Consistent with the job responsibilities and the Miss America philosophy of judging, women are being sought with the best composite of the following attributes and qualities of Miss America – a woman of these times:

~Role model who cares about her role and other women’s roles in societies
~An ambassador and public relations representative of the Miss America Organization
~A woman made beautiful by a confident and commanding presence
~Talented and intellectual
~Independent and eloquent communicator with the courage of her convictions
~Accomplished individual who represents a composite of the “Best of Modern Women”
~A leader by virtue of her experiences
~One who takes personal pride in physical fitness and health

These are open titles and therefore all women who fit these requirements are welcome to compete.

To compete, you must...

• Be between 17 and 24.
• Be a United States citizen.
• Meet residency requirements as outlined by the local you are competing in.
• Meet character criteria as set forth by the Miss America Organization.
• Be in reasonably good health to meet the job requirements.
• Be able to meet the time commitment and job responsibilities as set forth by the local program in which you compete.

As a part of the Miss America Organization, contestants are required to raise a minimum $100 for the Miss America National Platform of the Children's Miracle Network. 

Contestants may go online to http://www.missamerica4kids.org. Search for the Miss Minneapolis/ Miss St. Paul pageant to begin fundraising! For more information about our national platform, visit the Children's Miracle Network page to hear more about the story of our partnership with this very noteworthy organization. 

Private Interview: 25%
The judges’ panel will meet each contestant for a private interview.  The judges will ask questions for 10 minutes.  After the ten minutes are complete, the contestant will have 30 seconds to “add” additional information, expand on an area of the interview, or highlight something that did not get covered in the interview (optional).  

Criteria for Scoring:
Overall “First Impression”
“Naturalness” and relevance that would be of interest to her peers and to the Miss America constituents and markets
Strong communication competencies (speech, vocabulary, grammar
Validated aspirations, opinions and responses
Personality, personal appearance, attractiveness and physical beauty
Leadership and sense of accomplishment
Knowledge of and commitment to a community service advocacy issue
Qualities, abilities and sincere desire to be Miss America

On-Stage Question: 5%
Criteria for Scoring: 
Overall “First Impression”
Ability to articulate both a sincere, engaging personality and her opinions
Confidence and stage presence
Ability to answer question in the time allotted and in context
Do people want to listen to her?
Potential spokesperson for the Miss America Organization


Talent: 35%  
Criteria for Scoring:
True talent and entertainment abilities
Interpretive ability
Technical skill level (execution, technique, synchronization, control)
Stage presence and on-stage personality
Totality of all elements (including costume, props, voice, use of body, choreography)

Evening Wear: 20%
Criteria for Scoring:
Overall “First Impression”
A beautiful demeanor and presence
Sense of confidence and stage presence
Walk, posture, carriage and grace
Style and personality
Appropriate, contemporary evening wear
The contestant’s total look
 
Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit; 15%
Criteria for Scoring: 
Overall “First Impression”
Physically fit
Sense of confidence and presence
Drive, energy, charisma and composure
The swimsuit and the young woman should complement each other

Contestants must complete the following documents.

• Resume
  
• Platform Statement
  
• Notarized Contestant Contract
  
• Mailing Information Form
• Talent Request Form
• Head shot

Once these forms are complete, contact Jodi Bostrom. All completed forms must be filed to Jodi by September 15th.  
Email Jodi for addresses and shipping requirements: Jkbostrom@gmail.com

Instructions for these documents and examples are available below.