Evaluate your student-media work with an NSPA critique. It’s one of the best ways to assess your strengths and your challenges, and it provides helpful advice on improving how you serve readers. As part of the critique process, all student media are scored in several categories, including coverage, writing and design. The composite score from all sections awards an honor rating ranging from Third Class to All-American. The All-American rating is the highest rating given in the critique service. Media earning 10 All American honor ratings in an 11-year span are inducted into the Hall of Fame.

When purchasing a critique, NSPA members have three options and select one —

Traditional critique ($119)

After reviewing your publication, the judge provides a written critique along with a score and honor rating. Results are available to the adviser on your membership portal.

The traditional critique is available for broadcast, literary arts magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, online and yearbook.

Annotated critique ($169)

After reviewing your publication, the judge provides a written critique along with a score and honor rating. Results are available to the adviser on your membership portal. Additional comments are placed directly within the publication or broadcast. Broadcast comments are delivered using VideoArt, a web-based video annotation tool. Newspaper/newsmagazine comments are placed as digital notes within the PDF file. Yearbook comments are written directly on the pages of the print publication.

The annotated critique is available for broadcast, newspaper/newsmagazine and yearbook.

Virtual critique ($149)

After reviewing your publication, the judge provides a score and honor rating. Results are available to the adviser on your membership portal. The judge provides comments during an interactive, one-hour virtual online session. The session is recorded and a video file is shared with the adviser.

The virtual critique is available for broadcast, literary arts magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, online and yearbook.

NSPA consultations

While an NSPA critique assists your overall publication, an NSPA consultation focuses on a specific topic of your choice in a 1-hour interaction.

The NSPA Hall of Fame represents sustained excellence by scholastic media. Its publications by earning 10 All-American ratings from the NSPA Critique Service within an 11-year span.