harvard crimson essay competition winners

COMPETITIONS & Programs

Develop your critical thinking and communication skills while having your work recognized by one of the world's most prominent collegiate newspapers., december 2023 - june 2024, grow your vision.

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About:   Calling all entrepreneurs! We are excited to announce the launch of our newest competition in partnership with Asdan China. This startup-style contest is tailor-made to cultivate the next generation of problem solvers. Participants will engage in two rigorous rounds—a preliminary round (virtual submissions) followed by a thrilling championship round held in-person at The Crimson. Those who qualify for the Championship Round will have an opportunity to be mentored by industry professionals and members of The Harvard Crimson's esteemed business board, offering a platform to test and refine one’s business acumen.

For more information and to submit by the April 6th deadline, explore below:

HARVARD Crimson Business Competition

January - march 2024.

About:  The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition brings together ambitious high school students from around the world with an interest in writing. This competition is an annual opportunity for students to showcase their talents on a global stage, compete to win exclusive educational opportunities and prizes, and explore different possibilities of a future in writing.

Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition

Coming soon.

About:  Recently launched in the winter of 2023 in our continued partnership with Crimson Education, the Harvard Crimson Global Case Competition unites high school students across the world the opportunity to step into the shoes of a CEO and help a top global business tackle its challenges. In this immersive case-style competition, participants are presented with a real-world business challenge, and are tasked with creating innovative solutions impact recommendations.

Harvard Crimson Business Case Competition

About:  Over the course of 8 weeks, students have the incredible opportunity to learn directly from a professional in the journalism industry. This virtual series unfolds in two phases: during the first four weeks, students are led by the guest professional, followed by one-on-one mentorships with one of The Crimson’s esteemed writers to conclude the series.

HS2 Winter Internship        Program

Past competitions & programs, spring 2023.

About:  As the nation's oldest continuously published collegiate newspaper, The Crimson's newsroom has been a transformative experience for generations of young journalists. Through this competition, we hope to inspire high schoolers of all experience levels to develop their research and writing skills in the same way.

Participants will receive access to The Crimson's robust network of alumni in these fields, while winners will be invited to take an internship on The Crimson's summer 2024 content  team.

HARVARD Crimson Journalism Competition

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TODAY IS DEADLINE OF ESSAY CONTEST

Dean of college welcomes student interest -- coach lewis hits at present situation.

The University would like to know the opinions of the students on the food question," stated Dean C. N. Greenough '98 yesterday. "The CRIMSON essay contest affords an excellent means of finding these out. The College will consider the essays carefully, and if any practical, sane plan is proposed, the College will probably act upon it."

The CRIMSON essay contest closes at 8 o'clock tonight. The manuscripts submitted to the Contest Editor, 14 Plympton Street, will be judged by a committee consisting of W. J. Bingham '16, Director of Athletics; E. L. Farrell, head coach of the University track team, J. W. D. Seymour '17, Secretary to the University for Information, and Dr. Alfred Worcester '78, Henry K. Oliver Professor of Hygiene.

$25 to the Winner

Cash prizes contributed jointly by the Student Council and the CRIMSON will be awarded to the authors of the three best essays. The awards will be $25 to the winner, $15 to the second man, and $10 to the third.

The essays may be from 500 to 1500 words in length. The winning manuscripts will be published as soon as possible after the close of the contest.

The following comment on the essay contest was made by W. H. Lewis, University Wrestling Coach:

Wrestling Mentor Comments

"Undergraduates at Harvard do eat irregularly and too rapidly. The only way to overcome this is by establishing a regular dining hall. Any plan to make this sort of establishment possible should be carefully considered.

W. L. Stone '26, Graduate Secretary of the Union declared yesterday:

"If the CRIMSON essay contest results in any specific constructive suggestion the Governing Board of the Union and the Comptroller-of the University. Mr. A. L. Endicott '94, will give their very serious consideration to such a suggestion as the administrative officers and the Governing Board are anxious to solve the dining question for the best interests of all concerned.

"If two or three solutions are advanced in the essays so as to present an issue, undoubtedly the Debating Union will consider the problem at its November 30th meeting or at a subsequent assembly."

