The United States Department of Education Commission on Presidential Scholars recently announced Swainsboro High School senior Abigail Roberts was selected as one of 625 semifinalists to advance to the final round of the 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars competition.
From nearly 3.6 million graduating high school seniors, over 6,500 students were identified as candidates in the program, and 625 semifinalists have been selected from across the country. These semifinalists form the pool from which the 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be chosen. For a list of the 2021 semifinalists, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/psp and click on “2021 Semifinalists."
About The United States Presidential Scholars Program
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 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 ON ACT Assessment on or before the preceding October. The highest test score (from a single test administration) from the student's first three attempts is identified. We do not use superscores. The scores associated with the top 20 male examinees and top 20 female examinees are used to select candidates from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and from families of U.S. citizens living abroad. A universal score is determined for both males and females from that state. 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.
