Presidential Scholars

The Presidential Scholars Program is a recognition program honoring outstanding graduating high school seniors. It was put in place in 1964 by an Executive Order from President Lyndon Johnson. At that time, he emphasized that this program should do more than reward excellence. It should also be a means of nourishing excellence. The program was to be a way to stimulate achievement. It was hoped that having such a program would give students a goal to work toward during their high school years. This entry describes the Presidential Scholars Program's goals, the process of application, and the characteristics of Presidential Scholars.

Students who score extremely high on either the SAT or the ACT are invited to apply for the program. Candidates are evaluated on their academic ...