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Harvard International Economics

Essay contest (hieec).

HIEEC provides students the opportunity to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Through the contest, students hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge. 

HIEE C 202 3 -2024

Hieec 2023-2024 is now closed. .

The 2023-2024  Harvard International Economics Essay Contest is sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA). This essay competition is open to high school studen ts of any year and is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrat e an accom plished level of writing and understanding of economic the ory. T hrough the contest, student competitors hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge to future employers and academic programs. 

Competitors must construct a convincing argument using economic theory and real-world examples. Winning essays will be published on our website  and will be available for the greater Harvard community to read. Essays should focus on argumentation supported with facts and references, although data-based support is also welcome.

Yiheng Lyu​

Audrey Ku k​

Hyoungjin Jin

Juyoung Chun

Kevin Zhang

Matthew Choi

Mikayil Sadikhov

Raunak Agarwal

Vallabh Himakunthala

Highly Commended

Aronima Biswas

Aryan Nangia

Kridaya Gupta

Leonardo Jia

Rohan Mathur

Anagha Chakravarti

Amberlynn Gong

Neha Shanavas

Donghyeon Oh

2023-2024  Essay Questions

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to affect growth, inequality, productivity, innovation, and employment. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in particular, has greatly increased public awareness about the significance of AI and its implications for the future. What impact will the development of AI have on economic inequality, the composition of the workforce, and economic output as a whole? How can nations prepare for the micro and macroeconomic changes brought about by AI?

Measuring national and global economic activity allows us to understand how economies change in size and structure—how they grow and contract. In addition to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), government budgets, and the money supply, alternatives like the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gross National Income (GNI) are used to assess economic progress. What are the advantages of our current economic indices, including GDP, HDI, GNI, government budgets, and the money supply, and in what areas are they lacking? Which of these indices do you find most helpful, and how can we enhance or combine them to improve our understanding of economic measurement?

Proponents of income redistribution support the idea that redistribution policies will increase economic stability and give more opportunities to the less wealthy. Others, however, are more skeptical and believe it could have negative consequences for economic growth. Current methods of redistribution include taxation, welfare, public services, and other monetary policies. What strategies for income redistribution should the U.S. adopt from other countries? What economic impacts could a wealth tax or super millionaire tax have? What type of redistribution is most effective and feasible? What would be the impacts of the U.S. enacting universal basic income? Discuss the implications of any of these issues and feel free to expand on other areas of economic redistribution.

As the United States weighs the impacts of China’s rise to global prominence, economics and national security have become increasingly intertwined. As a result, the United States government has imposed both tariffs and investment restrictions on China to limit the nation’s access to both US markets and intellectual property (specifically in sensitive industries such as semiconductors). What are the economic implications of these policies for United States firms, consumers, and workers? Discuss the most important perspectives of the US-China trade war and provide suggestions on how both countries can manage the prospect of a changing economic order.

2nd November 2023 – Essay titles released

11:59pm EST 5th January 2024  – Essay submission deadline

Late February 2024*  – Highly Commended and Finalists notified

Early March 2024 * – Winners notified, results published on the website

*We received a high volume of submissions, therefore we anticipate  that it will take us a couple m ore w eeks to release the results. 

Entrants must choose one of the four prompts and write a response to it with a strict limit of 1500 words. Submission must be via the HUEA website and entrants are limited to submitting one essay with only the first submission being considered. Each essay submission will have a $20 reading fee which should be paid upon submission of the essay. If this fee will impose a significant financial burden on your family, please email us. The deadline for submitting the essay is 11:59pm EST January 5th, 2024. ​

Please submit essay submissions via this form.

If the above link does not work, use:  https://forms.gle/9NVDu9WVbU71iPpq6

*Be sure to read all the details in the submission form carefully before submitting, as failure to complete any of the steps correctly may result in your submission not being considered.

The essays will be judged by the board of the HUEA, with the top 10 submissions being adjudicated by the esteemed Harvard professor and 2016 Economics Nobel Prize winner Oliver Hart.

