Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - National Student Poets Program vs YoungArts Programs

Comparing two elite arts opportunities. Both are awards for high school students.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - National Student Poets Program YoungArts Programs
Prestige Tier Tier 1 — Elite Tier 2 — Highly Competitive
Type Award Award
Organization Alliance for Young Artists & Writers YoungArts
Acceptance Rate Extremely competitive; exact percentage unknown but estimated <0.5% at national level. Approximately 150,000-200,000+ entries across all Scholastic categories annually; poetry is one category among many visual/literary arts. Approximately 6% selected as Winners; top 1% selected as Winners with Distinction
Applicants Specific number for poetry category not publicly available; Scholastic total submissions estimated at 150,000+ annually across all disciplines and regions Not publicly disclosed, but thousands nationally across all disciplines
Deadline
Cost to Apply Free $0
US Only Yes Yes
Grades Grades 7-12 (high school and middle school students) Grades 10-12 or ages 15-18 (as of December 1, 2025)
College Impact National Student Poet selection is exceptionally prestigious for college admissions. Ivy League and top universities view this as one of the highest honors a young writer can achieve - equivalent to r... YoungArts is extremely prestigious in college admissions, particularly for arts-focused programs and for students applying to elite universities. It demonstrates exceptional artistic achievement and c...