Below are the judging criteria and areas of competition for the San Diego's Outstanding Teen Scholarship Pageant:

Scoring is based on contestant's skill and personality, interpretive ability, technical skill level, stage presence and the totality of all elements, including costume, props, voice, use of body and choreography.

Presentation & Community Achievement (Private Interview) - 35% of total score (At the state and national competition this will be 30% of total score)
Each contestant participates in an individual 8-minute interview, which includes a 30-second closing statement. There are typically 5 to 7 judges on a panel, and the interview is press-style, with the contestant standing at a podium. Contestants are questioned on their background as presented on their fact sheet, their educational and career goals, and their interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities. 

Scoring is based on overall communication skills, including personality, intelligence, validated opinions, emotional control, overall first impression and personal appearance.

Scholastic Achievement - Not Judged at Local Level (At the state and national competition this will be 5% of total score)
Academic Judges will review each contestant's resume and official transcripts. Scoring will be based on the following questions:

1) Has this student maintained at least a “B” average during the past academic year?
2) Would her academic achievements place her in the top 10% of your (the judges’) institution?
3) Is she taking Advanced, AP, or IB courses?
4) Does she hold leadership positions in her school and extracurricular activities?
5) Based on the information before you, do you believe this student would meet the description of an “outstanding student”?

On-stage Question - 5% of total score (At the state and national competition this will also be 5% of total score)
Questions will be of a general nature and will be neither platform-related nor something taken directly from the private interview. The objective is to evaluate the contestant's ability to think on her feet and answer a question of general interest to people her age, including, but not limited to, local, state, and national current events.

Scoring is based on overall first impression and extemporaneous response to an on-stage question, contestant's ability to answer the question in the context in which it was asked, contestant's ability to handle the pressure of speaking on stage in front of an audience, and if young people see her as a role model who is reflective of today's generation.

Lifestyle and Fitness in Sportswear - 10% of total score (At the state and national competition this will also be 10% of total score)
Each contestant briefly appears on-stage (up to 30 seconds)
modeling sportswear (ex. workout outfit)

Scoring is based on overall first impression, statement of strong physical fitness and health, sense of attractiveness and presence, display of energy, charisma and expression, sense of confidence and composure. The fitness of the teen, by the shape of her body, is not being judged. Instead, her level of pursuit and dedication to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is being evaluated.

Presence and Poise in Evening Wear - 15% of total score (At the state and national competition this will also be 15% of total score)
Each contestant appears on-stage in an outfit of her own choosing, representative of what she would wear to a prom or other formal event. Although contestants typically wear ball or evening gowns, pantsuits, tea-length dresses, and cocktail dresses are all appropriate for this phase of the competition.

Scoring is based on overall first impression, sense of confidence, personality and stage presence, walk, posture, carriage and grace, appropriateness of attire and sense of style, sense of attractiveness, beauty and charm.

* Top Five - Final Ballot (The state and national competition will also use the Final Ballot)
From the above 100%, the Top Five Finalists will be named. The Top Five Finalists enter the final round of competition with zero points. The judges will then rank the contestants in the order they individually believe the contestants should finish on a Final Ballot.

Each judge will rank the Top Five contestants on a Final Ballot. A first place vote is worth ten points, a second place vote is worth five points, a third place vote is worth three points, a fourth place vote is worth two points and a fifth place vote is worth one point . The total of the Final Ballots alone will determine the outcome of the pageant. The high and low scores on the Final Ballot will NOT be dropped. All judges’ votes count on the Final Ballot.

* Based upon contestant participation in the competition year, the Miss San Diego Scholarship Pageant Committee reserves the right to announce the Top 3 Finalists.