Essay Competition
Essay Competition
Submit a research essay on an economics topic of your choice. Judged on economic reasoning, evidence quality, and clarity of argument. Individual competition open to all high school students.
Event Details
Tips for success
- Choose a specific, arguable economics topic from the prompt categories
- Ground your argument in economic theory and real-world data
- Use quality academic sources and cite them consistently
- Structure clearly: title page, body, references
- Proofread for grammar, clarity, and precision
Requirements
Essay specifications
Formatting
File Submission
Accepted Formats
PDF or Microsoft Word (.docx), maximum 10 MB
File Naming Convention
Confirmation
You will receive an automated confirmation email. If not received within 24 hours, contact the administration committee.
Topics
Prompt categories
Choose one of the following economic themes. Your essay must address the selected theme directly with a clear, arguable thesis.
Microeconomics
Market structures, consumer behavior, price theory
Macroeconomics
GDP, fiscal & monetary policy, inflation, unemployment
International Economics
Trade policy, exchange rates, globalization
Personal Finance
Debt, saving, investing, financial planning
Behavioral Economics
Risk perception, cognitive biases, decision-making
Judging
Evaluation criteria
Thesis & Argumentation
Clear thesis, logical structure, evidence-based claims
Economic Analysis
Accurate use of economic concepts, models, and data
Research & Sources
Quality and relevance of sources, proper citation
Writing Quality
Grammar, clarity, organization
Originality
Novel insights or perspectives
Conduct
Academic integrity
Prohibited Actions
- Using AI writing tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) to generate essay content
- Copying text from sources without proper citation (plagiarism)
- Submitting work written or substantially edited by another person
- Receiving content suggestions beyond general topic guidance
- Self-plagiarism, submitting previously written work
- Submitting after the deadline or exceeding the word limit
- Submitting multiple entries when only one is permitted
Consequences
Minor Violation
Formal warning, incident documented, minor citation errors corrected with 5–10% point deduction.
Clear Cheating
Essay disqualified, score of zero, disqualification from rankings and awards, school notification.
Severe or Repeated
Immediate permanent disqualification, forfeiture of all earned points, ban from future competitions.
Appeals must be submitted within 24 hours of the disputed incident by the student or their parent/guardian. Final determinations are issued within 48–72 hours.
Process
Submission steps
Write your essay
Follow the formatting requirements, double-spaced, correct font, 1,500–2,000 words.
Name your file
Use the exact format: LastName_FirstName_Essay_2026.pdf (or .docx, max 10 MB).
Submit via our portal
Upload through the official submission portal before the deadline at 11:59 PM EST. No late submissions accepted.
Receive confirmation
An automated email confirms receipt. Contact the committee if you don't receive it within 24 hours.
Prizes
Awards & recognition
1st Place
$100
2nd Place
$50
3rd Place
$25