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Young Scholars: How to Apply

The Davidson Young Scholars program application is available online through our digital application system. Applications are reviewed year-round on a rolling basis. Once applications are complete, they are sent to review. Applicants can expect to hear back regarding a decision for their application within 6-weeks of their notification of completion. Please review the following application components that are required before an application is considered complete.

APPLICATION COMPONENTS

The application includes the following components:

  • Family Demographic Information
  • Parent Questionnaire: This section includes a series of questions to better understand how giftedness manifests in the applicant.
  • School Information: In this section, the application asks for the applicant’s current school, grade level, and education history.
  • Testing Requirements: An official and complete testing report must be uploaded as a PDF to the application. For more information, please see our Eligibility and Testing Requirements.
  • Supplemental Portfolio Requirements: Unless you are submitting testing that is over two years old, this section of the application is optional. If you are submitting testing that is more than two years old, a portfolio is required. While supplemental information will not override scores that fall significantly below the Testing Requirements, this section can be used to enhance the review committees understanding of the applicant’s abilities. For more information, please visit our Portfolio Information.
  • Parent Agreement Form(s): Digital signatures are required on Parent Agreement Form(s) from all persons sharing legal custody of the applicant. Applicants must provide contact information for all persons who share legal custody, regardless of any “physical custody” arrangements. Once the online application has been submitted, each person listed as having legal custody will be sent an email automatically that includes a link to a Parent Agreement Form. Each person with legal custody must fill out and submit a Parent Agreement Form before an application is considered complete.
  • Recommender Form: Applicants must provide the name and email address of an individual who can nominate the applicant for the Young Scholars Program.
    • The recommender cannot be related to the applicant. Family members cannot complete the Recommender Form.
    • The recommender cannot be the individual who administered the testing used in the application.
    • The recommender should be someone who can speak to the applicant’s academic and extreme intellectual abilities.

Possible recommenders include teachers, instructors, extracurricular activity leaders, librarians, mentors, coaches, or tutors.

Once an application has been submitted, an email will be sent to the recommender with a link to a Recommender Form. The recommender must fill out and submit a Recommender Form before an application is considered complete

When the Recommender Form has been submitted, a notification of receipt will be emailed to both the Recommender and the parent/guardians included on the application.

HOW TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION PROCESS

After reviewing the application components, please refer to the following steps to complete the application process.

Step 1: Create an account in the application system.

Create an account and access the Young Scholars Application >

If you already applied for a Davidson Institute program using the Davidson Application System, you may use the same login information to apply for the Davidson Young Scholars program.

Step 2: Prepare application materials.

  • Testing report of test listed on Eligibility and Testing page
  • Portfolio information (optional unless testing is between two to four years old)
  • Name and email for a recommender who will complete the Recommender Form

Step 3: Fill out and submit application.

All components must be completed before you can submit the application. This includes completion of the Parent Agreement Form(s) and the Recommender Form. Custodial parents and recommenders will receive emails with links to complete their respective forms. The application will not be considered complete until all these forms have been received by the Davidson Institute.

Step 4: Application is reviewed by the Davidson Institute.

Applications are available year round and considered on a rolling basis. Once the application is complete, the application will go to review. Important Note: Applications are not considered complete until all custodial parents have signed and submitted a Parent Agreement Form, and the Recommender Form has been submitted.

Step 5: Receive application decision.

You will be notified if your application has been accept within six weeks of when your application is considered complete. Please do not contact staff to check on an applicant’s status during the review month as this delays the process for all applicants.

See our Frequently Asked Questions for additional application information or please contact ysapplications@davidsongifted.org for assistance.