The Presidential Scholarship Program Competition Process
To qualify for the Presidential Scholars Program, an applicant must be a high school senior of United States residency, have an outstanding academic record, and show evidence of strong leadership skills, strong motivation, and a keen desire to learn.
To be considered for the Presidential Scholars Program, students must submit a completed Randolph College application by the Early Action I deadline of December 1. This includes:
- Personal Statement (or essay or graded writing sample)
- Official High School Transcript
- First marking-period grades of senior year
- Guidance/College Counselor Recommendation or Teacher’s Recommendation
The specific criteria for top Presidential Scholarship consideration are:
- 3.5 GPA or higher
- Strong college prep curriculum with advanced coursework undertaken (AP or IB courses)
- Top 20% of class
- 1300+ SAT scores or 29+ ACT scores
- Demonstrated leadership in school and community
The Presidential Scholars Program Scholarship Committee will review all completed materials and invite finalists to campus for interviews in late February. During the competition, finalists will have the opportunity to spend the night on campus, attend academic sessions, participate in special events, and meet with faculty members and current Presidential Scholars.
Note: Finalists will be notified by mail after the competition. If a student first receives a merit scholarship and then is selected for one of the Presidential Scholars Program Scholarships, the scholarship previously awarded will be replaced with the latter scholarship.
