Presidential Scholars Program

The United States Presidential Scholars Program is a program of the Department of Education that recognizes the academic achievements of distinguished US citizens graduating high school. It is described as "one of the Nation's highest honors for high school students" in the United States of America.

The program was established in 1964 by Executive Order of the President of the United States to recognize the most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in many areas: academic success, leadership, and service to school and community. In 1979 it was expanded to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional scholarship and talent in the visual, creative, and performing arts. In 2015, the program was expanded once again to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical fields. Annually, the presidentially-appointed White House Commission on Presidential Scholars chooses up to 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars from among that year's senior class. All Scholars are invited to Washington, DC in June for the National Recognition Program, featuring various events and enrichment activities and culminating in the presentation of the Presidential Scholars Medallion during a White House-sponsored ceremony.

To commemorate their achievements, the scholars are individually awarded the Presidential Medallion in a ceremony sponsored by the White House.

All candidates are invited to apply to the program in January of their graduation year. Applications are due in February. Semifinalists are announced in Mid-April and all Scholars are announced the first week of May. The National Recognition Program in Washington, DC usually occurs in June.

An overview of selection progression follows:

All graduating high school seniors who are citizens of the United States or legal permanent residents, 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.

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 invited in that state. In addition, each Chief State School Officer (CSSO) may nominate up to ten male and ten female candidates, residing in the CSSO's jurisdiction, based on their outstanding scholarship. Additionally, the program is partnering with several recognition organizations that will each nominate up to 10 candidates from their individual programs. Each year approximately 4,000 students are invited to apply to the program.

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