This contest is open to all 10th-12th grade high school students, and multiple prizes will be awarded. We invite you to enter today!
Contest Details
- Word Count: 500-1000 word essay
- Submission Deadline: January 15, 2025
- Citation Format: Turabian
*All essays must be submitted through the application link.
Use of AI:
(a) A.I. should not be used in any way in the writing of the essay and (b) finalists will be contacted for a brief interview about their papers.
Essay Prompt
Individualism—understood as rugged self-reliance and an independent spirit—is a time-honored principle of American identity. However, a focus on the individual can also encourage self-absorption, which leads to poor life choices and societal decay. What is the best way to think about individualism as you prepare to step into adulthood? How can your generation avoid the pitfalls of self-obsession while promoting a virtuous American individualism?
First Prize
$8,000 tuition grant OR $2,500 cash prize
Published in The University Bookman (online publication) and Thales College’s Theory & Ground (new print publication!)
Second Prize
$4,000 tuition grant OR $1,000 cash prize
Published in The University Bookman (online publication) and Thales College’s Theory & Ground(new print publication!)
Third Prize
$2,000 tuition grant OR $500 cash prize
Published in Thales College’s Theory & Ground (new print publication!)