Presidential Scholars Program
Encyclopedia
The United States Presidential Scholars Program is the highest possible honor for graduating high school seniors in the United States of America.
It was established in 1964 by executive order of the President of the United States
to recognize and celebrate the most distinguished American graduating high school seniors. Each year, the United States Department of Education
and the presidentially-appointed White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects up to 141 students as Presidential Scholars: 121 in the academics and 20 in the arts.
Students chosen as Presidential Scholars are flown to Washington, D.C.
in the summer after they graduate high school. During the National Recognition Week, they meet with government officials, educators, authors, musicians, scientists, businessmen, and past Presidential Scholars. During the week scholars have the opportunity to visit museums and monuments, frequent recitals and receptions, and attend ceremonies as guests of the Department of Education and the Executive Office of the President.
To commemorate their achievements, the Scholars are individually awarded the Presidential Medallion by the President of the United States
in a ceremony at the White House
. The Presidential Medallion is a hand-crafted, 1/4 inch 85/15 Bronze, 2.5 inch round medal. It is personally engraved with individual names; hand polished, and 24-carat gold plated.
In summary of the overall program, from the program's website, “By ages 16 and 17, these astonishing young people have not only succeeded in the highest possible level of high school academic rigor, but have also mastered multiple languages, worked for NASA
and the Air Force Research Lab, played with the New York Philharmonic, volunteered and founded regional and national and international social service programs, conducted cutting-edge cancer research, issued scholarly papers, competed in the Olympics, placed in most major national and international competitions, and launched their own companies. They go on to attend the Nation’s top colleges and universities, and to exercise their gifts on behalf of our country and the world.”
An overview of selection progression follows:
of the College Board
or the ACT Assessment
of the American College Testing Program on or before October of each year are automatically considered for participation. This is a pool of approximately 3,000,000 students.
The United States Department of Education
then examines the test records for the top 30 males and top 30 females in each state/jurisdiction. The combined file of scores from the top male examinees and top female examinees are then ranked from high to low in each state. The scores associated with the top 20 male examinees and top 20 female examinees are used to identify the candidates in each state. When ties occur in the threshold score, more than 20 persons of that gender are selected in that state. The approximately 2600 selectees that remain are Presidential Scholar Candidates.
Candidates then go through a rigorous application process where they must submit candidacy materials, including essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports, and transcripts. Candidates are evaluated on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership, service, and other extracurricular activities, and an analysis of their essays.
In mid-April approximately 500 Semifinalists are chosen by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. Members of this Commission are political appointees of the President of the United States
. Six to twenty Semifinalists are identified for each state/jurisdiction by the review committee. The number of Semifinalists identified per state/jurisdiction is proportionate to the number of test takers for that state.
In May, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to 121 Presidential Scholars. One male student and one female Scholar are chosen from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and from families of U.S. citizens living abroad. In addition, up to fifteen Scholars are chosen at-large
.
reviews approximately 7000 candidates annually. From these they select the top 150 to travel to Florida
for more competition. The NFAA then chooses the top 50 from the Florida competition and recommends them to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. The Commission, in turn, selects the 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
designed to identify, recognize and encourage talented high school seniors who demonstrate excellence in dance, music, jazz, vocal performance, theater, photography
, visual arts or writing.
Based on the discipline entered, registrants must submit audiotapes, videotapes, slides or manuscripts demonstrating artistic accomplishment. One panel for each arts discipline evaluates applicants in a two-step process. The judges review material submitted by the applicants and select up to 20 award candidates in each of the eight disciplines (5 in music/jazz and 10 in music/voice and photography) for live adjudications in Miami. All applicants are judged against a standard of excellence within each artistic discipline, not against each other.
The final judging from youngARTS Week results in the recognition of excellence in five different award categories. Upon completion of the youngARTS program, NFAA will nominate up to fifty students who meet the eligibility requirements. These students will be mailed candidacy materials and invited to apply to the program.
Arts candidates enter the Presidential Scholars Program selection process at the semifinalist level. In April the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to twenty Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
To be considered further, candidates must submit candidacy materials, including essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports, and transcripts. Candidates are evaluated on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership, service, and extracurricular activities, and an analysis of their essays.
with a letter urging him to halt human rights violations alleged to have been made against terror suspects. Part of the letter read:
It was established in 1964 by executive order of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
to recognize and celebrate the most distinguished American graduating high school seniors. Each year, the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
and the presidentially-appointed White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects up to 141 students as Presidential Scholars: 121 in the academics and 20 in the arts.
Students chosen as Presidential Scholars are flown to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in the summer after they graduate high school. During the National Recognition Week, they meet with government officials, educators, authors, musicians, scientists, businessmen, and past Presidential Scholars. During the week scholars have the opportunity to visit museums and monuments, frequent recitals and receptions, and attend ceremonies as guests of the Department of Education and the Executive Office of the President.
