveness of leadership preparation programs has been contested for a number of years. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the identified components that exist within a "high-quality" principal preparation program through the lenses of the members of a principalship cohort at a university-based leadership development program. Qualitative data were collected via online survey. Social Justice theme and the cohort model were identified as most influential factors on leadership development. Findings from this study may assist educational administration departments, program directors, and researchers when evaluating the effectiveness of their graduate-level administrator preparation programs.