Hey guys! I’m a little confused about how the ranking of regional, state, national, and international awards work. For instance, let’s take a scholarship program, Distinguished Young Women of America. This is a national competition that takes place at various levels, first at regionals, then state, then nationals. If you win the regional level and qualify for state, but do not place at state, what would the award be? Would it be “Distinguished Young Women Regional Winner – national level” or “Distinguished Young Women Winner – regional level”? Thanks!
IMO you are a participant if you weren’t the winner.
I was just using DYW as an example, so I’m not too sure about the workings of the program, but from what I’ve been told, you can win at any level. The competition culminates in the summer after one’s senior year, so it’d be impossible to say definitely you are the “winner” at the time of college apps; however, I believe you are the winner for your respective region/state level, since you are still competing with others at that level. Another example I can think of this is National History day. @Sybylla
So if you are considering the scenario where everyone gets a ribbon, would you really think it worth putting in as an award? In reality, it won’t matter a jot in the common app.
@Sybylla I don’t think we’re talking about the same situation. For competitions like Distinguished Young Women, NHD, Science Olympiad, etc., it is possible to win at the regional or state level, but not make it to nationals. Not everyone is getting a ribbon–you are still competing against people at regional or states, and not everyone will win. I’m just wondering if you are meant to specify these awards to be state/regional since you are winning at a state/regional level, or indicate that it is a national competition, but in the explanation say you are winning at the state or regional level.