To commemorate their achievements, the Scholars are individually awarded the Presidential Medallion by the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in a ceremony at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. The Presidential Medallion is a hand-crafted, 1/4 inch 85/15 Bronze, 2.5 inch round medal. It is personally engraved with individual names; hand polished, and 24-carat gold plated.
In summary of the overall program, from the program's website, “By ages 16 and 17, these astonishing young people have not only succeeded in the highest possible level of high school academic rigor, but have also mastered multiple languages, worked for NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
and the Air Force Research Lab, played with the New York Philharmonic, volunteered and founded regional and national and international social service programs, conducted cutting-edge cancer research, issued scholarly papers, competed in the Olympics, placed in most major national and international competitions, and launched their own companies. They go on to attend the Nation’s top colleges and universities, and to exercise their gifts on behalf of our country and the world.”
Selection process
Of the up to 141 Scholars, the U.S. Department of Education at most chooses 121 in the academics and at most 20 in the arts.An overview of selection progression follows:
| Designation | Number of candidates | Ratio | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduating senior | 3,000,000 (approx.) | 1 in 1 | 100 % |
| Presidential Scholar Candidate | 2600 (approx.) | 1 in 1,500 | 0.0667 % |
| Presidential Scholar Semifinalist | 500 (approx.) | 1 in 6,000 | 0.0167 % |
| Presidential Scholar | 121 in academics, 20 in arts | 1 in over 20,000 | 0.00470 % |
Academics
All graduating high school seniors who are citizens of the United States, enrolled in either private or public high schools, and who have scored exceptionally well on either the SATSAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
of the College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
or the ACT Assessment
ACT (examination)
The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
of the American College Testing Program on or before October of each year are automatically considered for participation. This is a pool of approximately 3,000,000 students.
The United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
then examines the test records for the top 30 males and top 30 females in each state/jurisdiction. The combined file of scores from the top male examinees and top female examinees are then ranked from high to low in each state. The scores associated with the top 20 male examinees and top 20 female examinees are used to identify the candidates in each state. When ties occur in the threshold score, more than 20 persons of that gender are selected in that state. The approximately 2600 selectees that remain are Presidential Scholar Candidates.
Candidates then go through a rigorous application process where they must submit candidacy materials, including essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports, and transcripts. Candidates are evaluated on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership, service, and other extracurricular activities, and an analysis of their essays.
In mid-April approximately 500 Semifinalists are chosen by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. Members of this Commission are political appointees of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Six to twenty Semifinalists are identified for each state/jurisdiction by the review committee. The number of Semifinalists identified per state/jurisdiction is proportionate to the number of test takers for that state.
In May, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to 121 Presidential Scholars. One male student and one female Scholar are chosen from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and from families of U.S. citizens living abroad. In addition, up to fifteen Scholars are chosen at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
.
Overview
The National Foundation for Advancement in the ArtsNational Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts honors the most talented high school seniors, or, more specifically, American students in the 17-18 year-old age bracket, in the performing, visual and literary arts through the YoungArts program...
reviews approximately 7000 candidates annually. From these they select the top 150 to travel to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for more competition. The NFAA then chooses the top 50 from the Florida competition and recommends them to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. The Commission, in turn, selects the 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
Selection
Students must register and participate in youngARTS, a national program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the ArtsNational Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts honors the most talented high school seniors, or, more specifically, American students in the 17-18 year-old age bracket, in the performing, visual and literary arts through the YoungArts program...
designed to identify, recognize and encourage talented high school seniors who demonstrate excellence in dance, music, jazz, vocal performance, theater, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, visual arts or writing.
Based on the discipline entered, registrants must submit audiotapes, videotapes, slides or manuscripts demonstrating artistic accomplishment. One panel for each arts discipline evaluates applicants in a two-step process. The judges review material submitted by the applicants and select up to 20 award candidates in each of the eight disciplines (5 in music/jazz and 10 in music/voice and photography) for live adjudications in Miami. All applicants are judged against a standard of excellence within each artistic discipline, not against each other.
The final judging from youngARTS Week results in the recognition of excellence in five different award categories. Upon completion of the youngARTS program, NFAA will nominate up to fifty students who meet the eligibility requirements. These students will be mailed candidacy materials and invited to apply to the program.
Arts candidates enter the Presidential Scholars Program selection process at the semifinalist level. In April the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to twenty Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
To be considered further, candidates must submit candidacy materials, including essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports, and transcripts. Candidates are evaluated on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership, service, and extracurricular activities, and an analysis of their essays.
