Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 18 and 28. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on these competition segments with the following scoring percentages:
Private Interview (30%) â a 10-minute press conference-style interview with a panel of judges,
On Stage Question (10%) â answering of a judge's question while onstage,
Talent or HER Story (20%) â a performance talent or 90 second speech,
Health and Fitness (20%) â contestants demonstrate physical fitness onstage while dressed in athletic wear, and
Evening Gown (20%) â contestants model evening-wear onstage.