DD says she was wrong and thinks it is 30 not 10.
Thank you, @melvin123. I’m guessing the school wasn’t aware since I don’t see anyone from his school listed, and he was the only one with a perfect score. That makes sense now.
Some of your responses take me back to when S15 got his U.S. Presidential Scholar letter in the mail. I had also never heard of the program & at first I thought it was one of those “for profit” companies that tell you how wonderful your kid is and that he/she qualifies to join other wonderful kids at this big leadership conference that will only cost $5,000 or so!! :-t
My S18 got this email today, too. First time I have heard of this program/recognition.
If I recall from when DS15 was nominated for Presidential Scholar, each school nominated one male and one female. In addition, perfect scores were nominated. It eventually gets down to 2 winners in each state. There is no scholarship money for the winners, but they get a trip to the White House over the summer.
We have 2 males and 2 females on the list.
There’s only one kid from son’s school, and he was the only 36 there (36, 36, 36, 35). So I don’t know that the school nominated him. I’ll ask.
Some of the info in this thread regarding Presidential scholars nominations is misleading or misunderstood. Case in point:
For several years, my son’s school has had more than one nominee, of the same gender. So, it is not a “one boy and one girl” nomination process from schools. In fact, I don’t think school nominations play in to the vast majority of these initial nominees at all. I do know all nominees from DP Jr’s school in recent years had 36 comp ACT scores.
My post is not mean to point fingers. I definitely don’t have all the facts and details on the program. My point is this is not a popular, nor well documented nor well understood thing. And with the three ways of nomination (arts, CTE, General) things get confusing fast.
I do know these two things:
- Its a wonderful and rare honor to be nominated.
- It would take a lot of additional work and an incredible student to advance to the trip to Washington D.C. ! No more than 161 from across the country. Wow!
This is the official selection FAQ:
https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html
I glanced at the list and I counted nine kids from our high school.
Congratulations to all the nominees. Great honor to be nominated.
Ok, found this in the program press release summary:
FACT SHEET
The United States Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by Executive Order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our Nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the Program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as U.S. Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. The Scholars represent excellence in education and the promise of greatness in young people. In honoring the U.S. Presidential Scholars, the President of the United States symbolically honors all graduating high school seniors of high potential.
Students have the opportunity to become U.S. Presidential Scholars based on three paths of accomplishment. The majority of the Scholars are selected on the basis of broad academic achievement. Approximately twenty students are selected on the basis of their academic and artistic scholarship in the visual arts, the performing arts, or creative writing. And approximately twenty additional students are selected on the basis of their ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.
Each year over 4,500 candidates are identified for the component of the program that focuses on academic achievement and based on having scored exceptionally well on the SAT or the ACT. Eligible students are U.S. citizens and legal permanent U.S. residents graduating or receiving a diploma between January and August of the current program year, who have taken the SAT or ACT Assessment on or before the preceding October. Students meeting these requirements are automatically considered for participation. Initial inclusion in the pool of eligible candidates is determined by the information (e.g. graduation year) provided by the student on his/her SAT or ACT test registration. Also, each Chief State School Officer (CSSO) may nominate ten male and ten female candidates based on their outstanding scholarship, residing in the CSSO’s jurisdiction. Additionally, the program is partnering with several recognition organizations that will each nominate up to 40 candidates from their individual programs.
Candidacy materials are mailed to students for participation in the program. Application is by invitation only; students do not apply individually to the program, nor do their schools nominate them.
For the arts component of the Program, students are initially selected based on their artistic ability. Students must register for and participate in YoungArts, a national program identifying and recognizing young people demonstrating excellence in the arts. Upon completion of the YoungArts program, the National YoungArts Foundation nominates approximately 60 students who meet the U.S. Presidential Scholars candidacy requirements. Candidacy materials are mailed to those selected students, inviting them to apply to the program.
For the career and technical education component of the Program, students are initially selected based on their accomplishments in career and technical education fields. Students are nominated through their Chief State School Officer. Each CSSO can nominate up to five candidates who meet the U.S. Presidential Scholars candidacy requirements. Candidacy materials are mailed to the selected students, and they are invited to apply to the program.
To confirm their interest and assist in the selection process, all candidates complete and submit candidacy materials for review, including essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports and transcripts. A review committee of qualified individuals experienced in secondary and post-secondary education
evaluates candidates on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities, and the quality and content of their essay.
Approximately 600 candidates are named semifinalists, and their names and supporting materials are forwarded to the Commission for further review.
In April, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars reviews the applications of all semifinalists, applying the same criteria used by the review committee. The Commission selects up to 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars each year.
All scholars are honored for their accomplishments during the National Recognition Program, held in June in Washington, D.C. During this trip, U.S. Presidential Scholars are guests of the US Department of Education and the Commission and enjoy an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with government officials, educators and other accomplished people. To commemorate their achievement, the Scholars are awarded the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House.
Since 1964, this unique federal program has honored more than 7,000 U.S. Presidential Scholars, who have demonstrated scholarship, leadership, artistic excellence and selfless service to others. The work of the Commission on Presidential Scholars, on behalf of the President and his Administration, reflects recognition of the immense value and potential of our Nation’s youth, and a deep commitment to ensuring that every child in America receives the benefits of a world-class education.
Congrats to all the Presidential Scholar nominees! That is a wonderful honor! Re the gender for school nominees, S’s school has two nominees this year, both boys.
Celebrating here today! The big local scholarship was to announce semi-finalists on Monday. We did not receive a phone call or email so we assumed DS did not move on. This morning there was an email that was sent last night and he DID make it to the semi-finalist round which is basically the documentation round - rec letter, W2s, tax return, SAT/ACT scores, and official transcript with fall grades. If selected as a finalist there is an interview round. I am on cloud 9 because it was such an unexpected surprise. You know what they say…better late than never.
Too bad, our HS didn’t nominate anyone although I know some of my DD’s friends had close to perfect SAT scores and very high accolades (DD wouldn’t have been up at the level of nomination). Our HS is not great for recognizing accomplishments unless it’s football or baseball, it seems. Not to brag, but when DD won a county music competition last May and received a county award for superior performance last week at the school system theater event, there was no mention at all by the school. And our suburban county near DC has over 159,000 students, so winning county-wide vocal competitions is not a small feat. They definitely highlight athletics only, even though we have several academically strong students who are likely Ivy-bound.
No Presidential Scholar nominations from our high school…I am not surprised, not because there were not qualified kids, but because our administration is notorious for missing the boot on these types of things!
2 from my daughters high school. Her 35ACT not enough against the perfect score kids.
Interesting list. I see 19 from DS’s alma mater and 4 from DD’s school. I also see a good number of her friends at other nearby high schools on the list.
Out of curiosity I looked at the list from 2014, when my DS graduated and his school had 43. So either the school has had a dramatic drop in standardized test achievement or the standards have changed.
Reminder, for the automatic General Component nominees, I do not believe schools have any part in the nomination process. From the website:
Ok, poll time: my son has fought his way from 27th in 10th grade to 7th - bringing him into top 10% as of most recent semester grades. The principal at his school decided to announce the top 10% at a senior meeting earlier this year, so son will be excluded from recognition. It is what it is, but just curious…when do your kids HS declare the top 10% rank? I feel like she called it before the fight was over.
@ChattaChia Our school recognizes the Top 10% of each grade at an awards ceremony in April based on their status at the end of the previous fall semester. For the senior class, the awards ceremony includes a dinner where each student invites and recognizes the teacher that made the biggest impact on them. This banquet is paid for by donors and PTA committee, not the school.