The top three winning essays will be published ( with the author’s permission) on our website. A finalist s list of the top  submissions will be published online and adjudicated by 2016 Economics Nobel Prize Winner Oliver Hart. A list of names that will receive the "Highly Commended" distinction will also be published online​. The judges' decisions are final.

Terms and Conditions

The word limit of 1500 must be strictly adhered to. Any words past the limit will be truncated. This limit excludes references, footnotes, titles, headers and footers.

Essays must be written only by the entrant. Any outside assistance must be declared in the beginning or end of the essay.

Only your first submission will be accepted. Any further submissions will not be read.

References must be included, and any plagiarism will lead to disqualification.

References must be in Chicago or APA format. 

The only accepted document formatting is PDF. Any other format will not be accepted, nor will refunds be given to those who do not follow this rule.

No refunds are granted.

Grades 9-12 are permitted.

The essay must not be entered in any other competition nor be published elsewhere.

No individual feedback of essays will be granted.

The decisions made by HUEA by the final round of adjudication are final.

All winners agree to their names being published on the HUEA website.

Past Winners

2022  prompts an d winners.

In recent years and decades, many countries have seen fertility rates drop, potentially leading to falling populations. Currently, China has a fertility rate of 1.3, one of the lowest in the world. However, in 2021, China experienced GDP growth of 8% with output totaling $17.7 trillion. Will this lowered fertility rate (with potential to fall further) affect China’s economic growth and policy? How so? What, if anything, can the Chinese government do to limit the risk of falling fertility rates?

U.S. mortgage rates recently passed 7%, making the purchase of a new home increasingly unaffordable. Meanwhile, the United States has suffered from a chronic shortage of available housing for decades, particularly in urban areas, leading to what many scholars and advocates call an affordability crisis. Why is housing so unaffordable in the U.S.? What can (or should) be done by private actors, state and local governments, and the federal government to alleviate the affordability crisis?

It is often suggested that a tradeoff exists between economic growth and the health of the environment, especially now as the threat of climate change becomes more dire. What economic risks does a changing climate pose? Can economic growth be consistent with a healthy environment? What policies, either market-based or otherwise, should governments enact to protect the environment while posing the least danger to economic efficiency? 

Central banks such as the Federal Reserve in the U.S. and the Bank of England in the UK manage their nation’s macroeconomies with the goal of ensuring price stability and maximum employment. Globally, inflation rates are rising to levels not seen since the 1980s, particularly in the U.S. and European countries. To what extent should the monetary policies of central banks in various Western countries differ or resemble one another as a reaction to the specific causes of inflation facing their economies?

​ Click below to view each winner's essay

Ashwin t elang  *   nanxi jiang   *   duncan wong, 2019 wi n ner.

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/when-is-one-choice-one-t oo-many

2020 Winners

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/covid-19-and-the-market

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/automation-and-jobs-this-time-is-different

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/making-rational-decisions

CSFC Student wins Global Competition

Posted: 21st June 2021

Cardiff Sixth Form College is very proud to hear the news that student Ece has won the Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition in the creative category.

The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition (HCGEC) provides a platform for young, ambitious high school students to exercise their writing skills in a non-traditional environment. The competition encourages students to challenge themselves and explore different writing styles to ultimately strengthen their writing skills.

HCGEC is run by The Harvard Crimson (the daily student newspaper of Harvard University founded in 1873) and Crimson Education (the world’s leading US/UK university admissions support company).

Ece, current A2 student from Turkey, entered the competition after being sent the details by the CSFC English and Languages department. To compete in the global round, participants had to go head-to-head with local participants and place in the top 10 of the regional qualifiers. The 5 regions are:

Australia and New Zealand Central and South America East, South and Southeast Asia Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Russia and Central Asia North America Participants like Ece who progressed to the global final had almost 2 weeks to elaborate on their regional submissions and submit their final essay. The top eight submissions of the final 50 from the worldwide entries won prizes.

As the winner of first place in the Creative category Ece beat participants from around the world and won:

Exclusive Harvard Crimson Internship with letter of recommendation $1,000 cash prize $1,000 Crimson mentorship credit Harvard merchandise A huge congratulations to Ece for her fantastic achievement!

