If FIRST doesn't want to choose between College Recognition and Accomplished Student Recognition, why not make two different awards? Make the Dean's List into what they have as of today - an award intended to aid exemplary students in their college efforts, and make another award (for the purpose of this post, I will call it the Student Role-Model Award) that recognizes great achievement and accomplishment in FIRST.

The Dean's List award could be focused on Sophomore and Junior students working on the college process, and the Student Role-Model award would be achievable by students of all grade levels, from the super enthusiastic and driven freshman, to the accomplished and well-known seniors, and everyone in between.