The Presidential Scholars Program is available only to high school seniors who are U.S. citizens. Since the program is made up of two components, one primarily academic and one primarily artistic, the selection criteria are somewhat different.

Selection is broken up into several levels: candidate, semifinalist, and finalist. Approximately 2,600 students are nominated to be candidates (there is no initial application). Nomination for the academic component is based on SAT and/or ACT scores (purely standardized tests); the top 20 male and the top 20 female scorers are thus selected. As a candidate, you must fill out an extensive form that focuses, for example, on academics, leadership, and community service. Questions ask about your involvement in summer programs, standardized test scores, and future college/career plans, all of which should be expected and easy to reply.

Further questions are based on activities and work experiences. The first table allows for the listing of school activities, of which I tried to keep limited only to school activities and non-community service ones. The reason for this is because the next table allows for the listing of special talents (e.g. music, sports, science research, arts) where I listed the majority of my most significant out of school activities or competition results. Following, there is another table for community activities (hence, no need to repeat in the other tables) and a final table for job held during the past years. Much of this information is similar to college application material, so reuse and recycle what you have done before!

The next part of the application is the self-assessment sections, which are 4 short(er) essays regarding yourself. There is no word limit, but there is a space limit on the application, which allows you to write about 350-400 words maximum. Here are the questions listed below:

1. "Describe any characteristics of your family or your community that have been important to your personal development."

2. "Discuss some creative work that illustrates the way you see the world and the way you see yourself in the world. The work may be a scientific theory, novel, film, poem, song, or other art form."

3. "What is the most significant contribution that you feel you have made to your community's well-being or the well-being of an individual or individuals in your community? Why were you motivated to do this? What effect do you think it has had on that person or the community?"

4. "Describe a mistake you made or a challenge you faced. How did you respond to that mistake or challenge, and what did you learn from your experience?"

Again, recycle what you have written before as I'm sure that through college application and scholarship applications, you have become an adept essay writer with a stash of essay gems to draw from. The next written prompt asks for your rationale in selecting your most influential teacher. Take time to write with true conviction as a snippet of your remark will be on display during the Teacher Recognition Dinner should you be chosen to be a Presidential Scholar. More importantly, your teacher, who has put forth so much effort and written so many good things about you, deserves the same meticulous and inspired treatment from you. And, undoubtedly, the essay will also reflect on you as an applicant and the values that you hold to be most important.

The final essay (there are quite a few!) is the longer work, with the prompt:

"Please attach a photograph of something that or someone who has great significance to you. Explain that significance… Your essay should demonstrate style, depth, and breadth of your knowledge and individuality."

The other important component of the application is the evaluator's remarks or recommendation. You have only one recommendation letter, so make the most of it! You should probably go back to whoever wrote your college recommendations as many of the questions are similar. Moreover, provide a resume or some bullet points that you want emphasized in the recommendation, especially if you have received important awards or news since your teacher last wrote the college application.

Once you submit the candidate application, you are done! Semifinalists are notified in late March (around 500 semifinalists selected) and you will be required to write a short bio and perhaps a community service statement, but there will be no further application (thus, make sure your application is the best it can be!). Finalists will be selected from the semifinalist pool in April (121 academic Presidential Scholars finalists); one male and one female from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and abroad U.S. citizens as well as 15 at large students are chosen. Finalists are posted online in early to mid May.

Application for the artistic component of the Presidential Scholars is somewhat different. First, you must apply for the Arts Recognition and Talent Search (ARTS) which focuses on "dance, music, music/jazz, music/voice, theater, photography, visual arts, or writing." 160 ARTS finalists are invited to Miami, Florida for judging and over $525,000 in cash awards (maximum of $10,000). Fifty of the finalists are nominated for the Presidential Scholars Program, at which point they must apply through the application described above. 20 arts finalists are selected to be Presidential Scholars in the arts.