ABC Announces The Scholar Premiere June 6th  5/24/05

THE SCHOLAR PREMIERE - TEN GIFTED HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS COME TOGETHER IN LOS ANGELES TO COMPETE FOR A FULL RIDE TO THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE, ON THE SERIES PREMIERE OF ABC'S "THE SCHOLAR"

The opportunity of a lifetime is about to come true for one of America's best and brightest high school students in an original, one-hour unscripted series that will send that student to college, all expenses paid. For the chance at a full ride to the school of their choice, ten qualified high school seniors -- who might not otherwise have the means or opportunity to attend one of America's top universities -- will compete for a full scholarship, a prize valued at up to $240,000, in six one-hour episodes of "The Scholar," premiering MONDAY, JUNE 6 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

In the premiere, "Episode 101," ten high school students arrive at the Los Angeles house where they will live for the next few weeks. They begin their intensive one-on-one interviews with an Ivy League scholarship committee, and already alliances and tensions begin to form as they become acquainted as roommates and competitors. Each week contestants take a pressure-filled, timed, written exam. Those with the two highest scores put their leadership skills to the test by choosing teams and guiding their groups through a series of math and physics challenges, all while the judges are evaluating every move. Finally, three of the contestants face off in a sudden death oral exam for a separate, $50,000 cash award which they can apply toward their college fund and which will qualify them for a spot in the finals and a chance at the grand prize of $240,000.

Filmed on location at the University of Southern California, "The Scholar" will be the first show ever to celebrate higher education as the ultimate American prize. "The Scholar" will present this very exciting opportunity to the following ten students:

Max C., Oakland, CA Alyssa D., Yuba City, CA Amari H., St. Charles, MO Melissa H., Tarzana, CA Davis L., Memphis, TN Scot P., New Freedom, PA Gerald T., Commerce, TX Jeremy T., Westminster, CA Elizabeth W., Buhl, ID Milana Z., Fresh Meadows, NY

The grand prize, valued at up to $240,000, will be donated by The Broad Foundation.

Hosted by Rob Nelson ("The Rob Nelson Show"), "The Scholar" is filmed in and around the Los Angeles-based campus of the University of Southern California. The Ivy League scholarship committee consists of Marquesa Lawrence from University of California at Berkeley, and Shawn Abbott and Peter Johnson from Columbia University.

"The Scholar," produced by Bunim-Murray Productions, Martin/Stein and Carsey-Werner, is a concept based on an original idea by Jaye Pace, Shannon Meairs and Waxman Williams Entertainment. Steve Martin, Joan Stein, Jon Murray, Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner serve as executive producers.

This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.