With a master's degree in finance from the University of Florida, Emma Whitner was a diving athlete who competed for her school team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship. Having attained a personal best of 494.50 points in 2021's NCAA Zone B championship, Emma Whitner understands the various elements of judging in diving.

In scoring at diving competitions, judges look at five key areas and award points (between 1-10) based on how well participants perform. A score of zero shows complete failure, 0.5-2 unsatisfactory performance, 2.5-4.5 deficient performance, 5-6.5 average, 7-8 above average, 8.5-9.5 very good, and a ten is excellent. Usually, judges discard the highest and lowest scores, as they don't accurately reflect the diver's performance. The judges then summate the remaining scores and multiply them by the dive's complexity.

One element that judges look out for is the position the divers start in and how well they perform based on the chosen position. Judges also expect divers to have a good approach, i.e., taking at least three steps on the platform or springboard before diving. Divers must also show excellent coordination at takeoff and good timing and positioning in the air to execute the rest of the dive safely and accurately.

Judges also check the diver's flight while awarding points. Divers may get good flight scores by having their legs together and bodies well-aligned as they jump into the water. Flight scores may also include the number of good rotations a diver performs.

Another element that judges look out for is the entry point of the participants' bodies into the water. Judges will check if the arms are extended and in line with the body and if the participant's body is vertical and straight as they enter the water.