<p>To me it’s a matter of cost (in terms of time and distraction from other priorities) versus benefit. The odds are so low, and when I look at the biographies of the kids who have won in past years, they seem close to nil. My son hasn’t nursed any orphans back to health in third-world countries while working on his third novel, you know? Not to mention that he’s just plain sick of applications of all kinds.</p>
<p>I agree with blossom, but pick your battle carefully. Many kids are exhausted at this point from the app drive.</p>
<p>When DS heard he’d been nominated, he got a ‘deer in the headlights’ look on his face and said “I am <em>not</em> writing any more essays.” Understand, this is a math and science kid who hated essays even before the marathon of last few months.</p>
<p>And there are quite a number to write, some not so easy.</p>
<p>President Clinton, when graduated from HS, won this honor and shaked the hand of president Kennedy, which inspired his ambition in politics - I heard. </p>
<p>Congratulations to all!</p>
<p>Actually, luv2, I think the Clinton/Kennedy photo is from Boys Nation, not Presidential Scholars. The President normally greets Boys and Girls Nation for a photo op, but this year President Obama was too busy with health care and did not show up. There were lots of disappointed boys and girls left standing in the rain in front of the White House wondering why he stood them up. Later, he did send a signed photo–I don’t know if that is routine or if it was a peace offering.</p>
<p>"50isthenew40, how were you able to determine the SAT or ACT scores from the list? Is there a list with actual scores posted?? "</p>
<p>I assumed (so we know what that makes me!) that in CA you must have either a 1600 SAT or the corresponding “perfect” ACT score. Here’s my reasoning…they are listing the top 20 males and top 20 females in each state, but more if there is a tie. So, I figured that in CA there are more than 40 with perfect scores, so all the rest must be tied with them. Does that seem right?</p>
<p>No, they never list what the actual scores were. I’m sure if they did that people would complain about the different “cut-offs” in different states and territories.</p>
<p>I will confess that I encouraged my daughter NOT to spend her time on that long long application. I didn’t say you have no chance, but I tried to very diplomatically talk about the odds in our state. </p>
<p>I told her that she had already gone way above and beyond what any parent would hope for in the number of essays she wrote for applications and then for various scholarships.</p>
<p>She felt that her effort was well worth a small chance of meeting Barack Obama, and taking her much-respected teacher with her, so she did it. And in the flurry of her senior year and excitement about her college choice, she had pretty much forgotten about it by the time she found out she wasn’t selected. She laughed and said “Yeah, I knew that was hopeless but I just had to do it.” Then off she went to the next beach party!"</p>
<p>Just to go along with the discrepancies by state/gender, it really can help to be a big fish in a small pond. As a girl in Maine, I got the letter today with a 1530. However, a boy in my class with higher scores did not get invited. I am by no means complaining (I’m elated!), but it just illustrates the difference your state and gender can make in the initial applicant pool.</p>
<p>Congratulations nddreamer!! It’s quite an achievement to be in the top 20 females in your state.</p>
<p>51is… That’s a great story about your daughter. Lot of self-assurance, I think.</p>
<p>are you guys sure that they nominate people purely by sat scores? because some people in my school (same gender) have lower scores than me but have gotten nominated while i haven’t…</p>
<p>zoomX3, they only consider the Math and Critical Reading portions of the SAT. So it’s possible that your total score with Writing is higher than your classmate’s and still not qualify. But if you think you should have qualified, go to the Presidential Scholars website. There is information about what to do if you think your name was left off the list.</p>
<p>Adding to that, they look at single sitting only, and they also consider high ACT scores. But here’s the thing: if you didn’t check the box on your SAT test that allowed sharing the info with outside scholarship programs and colleges, you will not have been listed as a nominee. As said above, you can contact the program to correct that.</p>
<p>
thank you for correcting me. i’ll also check with my source.
congratulations to all in the list. I really feel happy for you and wish i was there. 
oh well.</p>
<p>It was me who bristled at the notion of not applying because you don’t like the current president. I’m sorry that my tone in the post was a bit discourteous. Part of my view on this is that the entire nation from every ideological corner really needs to strive for some civility - and, yes, I think we can help instill that in our kids by telling them when the opportunity of a truly significant honor such as the Presidential Scholar award comes along that the mature and honorable thing to do is apply and attend if chosen. Son was tired that spring but had enough essays to recycle for the application and his GC was thrilled by the prospect of him winning and helped a great deal on the details of the application. It would have been really ungrateful to his school to not put forth the application. Son was also delighted to find another way to honor one of his teachers who had helped him through high school. </p>
<p>And FWIW, he did not shake the President’s hand - it was very brief group picture moment, a very small part of the award. Also, worth noting, Bush supported the program strongly in the face of quite a lot of criticism for it being - like NMSF - a program that basically rewards the already advantaged. Worth noting, too, that Bush continued to support the Presidential Scholar program even after the diss-ing he received from the Scholars who found him so contemptible and attended a meeting with the Scholars the following year. It is interesting to learn that our current President did not bother to attend even a brief meeting with the Scholars last year.</p>
<p>Sewhappy-I’m so glad your son’s GC was thrilled for your son. </p>
<p>Our head counselor had no idea what it was-she asked me 3 different times how much we had to pay!! She was sure that this was another one of those “your child is so wonderful, now please give us lots of money so he can go to Washington DC.”</p>
<p>When I tried to explain that it was based on my daughter’s 1600 SAT, I think she just thought I was another parent trying to brag about their kid, and I felt like an idiot. She retired last year, and I think I caught her in a very burned-out moment!</p>
<p>Fortunately, a wonderful teacher was able to get my dd’s transcript, and fill out everything from the school.</p>
<p>@sewhappy
You are 100% right! (channeling American Idol…gak!) But I agree with your POV, completely.</p>
<p>I was very disappointed that President Obama didn’t have time last year to meet with his “first” class of Presidential Scholars, especially considering he had time that very same week to give Reese Witherspoon who was filming in Wash.DC and her boyfriend a private tour. </p>
<p>Even though I enthusiastically voted for him and continue to support him, he should have taken a few minutes to honor the Presidential Scholars and education, over hobnobbing with Hollywood celebrities. He dropped a peg or two for it in my book.</p>
<p>Another reason to apply - the alumni network has been a good one for my son in college. Also, he has interviewed for a few fellowships and internships where the interviewer was a Presidential Scholar. The rewards go beyond just the trip to Washington. Important to understand that the alumni group is all the past Presidential Scholars, not just the group selected the year you graduate.</p>
<p>sewhappy, do the alumni meet periodically? Are there alumni events? Are there scholarships/internships that are only Presidential Scholars can apply to?</p>
<p>Paperchase,</p>
<p>They meet regularly where my son attends (Harvard). There was a China trip they could apply for the year my son was named a Scholar. He didn’t apply because he was busy that summer but it looked like a fantastic opportunity. There seemed to be a lot of past Scholars helping to run the program the year my son went - also a number of past Scholars now in high-level positions in the government and industry gave workshops and presentations. It would be hard not to characterize this as anything but a valuable alumni network. Our state’s representatives in the Senate and House both invited son to visit them while he was in Washington and encouraged him to apply for internships. He didn’t - just not into politics but the other scholar from our state did and got some sort of internship in the Supreme Court. Not saying it’s the greatest thing in the world but for an 18-year-old starting college, it’s a darn nice thing to have going for you. </p>
<p>Good luck to all on their applications - this one really is a crap shoot because they are selecting among gobs of perfect applicants.</p>