Big Changes to the 2025 College Board National Recognition Program
Hello, parents.
As you support your child through the college admissions process, you may be interested in opportunities beyond SAT and AP exams that offer official recognition of your child’s academic achievement. Today, I’d like to clearly explain the important updates to the College Board’s National Recognition Program that will take effect in 2025.
Recently, the College Board made significant changes to the way this recognition program operates. These changes are important for parents to understand, as they may affect your child’s eligibility and help highlight their accomplishments during the college application process.
🔍 Summary of Key Changes
❌ Elimination of Race/Ethnicity-Based Recognition
Starting in 2025, the following race and ethnicity-based recognitions will no longer be offered:
- African American/Black Recognition
- Hispanic/Latino Recognition
- Native American/Alaska Native Recognition
This may be disappointing news for some families. However, the College Board has redesigned the program to focus more on school environment and student background instead of race or ethnicity.
🏅 Three New Recognition Categories Introduced in 2025
- School Recognition Award
For top-performing students across high schools nationwide. - First-Generation Recognition Award
For students who will be the first in their family to graduate from college. - Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award
Highlights high-achieving students from under-resourced or less-populated regions.
These new categories aim to recognize a broader and more inclusive range of students by focusing on individual circumstances and academic environments.
📋 What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Students must meet all of the following conditions:
- Be in 10th or 11th grade
- Have taken at least one of the following assessments:
- PSAT/NMSQT (for 10th or 11th grade)
- PSAT 10 (for 10th grade)
- AP exams (by the end of 10th grade)
- Have a cumulative GPA of B+ or higher (at least 3.3 or 87–89%)
※ Note: According to Reddit discussions, some students who received A- grades still did not meet the GPA requirement due to how the GPA is calculated.
In addition, students must meet at least one of the following academic criteria:
- Score in the top 10% of test takers within their school or region
- Earn a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams taken during 8th, 9th, or 10th grade
📅 Application Process and Deadline
- Deadline to apply: Friday, June 27, 2025
- How to apply: Log in to BigFuture.org, check eligibility, and submit the application
※ Please note: There will be no deadline extension. Students must complete their application by the deadline in order to be considered.
🎯 Purpose and Expected Benefits of the Program
The main goal of this program is to identify academically successful students early and help them stand out in the college admissions and scholarship process.
According to Reddit users, this award does not guarantee admission to top-tier colleges like the Ivy League. However, it may serve as a valuable “stepping stone” when applying for prestigious scholarships and enrichment programs such as:
- Gates Scholarship
- Coolidge Scholarship
- Coca Cola Scholarship
- MITES, RISE, TASSP, USSYP, and more
💬 What Are People Saying Online?
Opinions about the College Board’s new direction are mixed:
- Supportive View: Some believe this is a positive step toward fairness, allowing students of all backgrounds to be judged by the same academic standards.
- Critical View: Others are concerned that removing race-based recognition may reduce opportunities for historically underrepresented students, who benefited from the previous system. They argue that this change could limit equal access rather than promote it.
- Practical View: Many agree that although this award may not carry elite prestige on its own, it’s still worth listing on a resume or college application and can open doors to additional opportunities.
✅ In Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Major Change | Removal of race/ethnicity-based awards; 3 new categories added |
| Main Requirements | PSAT or AP exam score + GPA of 3.3 or higher |
| Application Deadline | June 27, 2025 |
| How to Apply | Log in to BigFuture.org and verify eligibility |
| Benefit | A useful credential for college and scholarship applications |
📌 Final Thoughts
This recognition may not be your child’s “passport” to the Ivy League, but it can be an important milestone that formally acknowledges academic excellence and opens the door to even greater opportunities.
If your child may qualify, we strongly encourage you to check their eligibility and complete the application before the deadline.
If you have any questions or need guidance, please feel free to contact us anytime.
Thank you for reading.
Andy Lee
Elite Prep Suwanee powered by Elite Open School
📍 1291 Old Peachtree Rd, NW #127, Suwanee, GA 30024
🌐 eliteprep.com/suwanee
📧 andy.lee@eliteprep.com
📞 Tel & Text: 470.253.1004
🎥 www.youtube.com/@ElitePrepSuwanee
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