Become a Contestant:

Eligibility:

Any born female who is a resident of, or working, or attending a school, in San Francisco, plus students who attend the University of California, Berkeley. She must have lived or worked six months prior to the competition. If claiming eligibility as a student, she must have completed one semester prior to the competition date.
Must be a United States citizen and California resident for at least six months prior to competition date.
May not be any younger than age 17 by the date of the Miss San Francisco competition, and not older than age 24 by the national finals.
Must not be married, never have been married, and never have had a marriage annulled. Must never have given birth to a child, can not be pregnant or be a parent.
Must agree, that if selected Miss San Francisco, she will participate in the Miss California pageant, and will abide by all the rules and regulations governing that pageant. If selected Miss California, she must agree to participate in the Miss America 2007-8 Pageant and will abide by the rules and regulations governing that pageant.
Must be willing to release, unconditionally and forever, any claim against Miss San Francisco, its parent and affiliated or related organizations and their respective officers, directors, partners, employees, agents and assigns, which they may have by virtue of their participation in their local pageant, or by any use of their name, likeness, voice, and/or biography in connection with their state pageant, including use in promotional and advertising material.
Additional eligibility requirement may apply.

Miss San Francisco's Areas of Competition

Contestants in the Miss SF's Competition are evaluated in the following areas:

Private Interview (25% of total score)

Each contestant participates in an individual 10-minute press conference-style interview with our panel of judges (12 minutes at the state and national competitions). There are typically 5 to 7 judges on a panel. Contestants are questioned on their background as presented on their fact sheet, their educational and career goals, their opinions on current events and social issues, and their interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities.

Scoring is based on:

Qualities and attributes of a Miss America
Overall first impression
Validated aspirations, opinions and responses in context
Poise, personal appearance and attractiveness
Personality, intelligence, style and emotional control
Confident and commanding presence
Knowledge, understanding and ability to articulate her platform issue
Sense of accomplishment
Ability to fulfill job responsibilities of Miss Local/Miss California

Talent (35% of total score)

Contestants perform a 90-second routine of their own choosing. Some possible talents include all types of singing, dancing, gymnastics, instrumental music, dramatic or comedy monologues, baton twirling and ventriloquism. Other talents that can be performed solo on a stage are also possible. Phone or e-mail us if you have a question about your talent presentation.

Scoring is based on:

Talent selection and performance, as it distinguishes both the contestant's skills and personality
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)

Lifestyle & Fitness In Swimsuit (15% of total score)

Each contestant briefly appears on stage in a one- or two-piece swimsuit and footwear of her own choosing. Swimsuits must be approved prior to competition by the Executive Director of the pageant.

Scoring is based on:

Qualities and attributes of a Miss America
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

On-Stage Question (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
Extemporaneous response to on-stage question
Did the contestant answer the question in the context in which it was asked?
Can she handle the pressure of speaking on stage in front of an audience?
Will young people see her as a role model who is reflective of today's generation?

Evening Wear (20% of total score)

Each contestant appears on stage in an outfit of her own choosing, representative of what she would wear to a formal "after five" social event. Pant suits, cocktail dresses and evening gowns are all appropriate for this phase of the competition.

Scoring is based on:

Qualities and attributes of a Miss America
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

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.

Qualities and attributes of a Miss America
Overall first impression
Validated aspirations, opinions and responses in context
Poise, personal appearance and attractiveness
Personality, intelligence, style and emotional control
Speech, vocabulary and grammar
Confident and commanding presence
Knowledge, understanding and ability to articulate her platform issue
Sense of accomplishment
Ability to fulfill job responsibilities of Miss San Francisco/Miss California/Miss America

Miss San Francisco's Outstanding Teenager Areas of Competition

Contestants in the Miss SF's Outstanding Teenager Competition are evaluated in the following areas:

Private Interview (35% of total score)

At the local level, each contestant participates in an individual interview lasting up to 8 minutes. Interviews are 8 minutes at the state competition and 10 minutes at the national competition. 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. Community Service (platform) is required.

Lifestyle and Fitness (10% of total score)

Each contestant briefly appears on-stage (up to 30 seconds) modeling sportswear of her choosing that represents something she does to stay fit. The Executive Director of the competition must approve workout attire prior to competition. Workout attire must be age-appropriate, and typical of what a teenager would wear to workout at the gym. An example of workout attire includes sweats, leggings or shorts with a tank top or half top and tennis shoes. Swimsuits and clothing specifically for dance, such as a leotard are not permitted.

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.

Talent (35% of total score)

Contestants perform a 2-minute routine of their own choosing. Some possible talents include all types of singing, dancing, gymnastics, instrumental music, dramatic or comedy monologues, baton twirling and ventriloquism. Other talents that can be performed solo on a stage are also possible. Phone or e-mail us if you have a question about your talent presentation.

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.

Personal Appearance/Poise in Evening Wear (20% 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

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.