2018 U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates from DC Private Schools

[Anonymous]

The list of 2018 candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has been published.

Note that this honor -- unlike the National Merit Semifinalists (NMSF) -- is chosen based on the State (or the District) in which you live, and not the State (or District) in which your school is located. And while NMSF is selected based on your PSAT score from October of Junior year, the U.S. Presidential Scholars are chosen based on your highest SAT or ACT scores.

"The U.S. Department of Education then looks at test records for the top 30 males and top 30 females in each of the states/jurisdictions. For each examinee, the SAT score is converted to the ACT Sum of Scores, according to a concordance table. Each individual examinee's highest test score (in a single test administration ) is identified, and duplicates and/or lower scores are dropped."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

By way of explanation, in most large, and/or competitive States (e.g., California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia), you can assume that the top 30 males and the top 30 females in those States will all have earned a perfect 1600 SAT score (or concordance tables will equate that with a perfect 36 ACT score). In fact there will be more than 30 individuals in those States who earned either a 1600 SAT score or a 36 ACT score, and all of them will be U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates. In the District, some smaller (e.g., Wyoming) and/or less competitive States (e.g., Arkansas) the top 30 SAT scores may/will likely dip below a perfect 1600 (and thus accordingly will the qualifying ACT score based on concordance tables). So, for example, DC might have 12 female students per year earning a perfect 1600, 17 earning a 1590, and with 1 spot still available, any female student earning a 1580 would also be a candidate. Also, for some reason, a majority of candidates from each State (or the District) qualify for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program on the basis of their ACT scores.

Finally, the candidates selected for artistic merit, through a different qualifying process, will not be introduced into the list until the Semifinalist level in April.

"Arts candidates enter the Presidential Scholars Program selection process at the semifinalist level. In April, the Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

I put this explanation in to say that each of the following DC schools have many excellent students who do not make the list. (Spoken from experience as a few years ago my DC was NMSF in a DC private school (we live in Maryland). DC took the SAT one time, earned a 2390/2400 and was done, but that was not a high enough score for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

When going through the list, please note that you will have to review the names from DC, Maryland, and Virginia, to get complete numbers. Also, one name from Georgetown Day School appears twice on the DC list, and I omitted the second reference from my tally.


Edmund Burke School -- 4


Georgetown Day School -- 8


Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School -- 1


National Cathedral School -- 6


Gonzaga College High School -- 1


St. Albans School -- 6


Sidwell Friends School -- 7


https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/2018/candidates.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The list of 2018 candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has been published.

Note that this honor -- unlike the National Merit Semifinalists (NMSF) -- is chosen based on the State (or the District) in which you live, and not the State (or District) in which your school is located. And while NMSF is selected based on your PSAT score from October of Junior year, the U.S. Presidential Scholars are chosen based on your highest SAT or ACT scores.

"The U.S. Department of Education then looks at test records for the top 30 males and top 30 females in each of the states/jurisdictions. For each examinee, the SAT score is converted to the ACT Sum of Scores, according to a concordance table. Each individual examinee's highest test score (in a single test administration ) is identified, and duplicates and/or lower scores are dropped."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

By way of explanation, in most large, and/or competitive States (e.g., California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia), you can assume that the top 30 males and the top 30 females in those States will all have earned a perfect 1600 SAT score (or concordance tables will equate that with a perfect 36 ACT score). In fact there will be more than 30 individuals in those States who earned either a 1600 SAT score or a 36 ACT score, and all of them will be U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates. In the District, some smaller (e.g., Wyoming) and/or less competitive States (e.g., Arkansas) the top 30 SAT scores may/will likely dip below a perfect 1600 (and thus accordingly will the qualifying ACT score based on concordance tables). So, for example, DC might have 12 female students per year earning a perfect 1600, 17 earning a 1590, and with 1 spot still available, any female student earning a 1580 would also be a candidate. Also, for some reason, a majority of candidates from each State (or the District) qualify for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program on the basis of their ACT scores.

Finally, the candidates selected for artistic merit, through a different qualifying process, will not be introduced into the list until the Semifinalist level in April.

"Arts candidates enter the Presidential Scholars Program selection process at the semifinalist level. In April, the Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

I put this explanation in to say that each of the following DC schools have many excellent students who do not make the list. (Spoken from experience as a few years ago my DC was NMSF in a DC private school (we live in Maryland). DC took the SAT one time, earned a 2390/2400 and was done, but that was not a high enough score for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

When going through the list, please note that you will have to review the names from DC, Maryland, and Virginia, to get complete numbers. Also, one name from Georgetown Day School appears twice on the DC list, and I omitted the second reference from my tally.


