Why did College Board make changes to the program in 2025?

The 2025 program offers three award designations. The new School Recognition Award along with the first-generation and rural and small-town awards position the National Recognition Program to continue helping high-achieving students of all backgrounds stand out on college and scholarship applications and higher ed members connect with remarkable students nationwide. The College Board discontinued race- and ethnicity-based awards in 2025. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruling prohibited the use of race in admissions. Recent legal and regulatory actions have further limited the utility of these awards for students and colleges.