Tick-tock, tick-tock—what’s that sound? College applications are getting closer. If you’re in the latter half of your high school years, you’ll probably find yourself thinking about college more and more every day. The good news is, rather than obsessively worrying about or anticipating what’s going to happen next, there are some concrete things you can do to prepare yourself. One of them is strategically entering essay competitions. As you navigate the complex world of essay contests and academic journals, you might find yourself wondering which essay contests or journals are the best fit for you. We’re here to help you narrow down your list so you maximize your learning experience, develop critical skills that will help you in the future, and add impressive items to your college resume. We like to make it simple by thinking about essay competitions using the following categories: 1) “Challenge,” 2) “Accomplishment,” and 3) “Reward,” or “CAR.” Here are the essay competitions we recommend to eleventh and twelfth graders, based on “CAR”: The Journal of Student Research (JSR) (https://www.jsr.org/hs/index.php/path) Challenge: JSR accepts Review Articles from 11th graders and Research Projects from 12th graders, meaning that students learn how to conduct primary and secondary research while learning how to structure their work in a traditional research paper format.Accomplishment: Publishing a paper in JSR is a great way to let colleges know you are committed to learning more about topics that interest you! It also shows that you have the ability to do high-quality research.Reward: Learning how to research and write for academic journals is a skill you will need throughout college and beyond. Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest (https://aynrand.org/students/essay-contests/atlas-shrugged/) Challenge: Students can write 800 to 1,600-word essays that respond to prompts on Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand’s longest published book, which contains deep philosophical insights and reflections on free will and rationality Accomplishment: Ayn Rand awards just one grand prize essay each year—if your essay is chosen, the highly selective nature of the competition will easily impress college admissions boards. But just submitting an essay shows your dedication to critical thinking and philosophy.Reward: Dissecting Atlas Shrugged helps students develop both literary analysis and philosophical insights, which can improve their essay writing skills as whole. International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO) (http://www.philosophy-olympiad.org/?page_id=1706) Challenge: The IPO consists of participation in a series of national delegations that involve dissecting complex philosophical prompts related to epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and logic.Accomplishment: As the IPO is internationally renowned, recognition is an excellent way to show colleges your high level of philosophical thought and ability to put it into writing.Reward: Learning how to craft philosophical essays is a great way for students to understand the role of logic, as well as how to evaluate and refine their unique points of view. It could even help you write personal essays for colleges! Columbia Undergraduate Law Review High School Essay Contest (CULR) (https://www.culawreview.org/high-school-essay-contest) ' Challenge: The CULR asks students to respond to an annual prompt that explores a critical essay related to the law and current events. The prompts are often highly thought-provoking.Accomplishment: As it is affiliated with Columbia, submitting an essay to CULR is a great way to get your foot in the proverbial “Ivy League” door, and let these colleges know you are capable of thinking on their level!Reward: Writing an essay for CULR can help students who are interested in studying law or related fields develop research and persuasive writing skills that will prepare them for their future careers. As American civil rights activist Malcolm X once said, “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” Rather than letting yourself get worked up about whether or not you’ll get accepted into your dream school, we recommend that you make the most of the opportunities at hand, expand your intellectual horizon, and build valuable skills as you do so. What are you waiting for? The clock is ticking!
