Understanding the College Board School Recognition Award: Requirements and Benefits

The College Board National Recognition Program is designed to award academic honors to high-performing students, helping them to gain recognition from colleges and celebrate their academic achievements. This program acknowledges the hard work of students from diverse backgrounds across the nation. The awards are based on the students’ performance on the PSAT/NMSQT (taken in 10th or 11th grade), PSAT 10 (taken in 10th grade), or AP Exams (taken in 8th, 9th, or 10th grade).

Eligibility for the College Board National Recognition Program

The College Board National Recognition Program identifies and celebrates high-achieving students, including those from less well-known high schools. Colleges are often very interested in recruiting these students. Eligible students can showcase their academic achievements to colleges and their communities by claiming a National Recognition Program award.

Students become eligible for awards based on the following criteria:

Scoring in the top 10% of PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 test-takers in their high school.
Being among their state's first-generation test-takers.
Being among their state's rural and small-town test-takers.

Sophomores in the class of 2027 and juniors in the class of 2026 may be eligible for the awards. Students nationwide can be considered for several award designations under the National Recognition Program, including the School Recognition Award, the First-Generation Recognition Award, and the Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award.

Types of Recognition Awards Offered by the College Board

The College Board National Recognition Program offers several types of awards to recognize the achievements of students from various backgrounds and circumstances. These awards include:

School Recognition Award: This new award recognizes the top-performing students in high schools across the nation.
First-Generation Recognition Award: This award honors students who are on track to be the first in their family to complete college. To qualify, students must confirm their parental education level.
Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award: This award elevates students from high schools in smaller communities that are often less well-known by colleges.

Eligible students of all backgrounds are announced in the fall for these awards.

How Schools Can Celebrate Awardees

Educators across the country celebrate awardees both in school and throughout the community, recognizing the academic achievements of both the individual students and the school. Here are some ways to celebrate students who receive the award:

Create School and Community Announcements: Use the celebration toolkit to celebrate awardees on social media, in district newsletters, or in press releases to local media.
Showcase Students on Social Media: When posting on social media, use provided graphics to celebrate National Recognition Programs awardees.
College Recruitment: When students opt-in, they may hear from colleges and universities that want to recruit awardees like them.

Accessing the List of Awarded Students

Educators with Detailed Reporting access can find a complete list of National Recognition Program awardees in the Individual Student Reports section of the K-12 Reporting Portal. For questions about access, contact school administrators. For questions about the National Recognition Program, contact customer service.

Benefits of the College Board National Recognition Program

The College Board National Recognition Program offers numerous benefits to students, schools, and colleges alike.

Benefits for Students

Increased Visibility: The program helps high-achieving students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds and lesser-known schools, stand out to colleges and scholarship programs.
Tangible Recognition: Awardees receive a tangible way to showcase their academic achievements to colleges and their communities.
College Recruitment Opportunities: By opting into the Student Search Service, awardees can be identified and contacted directly by colleges looking to recruit talented students.
Personal Pride and Motivation: Receiving the award can be a significant source of pride and motivation for students, reinforcing their ability to succeed in higher education.

Benefits for Schools

Recognition of Academic Excellence: The awards reflect the academic achievements of both the individual students and the school as a whole.
Enhanced School Reputation: Celebrating awardees can enhance the school's reputation within the community and attract more high-achieving students.
Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion: The program helps to highlight the achievements of students from diverse backgrounds, promoting a more inclusive school environment.

Benefits for Colleges

Identification of Talented Students: The program helps colleges identify and recruit talented students from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations.
Access to a Wider Pool of Applicants: By using the Student Search Service, colleges can reach students who might not have otherwise considered applying to their institution.
Support for Diversity Initiatives: Recruiting National Recognition Program awardees can help colleges meet their diversity goals and create a more inclusive student body.

The National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP)

The National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) recognizes outstanding Latino and Hispanic high school students. While it is not a scholarship program, it provides students with a certificate of recognition that can be shared with colleges or scholarship-granting organizations. The NHRP is the oldest of the College Board’s recognition programs, with more recent additions for Black, Indigenous, and rural students.

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NHRP Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the NHRP, students must meet the following criteria:

Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the time of application.
Identify as Latino or Hispanic in their College Board account.
Qualify based on PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 scores, or by achieving a score of 3 or higher on at least two AP Exams.

Previously, the NHRP was based exclusively on PSAT/NMSQT scores and capped the number of students who could qualify. However, the program has been updated to reflect a wider range of academic achievements and no longer has a cap on the number of recognized students.

How to Apply for NHRP

Students who have listed their Latino or Hispanic background in their College Board account will automatically be invited to apply for recognition based on their PSAT and AP scores. Applications for the class of 2025 and 2026 opened in Winter 2024. Students who receive recognition are notified in August 2024 and can also see their status in the My Profile section of BigFuture.

Additional Eligibility Details

To qualify for the First Generation Recognition Award, students must confirm parental education level.

How Colleges Use the National Recognition Program

Colleges rely on the Student Search Service to find students who are a good fit for their campus. When students opt into this service, colleges can identify and contact National Recognition Program awardees directly. This provides students with opportunities they might not have otherwise had.

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