2007 letter against torture
During a visit to the White House in 2007, fifty Presidential Scholars presented President BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
with a letter urging him to halt human rights violations alleged to have been made against terror suspects. Part of the letter read:
We do not want America to represent torture. We urge you to do all in your power to stop violations of the human rights of detainees, to cease illegal renditions, and to apply the Geneva Convention to all detainees, including those designated enemy combatants.
Academic
- Richard AlleyRichard AlleyRichard B. Alley is an American geologist and Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences at the Pennsylvania State University. He has authored more than 170 refereed scientific publications about the relationships between Earth's cryosphere and global climate change, and is recognized by the Institute for...
(1976, Ohio) - geosciences professor at Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service... - Patrick ChovanecPatrick ChovanecPatrick Robert Chovanec is an associate professor at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management in Beijing, China. A former political aide to senior Republican Party leaders in the U.S., he is a frequent and influential commentator on China's economy, US-China relations, and other...
(1988, Illinois) - business professor at Tsinghua UniversityTsinghua UniversityTsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
, former aide to Speaker of the House John BoehnerJohn BoehnerJohn Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991... - Kristin ForbesKristin ForbesKristin Forbes is an Associate Professor of International Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2003 as the youngest-ever member of the President's Council of Economic Advisors. She returned to academia in mid-2005.From 2001-2002, Forbes served...
(1988, New Hampshire) - business professor at MIT, former member of Council of Economic Advisors - Kermit Roosevelt IIIKermit Roosevelt IIIKermit "Kim" Roosevelt III is a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and author of The Myth of Judicial Activism and the D.C. legal thriller In the Shadow of the Law .-Early life:Kim Roosevelt III was born in Washington, D.C...
(1989, District of Columbia) - author, law professor at University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
Arts
- Suzette CharlesSuzette CharlesSuzette Charles is an American singer and entertainer.-Career:Born in Mays Landing, she represented New Jersey in the 1983 Miss America pageant held in Atlantic City, New Jersey...
(1981, New Jersey) - Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1984, singer and entertainer - Rita DoveRita DoveRita Frances Dove is an American poet and author. From 1993-1995 she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position now popularly known as "U.S. Poet Laureate"...
(1970, Ohio) - Poet LaureatePoet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of the United States, winner of Pulitzer Prize for PoetryPulitzer Prize for PoetryThe Pulitzer Prize in Poetry has been presented since 1922 for a distinguished volume of original verse by an American author. However, special citations for poetry were presented in 1918 and 1919.-Winners:... - Desmond RichardsonDesmond RichardsonDesmond Richardson is co-founder and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. He has mastered a wide range of dance forms including classical, modern, and contemporary.- Life and career :...
(1986, arts) - dancer, co-founder of Complexions Contemporary BalletComplexions Contemporary BalletComplexions Contemporary Ballet is a contemporary ballet company founded in 1994 by Artistic Directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson based in New York City comprising about 14 classical and contemporary dancers...
Banking and finance
- Sallie KrawcheckSallie KrawcheckSallie L. Krawcheck , is the former president of the Global Wealth & Investment Management division of Bank of America. GWIM includes Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust, the largest wealth management business in the world at $2.3 trillion in client assets...
(1983, South Carolina) - president of Bank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
's global wealth and investment-management unit
Energy
- Amory LovinsAmory LovinsAmory Bloch Lovins is an American environmental scientist and writer, Chairman and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute. He has worked in the field of energy policy and related areas for four decades...
(1964, Massachusetts) - environmentalist, Chairman and Chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain InstituteRocky Mountain InstituteRocky Mountain Institute is an organization in the United States dedicated to research, publication, consulting, and lecturing in the general field of sustainability, with a special focus on profitable innovations for energy and resource efficiency. RMI was established in 1982 and has grown into a...
Government and politics
- Donald S. Beyer Jr. (1968, District of Columbia) - U.S. ambassador to SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and LiechtensteinLiechtensteinThe Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
, former Lieutenant Governor of VirginiaLieutenant Governor of VirginiaThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected... - Mitch DanielsMitch DanielsMitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels, Jr. is the 49th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. A Republican, he began his first four-year term as governor on January 10, 2005, and was elected to his second term by an 18-point margin on November 4, 2008. Previously, he was the Director of the...
(1967, Indiana) - Governor of IndianaGovernor of IndianaThe Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...
, former Director of U.S. Office of Management and Budget - Bruce ReedBruce ReedBruce Reed was the CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council and currently serves as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, having been appointed on January 14, 2011 to succeed Ron Klain.-Early life and education:...
(1978, Idaho) - CEO of the Democratic Leadership CouncilDemocratic Leadership CouncilThe Democratic Leadership Council was a non-profit 501 corporation that, upon its formation, argued the United States Democratic Party should shift away from the leftward turn it took in the late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...
, former aide to President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... - Merrick Garland (1970, Illinois) - Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...