Oh, and from my state, only 70-80 students were chosen.
Is anyone here going to notify their schools that they’ve applied to? How would one do this?
I think what you would do is figure out who the regional admissions officer is and send them an e-mail explaining the nomination and your genuine interest in their college. It would be a way for you to show demonstrated interest
In my state 59 were chosen, one of which was for the arts. I’m a bit confused as to why I’m a candidate. My CR + M is only a 1550. Granted, I am in AL (only 18 36’s in the state last year and few students take the SAT), but my score still seems too low. I am excited though!!
My son was a Presidential Scholar, so I can fill this in for folks a bit. Most candidates are selected based on SAT (or, I guess now, ACT) scores. (There are a few also nominated by the states). After this the candidates fill out a fairly onerous application, and then the scholars are chosen. There is a separate track for Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
If you are a candidate, there is really no reason to tell colleges about it, because it is based entirely on your scores, and the colleges already know your scores. If you have something else to update them about, you might throw that in, but it isn’t really going to make a difference.
As for the actual experience, my son thought it was worth it. They had some interesting sessions and social events in Washington, and he met some very interesting people, some of whom he has encountered later. His year they had a photo op with the Vice President. In some past years they have met the President, but don’t count on that.
I don’t think being a Presidential Scholar has made much difference to my son in terms of admissions, etc. It comes too late to really impact college admissions, and it’s probably too long in the past to affect grad school, jobs, etc. It will occasionally impress somebody. It comes up when you Google his name, for example. That’s kind of cool.
In sum, I would recommend filling out the application and going to DC if you are chosen.
“If you are a candidate, there is really no reason to tell colleges about it, because it is based entirely on your scores, and the colleges already know your scores. If you have something else to update them about, you might throw that in, but it isn’t really going to make a difference.”
this is exactly i was thinking. letting colleges know that I was nominated seems kind of dumb because they already know my scores.
however, my guidance counselor advised me to put “National Merit Semifinalist” on my app even though that too has to do with test scores - is the presidential scholarship nomination similar to that or should i just not tell colleges?
Dang, I took the SAT one month too late to be considered for this!
This scholar used the SAT scores on or before Oct of the Senior year. So not everyone who had high scores are the candidates and each States top scores are also different.
My S GC recommended him to update his app.
This is true for those chosen just based on test scores, which I estimate is around 3300 of the 3900 or so candidates. Somewhere around 60 are chosen for the arts, and another 10 per state are chosen by each state’s Chief State School Officer, whatever that is (I guess in my state, California, that would be the Superintendent of Public Instruction).
So while it’s true that the majority of candidates will be obvious, that won’t be the case for the other ~600.
Son was named a candidate; first one in our town since 2008. He got a 35 on his ACT’s and his SAT’s weren’t near the 1600 mark; but we’re in a smaller population state.
It’s somewhat annoying how they select candidates, IMO. I go to school and live in two different states. One of my classmates is a candidate, but I am not, despite having higher test scores…
Have your guys guidance counselors received their usernames yet? Mine said that she hasn’t seen anything and idk if they come later or if it just got misplaced somewhere (most likely…the NM process was a disaster).
Isn’t the username and password are in the letter?
The students usernames and passwords are, but it says “If your recommender wishes to submit the SSR online, a Recommender user ID and password for your application have been provided to the head of your Guidance Office at school.”
Another question. What test scores are you supposed to send them? Just SAT? I thought I read somewhere that they want AP scores too but now I can’t find that info anywhere.
@staygold111 they want AP scores too.
@Hunt / anyone else
If you did your evaluation online how did your principal sign it? My administration is actually incompetent and I don’t really even know what they don’t understand. Anyway, I had my evaluator (a teacher) submit her form online. Does my principal log in with the same username/password and sign it? I don’t know how to get her signature on it.
did you have to submit your forms before recommender could submit SSR?
@juniormathwiz You and your recommender must electronically sign the app. before any portion can be submitted. After that I don’t think there is an order to when things are received as long as it is by the deadline.
Has anyone done the press kit?
Does anyone know how to print AP scores to mail?