WHS seniors named Presidential Scholar candidates

Aswin Bikkani, Nicholas Craven, Kartik Dhinakaran

Three Westlake High School seniors were named U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates.

Aswin Bikkani, Nicholas Craven and Kartik Dhinakaran are among 98 students from Ohio named candidates for this prestigious award. Each year, up to 141 students nationwide are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.

Application for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is by invitation only. Students must score exceptionally well on either the SAT or ACT and submit candidacy materials, including essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports and transcripts. Candidates are evaluated on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities, and an analysis of their essay.

In late March, about 560 semifinalists – six to 20 from each state – are chosen by an independent national committee of educators. The Commission on Presidential Scholars makes the final selection of students – up to 121 academic scholars and up to 20 arts scholars – in April. One young man and one young woman are chosen from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and from families of U.S. citizens living abroad. In addition, up to 15 students are chosen at large.
 
Students chosen as U.S. Presidential Scholars receive an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in June and the U.S. Presidential Scholars medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House.

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Volume 7, Issue 5, Posted 9:36 AM, 03.03.2015