Edmund Burke School -- 4


Georgetown Day School -- 8


Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School -- 1


National Cathedral School -- 6


Gonzaga College High School -- 1


St. Albans School -- 6


Sidwell Friends School -- 7


https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/2018/candidates.pdf

And I forgot to include:


Washington International School -- 1

[Anonymous]

I know many students who are satisfied with a 1580, 1590 SAT score (in one sitting), and call it a day. Who wouldn't?
But I also know other students who try once or twice more for the perfect 1600 SAT score, or 36 ACT score, you need to earn to qualify for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program if you live in MD or VA.

[Anonymous]

You must have wasted quite a bit of time "reviewing" each state when you could easily have just Ctrl + F whatever school you were looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You must have wasted quite a bit of time "reviewing" each state when you could easily have just Ctrl + F whatever school you were looking for.

If OP had done that, as I just did, they might have looked only at the denominator in the search box, as I did, and failed to notice that one of the GDS names was accidentally repeated on the list. There appeared to be nine GDS candidates per the search results, when there were actually eight. I prefer accuracy to speed. We are such a nice cohort, aren't we, someone takes the time to compile a helpful list and explanation, and all we can do is criticize them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list of 2018 candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has been published.

Note that this honor -- unlike the National Merit Semifinalists (NMSF) -- is chosen based on the State (or the District) in which you live, and not the State (or District) in which your school is located. And while NMSF is selected based on your PSAT score from October of Junior year, the U.S. Presidential Scholars are chosen based on your highest SAT or ACT scores.

"The U.S. Department of Education then looks at test records for the top 30 males and top 30 females in each of the states/jurisdictions. For each examinee, the SAT score is converted to the ACT Sum of Scores, according to a concordance table. Each individual examinee's highest test score (in a single test administration ) is identified, and duplicates and/or lower scores are dropped."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

By way of explanation, in most large, and/or competitive States (e.g., California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia), you can assume that the top 30 males and the top 30 females in those States will all have earned a perfect 1600 SAT score (or concordance tables will equate that with a perfect 36 ACT score). In fact there will be more than 30 individuals in those States who earned either a 1600 SAT score or a 36 ACT score, and all of them will be U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates. In the District, some smaller (e.g., Wyoming) and/or less competitive States (e.g., Arkansas) the top 30 SAT scores may/will likely dip below a perfect 1600 (and thus accordingly will the qualifying ACT score based on concordance tables). So, for example, DC might have 12 female students per year earning a perfect 1600, 17 earning a 1590, and with 1 spot still available, any female student earning a 1580 would also be a candidate. Also, for some reason, a majority of candidates from each State (or the District) qualify for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program on the basis of their ACT scores.

Finally, the candidates selected for artistic merit, through a different qualifying process, will not be introduced into the list until the Semifinalist level in April.

"Arts candidates enter the Presidential Scholars Program selection process at the semifinalist level. In April, the Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

I put this explanation in to say that each of the following DC schools have many excellent students who do not make the list. (Spoken from experience as a few years ago my DC was NMSF in a DC private school (we live in Maryland). DC took the SAT one time, earned a 2390/2400 and was done, but that was not a high enough score for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

When going through the list, please note that you will have to review the names from DC, Maryland, and Virginia, to get complete numbers. Also, one name from Georgetown Day School appears twice on the DC list, and I omitted the second reference from my tally.


Edmund Burke School -- 4


Georgetown Day School -- 8


Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School -- 1


National Cathedral School -- 6


Gonzaga College High School -- 1


St. Albans School -- 6


Sidwell Friends School -- 7


https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/2018/candidates.pdf

And I forgot to include:


Washington International School -- 1

And 4 from Maret. And 5 from School Without Walls. And 8 from E.L. Haynes. Etc., etc.

[Anonymous]

The list of 2018 candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has been published.

Note that this honor -- unlike the National Merit Semifinalists (NMSF) -- is chosen based on the State (or the District) in which you live, and not the State (or District) in which your school is located. And while NMSF is selected based on your PSAT score from October of Junior year, the U.S. Presidential Scholars are chosen based on your highest SAT or ACT scores.

"The U.S. Department of Education then looks at test records for the top 30 males and top 30 females in each of the states/jurisdictions. For each examinee, the SAT score is converted to the ACT Sum of Scores, according to a concordance table. Each individual examinee's highest test score (in a single test administration ) is identified, and duplicates and/or lower scores are dropped."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

By way of explanation, in most large, and/or competitive States (e.g., California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia), you can assume that the top 30 males and the top 30 females in those States will all have earned a perfect 1600 SAT score (or concordance tables will equate that with a perfect 36 ACT score). In fact there will be more than 30 individuals in those States who earned either a 1600 SAT score or a 36 ACT score, and all of them will be U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates. In the District, some smaller (e.g., Wyoming) and/or less competitive States (e.g., Arkansas) the top 30 SAT scores may/will likely dip below a perfect 1600 (and thus accordingly will the qualifying ACT score based on concordance tables). So, for example, DC might have 12 female students per year earning a perfect 1600, 17 earning a 1590, and with 1 spot still available, any female student earning a 1580 would also be a candidate. Also, for some reason, a majority of candidates from each State (or the District) qualify for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program on the basis of their ACT scores.

