461 high school juniors and seniors have earned 587 College Board National Recognition Awards for their exceptional academic achievement. The College Board National Recognition Program awards academic honors to high-performing students, helping them stand out to colleges and celebrate their hard work.
The 2025 College Board National Recognition Program offers three award designations:
School Recognition Award, a new addition that honors the top-performing students in high schools nationwide.
First-Generation Recognition Award, honoring students on track to be the first in their family to complete college.
Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award, which elevates students from high schools in smaller communities that are often less well known by colleges.
A full list of students earning recognitions. All 15 high Schools had students recognized:
- Bonita Springs High School
- Cape Coral High School
- Cypress Lake High School
- Dunbar High School
- East Lee County High School
- Estero High School
- Fort Myers High School
- Gateway High School
- Ida S. Baker High School
- Island Coast High School
- Lehigh Senior High School
- Mariner High School
- North Fort Myers High School
- Riverdale High School
- South Fort Myers High School
Students are eligible for national recognition in their 10th- and 11th-grade years. To qualify, students must:
- Take the PSAT/NMSQT™ (10th, 11th), PSAT™ 10 (10th), and/or AP Exams (by the end of 10th grade).
- Earn a cumulative GPA of B+ or higher (at least 3.3 or 87%−89%) by the time of submission.
- Demonstrate further academic achievement:
- Be one of the top 10% of test takers in their high school, among first-generation college students in their state, and/or among rural and small-town students in their state OR
- Earn 3 or higher on 2 or more distinct AP Exams in the 9th and/or 10th grade.