A ONE INSTITUTE
Dec 21, 2024
Today, we’re posting tips on how to win a Writing Competition.
We’ve emphasized the importance of Writing Competitions multiple times, explaining various contests. Today, we’ll discuss specific ways to win a major Writing Competition.
Universities often judge a student’s ability to understand lectures and adapt to the academic community through their English proficiency.
This is why the following factors are crucial:
English Subject Grades (AP, IB English Courses): Grades may be inflated, raising doubts.
High Scores on SAT/ACT
Personal Essays (Admissions Essays)
TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, etc. (International Student)
Even with high scores in these areas, doubts may persist.
The best way to dispel doubts? Winning a Writing Competition!
As our YouTube subscriber count grows, some question whether A-One Institute actually knows how to secure wins. To address this, we’re sharing the results of our students’ participation in competitions.
A-One Institute’s Competition Results
John Locke Essay Competition
Not all students achieve great results, even when they work with us.
We didn’t previously disclose final results because, while 8–9 out of 10 students succeed, 1–2 may not, and we felt uncomfortable focusing only on positive outcomes.
However, with increased subscriber interest, we’re now sharing our results.
2023 John Locke Preparation:
11 students participated
8 students made the Short List
1 student placed in the Top 2
John Locke Success Rate: 72.73%Short-listed students receive an email, with only 16.9% of participants usually making the Short List. Our students achieved this at a rate of over 70%!
Top 2% winners receive emails from the Dean, an invitation to Oxford as speakers, or Zoom meeting requests.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
This is a highly competitive contest with many participants.
2022 Results (17 students):
Overall Win Rate: 52.94%
Key Award Rate: 41.18%
National Medal Rate: 5.88%
2023 Results (40 students):
Overall Win Rate: 47.5%
Key Award Rate: 37%
National Medal Rate: 5%
Why does John Locke have higher success rates?
Students entering this competition tend to be well-prepared, leading to better results.
In fact, even if you don't win the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, you can improve your chances of winning the John Locke Award by re-preparing.
Ayn Rand Essay Contest
No participants last year, but one student prepared in 2021 and won Second Prize.
The New York Times Summer Reading Contest
We haven’t covered this contest in detail before, so here’s a brief explanation:
This 10-week summer competition involves commenting on selected NYT articles.
Participants choose an article, leave a comment, and are judged based on it. Winners are listed in The New York Times weekly, making it a fun and engaging competition to consider.
John Locke Essay Competition: How to WinLet’s analyze how to structure essays to win this competition.
Competitions differ in approach, so today, we’ll focus on John Locke Essay Contest strategies.
2021 History Category Winning Question:
Should we judge those from the past by the standards of today?
How will historians in the future judge us?
Winning Essay’s Conclusion:
The first question: Judging based on current standards is somewhat necessary.
The second question: Predicting the unpredictable is unwise; we can only hope future historians judge us fairly.
Key Strategy: In the History category, how the essay unfolds is more important than delivering binary conclusions!
Paragraph Structure:
Main Idea – Core topic or thesis.
Elaboration – Detailed explanation of the thesis.
Example – Specific evidence or examples to support the point.
Always consider the essay’s overall context and flow!
Step 1: Analyze the QuestionBreak down the question into components and examine its relevance.
Example Approach:
Are today’s standards useful?
Is judging people appropriate?
What defines the past?
Conclusion
Step 2: Examine Sources Incorporate historian quotes and arguments while highlighting their limitations.
Example Evidence:
Slavery, Napoleon’s era, and the Holocaust illustrate the complexity of applying today’s standards to the past.
Step 3: Use RebuttalsAnticipate counterarguments to strengthen your position.
Step 4: Organize ArgumentsAdopt a systematic approach:
Pose questions like whether today’s standards are universal.
Provide evidence of contradictions, citing examples to challenge assumptions.
Example Argument:
Past standards may not match today’s morality, introducing complexity.
Focus on evaluating systems, not individuals, while refuting this idea to conclude that judging individuals is still valid.
Step 5: Define the PastUse citations to establish what “the past” means and conclude with hope for fair judgment from future historians.
Key Takeaways:
Break down the question and evaluate each component.
Follow the structure: Main Idea → Elaboration → Example.
Anticipate counterarguments in each paragraph.
3 Tips for Winning John Locke Essay Competition
Analyze Winning Essays: Study how references are used effectively.
Research Quality Sources: Use high-level references instead of news articles.
Focus on Writing Quality: Maintain technical excellence in grammar and structure.
Remember that the John Locke competition requires a lot more references than you might think, and it is better to bring high-quality references than news articles.
We recommend analyzing past winning essays before starting your writing process.
For more information about Writing Competitions, feel free to contact A-One Institute.
Thank you!