Finally, the candidates selected for artistic merit, through a different qualifying process, will not be introduced into the list until the Semifinalist level in April.

"Arts candidates enter the Presidential Scholars Program selection process at the semifinalist level. In April, the Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

I put this explanation in to say that each of the following DC schools have many excellent students who do not make the list. (Spoken from experience as a few years ago my DC was NMSF in a DC private school (we live in Maryland). DC took the SAT one time, earned a 2390/2400 and was done, but that was not a high enough score for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

When going through the list, please note that you will have to review the names from DC, Maryland, and Virginia, to get complete numbers. Also, one name from Georgetown Day School appears twice on the DC list, and I omitted the second reference from my tally.


Edmund Burke School -- 4


Georgetown Day School -- 8


Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School -- 1


Gonzaga College High School -- 1


Maret School -- 4


National Cathedral School -- 6


St. Albans School -- 6


Sidwell Friends School -- 7


https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/2018/candidates.pdf

[Anonymous]

The list of 2018 candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has been published.

Note that this honor -- unlike the National Merit Semifinalists (NMSF) -- is chosen based on the State (or the District) in which you live, and not the State (or District) in which your school is located. And while NMSF is selected based on your PSAT score from October of Junior year, the U.S. Presidential Scholars are chosen based on your highest SAT or ACT scores.

"The U.S. Department of Education then looks at test records for the top 30 males and top 30 females in each of the states/jurisdictions. For each examinee, the SAT score is converted to the ACT Sum of Scores, according to a concordance table. Each individual examinee's highest test score (in a single test administration ) is identified, and duplicates and/or lower scores are dropped."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

By way of explanation, in most large, and/or competitive States (e.g., California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia), you can assume that the top 30 males and the top 30 females in those States will all have earned a perfect 1600 SAT score (or concordance tables will equate that with a perfect 36 ACT score). In fact there will be more than 30 individuals in those States who earned either a 1600 SAT score or a 36 ACT score, and all of them will be U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates. In the District, some smaller (e.g., Wyoming) and/or less competitive States (e.g., Arkansas) the top 30 SAT scores may/will likely dip below a perfect 1600 (and thus accordingly will the qualifying ACT score based on concordance tables). So, for example, DC might have 12 female students per year earning a perfect 1600, 17 earning a 1590, and with 1 spot still available, any female student earning a 1580 would also be a candidate. Also, for some reason, a majority of candidates from each State (or the District) qualify for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program on the basis of their ACT scores.

Finally, the candidates selected for artistic merit, through a different qualifying process, will not be introduced into the list until the Semifinalist level in April.

"Arts candidates enter the Presidential Scholars Program selection process at the semifinalist level. In April, the Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of up to 20 Presidential Scholars in the Arts."

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/select.html

I put this explanation in to say that each of the following DC private schools have many excellent students who do not make the list. (Spoken from experience as a few years ago my DC was NMSF in a DC private school (we live in Maryland). DC took the SAT one time, earned a 2390/2400 and was done, but that was not a high enough score for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

When going through the private school list, please note that you will have to review the names from DC, Maryland, and Virginia, to get complete numbers. Also, one name from Georgetown Day School appears twice on the DC list, and I omitted the second reference from my tally.


Edmund Burke School -- 4


Georgetown Day School -- 8


Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School -- 1


Gonzaga College High School -- 1


Maret School -- 4


National Cathedral School -- 6


St. Albans School -- 6


Sidwell Friends School -- 7


Washington International School -- 1


https://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/2018/candidates.pdf

[Anonymous]

Five U.S. Presidential Scholars Program candidates from School Without Walls, and eight from E.L. Haynes Public Charter School is very impressive. Congratulations to the DC public schools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Five U.S. Presidential Scholars Program candidates from School Without Walls, and eight from E.L. Haynes Public Charter School is very impressive. Congratulations to the DC public schools!

That is impressive!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Five U.S. Presidential Scholars Program candidates from School Without Walls, and eight from E.L. Haynes Public Charter School is very impressive. Congratulations to the DC public schools!

That is impressive!

+2! Recently moved our kid to private, but definitely know some extremely bright, motivated classmates of hers in our EOTP public.

[Anonymous]

My kid was one but we are from public school. Congrats!

[Anonymous]

ONLY 1 FROM 42k holton arms?

[Anonymous]

Go Burke!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go Burke!

I agree, Edmund Burke School did quite well, tied with Maret School at four each.