[Roushey]

It is indeed true that the national judges rank storyline above looks. From watching winning animations from past years, I’d assume this ratio to be close to 75% content, 25% looks. (My personal preference is a 50/50 split, but *shrug*) Anyways, I like the student judging, but think it should not completely decide the fate of the winners. Perhaps the student judging could be used in conjunction with mentor-based evaluation? (Granted there aren't enough mentors to go around as is)

But long story short, I’d like to keep the student judging in the mix. It’s a great way to get feedback instantly from your peers, and it saves FIRST some headaches.