You can read Ece’s winning essay, entitled ‘Limbo’, here

Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition 2021 Results

FIRST PLACE: Ece, United Kingdom SECOND PLACE: Sophia, Portugal THIRD PLACE: Hiewon, South Africa ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER: Matheus, Brazil

Argumentative category:

FIRST PLACE: Felipe, Brazil (with ELL Distinction) SECOND PLACE: Tan, Singapore THIRD PLACE: Xi, USA ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER: Mukhamed, Kazakhstan

Cardiff Sixth Form College is a

Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition 2024

Types: Submission, Tournament

Scope: International

Registration

Entry Fee: $15

[email protected]

Participate

This competition encourages students to challenge themselves and explore different writing styles to ultimately strengthen their writing skills. Hone written communication skills and challenge yourself with university-style guidelines, while in high school.

The registration fee is US$15 per student and must be paid upon registration but can get 33% off with code: AMB336

Each participant is invited to attend best-in-class bootcamps, explore careers in writing, and compete for exclusive opportunities and global recognition!

• APAC (East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania)
• Europe, Russia, and Central Asia
• Middle East, North Africa, Central and South Africa
• LATAM (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the islands of the Caribbean)
• North America

Website: https://www.essaycomp.org/

Managing Organization: Harvard Crimson

Contact: [email protected]

Eligibility: Students between the ages of 13-18, in the 8th - 12th grade

Registration Opens: December 1, 2023

Registration Closes: February 7, 2024

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Writing competition

Harvard Crimson - the U.S.’s oldest continuously published daily college newspaper - is pleased to invite you to the Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition (HCGEC) 2024!

Registration is open to all students aged 13-18. Competitors will have to write a 500-word essay after choosing a prompt from the creative, argumentative, or journalistic category.

Sounds easy? Sign-up here and use the promo code AMB194 for a USD $5 discount off your registration fee!

Registered participants get:

✍️ Exclusive workshops by The Harvard Crimson to level-up your writing skills.

🏅 The opportunity to be recognized as a regional finalist or global winner.

💼 The chance to win exclusive internships with The Harvard Crimson!

Check out our website at https://www.essaycomp.org for more details!

We hope to see your community represented on our global stage, and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON GLOBAL ESSAY COMPETITION

THE HARVARD CRIMSON AND CRIMSON EDUCATION

Sponsoring Institution:  The Harvard Crimson and Crimson Education

Type: Essay Contest

Eligibility: 13 -18 year olds (from anywhere) enrolled in a secondary institution

Application Deadline:  Mid February

Highlight:  Are you a current high school student who’s passionate about writing and wants to get their work evaluated by The Harvard Crimson? Then try your hand at participating in The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Contest ! This essay contest encourages high school students (13-18) from all around the globe to compete for various opportunities and prizes that could change their writing career forever. Since this essay contest is completely virtual , there are practically zero barriers stopping you from entering this essay contest. You might be wondering what type of prompts you need to write about in The Harvard Crimson’s essay contest. Well, every year, there are two different prompt tracks following either a creative or persuasive theme. There are typically 10 different prompts for the contestants to write about. The prizes for this essay contest are the same for both creative and persuasive tracks. The first, second, and third place winners receive an internship with The Harvard Crimson, a recommendation letter, and Harvard merchandise. In addition they will receive $1000, $750, and $500 in cash and Crimson Mentorship credit. To qualify for The English Learner prize of $100 and Harvard “merch”, you cannot come from an English speaking family, or have social interactions that are primarily in English, or have completed any period of schooling where English is the primary language. Additional awards include the 50 regional awards distributed across 5 global regions which feature a $25 Amazon gift card and a Regional Finalist Certificate. Just and fyi: you are able to submit previously written essays to this essay contest given that they’re under 500 words long and were written by you. There are multiple webinars and exclusive workshops presented by The Harvard Crimson to help you get started…so, perks galore!!! With all that this global essay contest offers… for free…it’s hard to resist applying to Harvard!

It is our anual free funding event for high schoolers from all over the world