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.[1] 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.[2]
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.”
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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 % |
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 SAT 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.
The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts 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.
Students must register and participate in youngARTS, a national program of the National Foundation for Advancement 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.
During a visit to the White House in 2007, fifty Presidential Scholars presented President Bush with a letter urging him to halt human rights violations alleged to have been made against terror suspects.[3] 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.