How Winning Writing Contests Can Boost Your College Application

As a former creative writing major and teacher of college English classes, I love working with young writers. Writing, as I have seen firsthand as a Top Tier Admissions Senior Private Counselor, not only allows students to exercise their imagination, but also to challenge expectations, build empathy, and, of course, expand their vocabulary.

But when it comes to college admissions, there is a distinction between enjoying writing and being a writer. While any student with the time and inclination can put pen to paper, standout writing-focused applicants generally apply to colleges with lengthy resumes of publications and awards, testaments to their strong literary abilities and dedication to honing their craft. There are, however, hundreds of writing competitions, and a student can only produce so many poems and short stories. So how can you, an aspiring creative writer, identify the best competitions to pursue?

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE BEST WRITING CONTESTS

Think about what you have already written or are eager to write

Many of my creative writing-focused students would argue that the hardest part about writing is finding the time to do it. Between classes, homework, sports, and other extracurricular activities, it can be tough to find a few spare minutes to come up with the perfect plot point or draft a poetic turn of phrase. With that in mind, I often encourage students to focus on contests that will accept pieces they have already finished or that they are hoping to write in the next week or two. An upcoming contest deadline can also be a great motivator to finish a piece that is currently in progress! Our Writing Mentorship Program is designed to provide students in grades 4 through 12 with personalized, flexible support to enhance writing skills, improve academic performance, and achieve exceptional results, such as producing a polished creative writing portfolio, crafting a research paper for publication, or developing an award-winning essay contest submission.

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Consider prestige vs. accessibility

Earlier this year, I hosted a webinar on extracurricular activities, where I discussed the “levels” of awards admissions officers consider when reviewing a student’s profile. As I noted, winning a national and international competition that receives thousands of submissions like the Foyle Young Poets Award will carry more weight than winning a competition at your local library — but the reason it carries so much weight is that it is much harder to win. When working with students, I generally advise them to develop a balanced list of competitions, featuring some major, pie-in-the-sky awards and some regional or very niche options that are likely to receive fewer submissions. While big wins may carry more weight in admissions, smaller triumphs can be helpful too.

Pay attention to restrictions

Writing itself allows for endless creative freedom, but writing contests can be surprisingly restrictive. Many contests are limited by genre, focusing only on flash fiction or ten-minute plays, while others are only open to students of a certain gender or in a particular geographic region. Still others are open broadly, but do not allow for simultaneous submissions (the practice of submitting the same piece to multiple journals or contests), which means that, once students have sent a story or poem into that contest, they must wait for the results before sending it anywhere else. We always encourage students to read a contest’s rules carefully before applying, considering both their own eligibility for the contest and ways it might restrict their future submissions.

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SOME UPCOMING WRITING CONTESTS WE LOVE

Write the World Competitions (available monthly)
Gotham Writers Contests (available monthly)
Young Poets Network Bog Challenge (open now through August 10^th)
Pen&Quill’s Annual Summer Competition (open now through August 21^st)
Polyphony Lit Summer Contest 2025 (open now through September 30^th)
Woorilla Poetry Prize Competition (open now through September 30^th)
YoungArts (open now through October 8^th)
Nancy Throp Poetry Contest (due October 31^st)
Bennington Young Writers Awards (open September 1^st – November 1^st)
Leonard L. Milberg High School Poetry Prize (date TBD, generally due in November)
Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers (open November 1^st – November 30^th)
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (deadline varies by region)
JUST POETRY!!! (accepts submissions year-round)

THE POWER OF WRITING

At Top Tier Admissions, we believe strong writing is one of the most powerful ways students can distinguish themselves in the college admissions process. Through our Writing Mentorship Program and Private Counseling Program, we help students not only strengthen their voice and storytelling skills, but also identify meaningful opportunities for public recognition—from high-impact contests to academic publications. Whether you’re aiming for national awards or building a portfolio of regional wins, our team provides the expert guidance you need to elevate your writing and translate those achievements into standout college applications.

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Dr. Eliza Fox

Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions

Eliza has years of experience at Top Tier Admissions, helping students gain admittance to top-flight colleges and pioneering the Writing Center. She holds a B.A. in English with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University, where she was a two-time recipient of Stanford’s Rebele Journalism Fellowship. She earned her MA and PhD in English Literature at the University of Virginia. Prior to working at Top Tier, Eliza taught in UVa’s English Department and its Academic and Professional Writing Program. The effectiveness of her teaching and her commitment to her students earned her multiple awards, including the All-University Graduate Teaching Award and honors from UVa’s Seven Society. Eliza’s own writing has appeared in publications ranging from academic journals to The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also has experience in publishing, digital humanities, and study abroad programming.