<p>I just received notification that I'm a candidate for the presidential scholars program. I was wondering, even though there are about 4000 of them, is it worth it to notify Princeton (I would guess not, but just wanted to be sure)? </p>
<p>And to expand the question into the somewhat more general, how monumental should the accomplishment be to be worth notifying a college?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>^ Can someone please answer that question?
Especially the 2nd part!! :)</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>You’ve been chosen because your SAT/ACT scores were tops in your state. As Princeton (and other colleges) already have your test scores and know they are fabulous, I don’t think it’s worth an update. See:
[Presidential</a> Scholars Program - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Scholars_Program]Presidential”>Presidential Scholars Program - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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."</p>
<p>You should update Admissions on “wow” factors – significant local, state, or national achievements and awards. For example, being named a semi-finalist or finalist in Intel or Siemens, being named Valedictorian or Salutatorian of your high school, having a play you wrote produced Off Broadway or in a regional theater, having an essay you wrote be a winner in a national writing contest, performing as a guest artist at Carnegie Hall, etc. Basically, you want an Admissions Officer to see the update and say “Wow, that’s really impressive! Let me take another look at this student’s file.”</p>