Two Tennessee Homeschool Students Nominated as 2024 Presidential Scholars Candidates

February 13, 2024March 2, 2024 tnhomeschoolers East TN, Middle TN

UPDATE 2/22/24: The application deadline has been extended due to the nationwide cellphone outage. All components of the application must now be received by Friday, February 23, 2024, at 5 p.m. CST (6pm EST/3pm PST) .

Tennessee homeschool students, Isaac Cheng of Nashville and James W. Underwood of Powell, are two of 54 homeschool students across the country and two of 77 students in the State of Tennessee who have been nominated as 2024 Presidential Scholars candidates. They are being considered along with hundreds of other homeschool, public school, and private school students across the country to be officially named one of the up to 161 Presidential Scholars come May 2024.

In 1964, the Presidential Scholars Program was established by an executive order by President Lyndon B. Johnson to recognize high school seniors for their academic achievement, leadership, and their commitment to their community. The United States Department of Education considers students in each state who scored high on the ACT or SAT for nomination. The Presidential Scholars Program is by invitation only, so all high achievers are not guaranteed to be nominated. Although not a scholarship program, the recognition and prestige that comes with being named a Presidential Scholar is reason enough for students to want to be awarded the Presidential medallion. Nominated students have until Thursday, February 22, 2024*, to submit their application to be considered as a semi-finalist in April. The list of the 2024 Presidential Scholars will be published in May.

The window for ACT or SAT scores that were considered for the nomination process were from tests taken from August 2020 through October 2023. If a nominated student is registered as an independent homeschool student, either their local education agency (LEA), or a parent/guardian may complete the Secondary School Report (SSR) form in the capacity of a school official and not a parent. If a student is registered with an umbrella school or an accredited online (private) school, they should check with their school for guidance.

*The application for the nominated 2024 Presidential Scholars closes on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT). Application requirements are strict and must be followed completely. Failure to follow the application instructions can lead to ineligibility.

In the past, Presidential Scholar recipients received an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. and were presented with a medallion at a special ceremony sponsored by the White House. Now, all Presidential Scholars are recognized during an online National Recognition Program.

Learn more about the Presidential Scholars Program.