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

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

YoungArts Programs Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - National Student Poets Program
Prestige Tier Tier 2 — Highly Competitive Tier 1 — Elite
Type Award Award
Organization YoungArts Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Acceptance Rate Approximately 6% selected as Winners; top 1% selected as Winners with Distinction 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.
Applicants Not publicly disclosed, but thousands nationally across all disciplines Specific number for poetry category not publicly available; Scholastic total submissions estimated at 150,000+ annually across all disciplines and regions
Deadline
Cost to Apply $0 Free
US Only Yes Yes
Grades Grades 10-12 or ages 15-18 (as of December 1, 2025) Grades 7-12 (high school and middle school students)
College Impact 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... 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...