Top Humanities/Social Science Contests to Boost Your Ivy Odds

As students look to distinguish themselves in the college admissions process, participating in (and winning!) contests is a great way to earn recognition for your talent and signal to colleges the value of your knowledge and work. Last week, we shared some top STEM contests to boost your Ivy odds, but high school students with a passion for humanities and social sciences are also poised to make a lasting impression through concrete accomplishments on a national scale. To stand out in the competitive Ivy League applicant pool, it’s not just about grades and test scores – it’s about showcasing intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to understanding the human experience.

College Private Counseling

Develop an organized and effective application strategy that leverages your academic and extracurricular experience to stand out.

LEARN MORE

TOP HUMANITIES/SOCIAL SCIENCE CONTESTS TO BOOST YOUR IVY ODDS

We’ve carefully curated a list of some of the top competitions tailored for high school students, providing a stage for expression, analysis, and exploration. From essay competitions to projects that delve into contemporary issues, each contest serves as a gateway to impressing admissions committees and carving a unique niche in the competitive field.

National History Day: Students of history love this research-based history competition, which allows students to submit a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website for review. Each year, NHD chooses a theme, from which students base their project. Progressing from the local level, students are encouraged to revise their projects as they advance through rounds to the national contest. (National contest is in June each year).
John Locke Essay: This global essay competition encourages students to write a persuasive essay in one of the following seven subjects: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology and Law. Students have three questions to choose from in each subject, and work is reviewed by professors from leading universities like Oxford and Princeton. (Register by May 31th, Submit by June 30th)
Princeton University Contests (Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize and Princeton 10-Minute Play Contest): Students who are more creative than analytical also have an opportunity to enter contests, as well, and Princeton has two of the most respected. Participants can submit up to three poems for the poetry competition and 1 10-page play for playwriting competition, and judges include Princeton University faculty and a guest playwright. (Poetry competition submissions are due in late November, playwriting submissions are due April 1, 2024)
Language Competitions (Le Grand Concours, National Spanish Exam, etc.): These examination-based language exams recognize proficiency (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in the study of specific languages. There are different divisions based on if the student is new to the language or a native speaker, and awards are given based on overall score. (test dates vary)
TOPPS Competition for High School Psychology Students: Do you love examining human behavior through a psychological lens? If so, consider entering the TOPPS Competition. Student submissions include a video less than three minutes long that explores a psychological theory, references a research study, and discusses how the theory could benefit their school or community. (Due March 1, 2024)

Beyond the conventional metrics of grades and test scores, these competitions provide a platform for motivated students to showcase their intellectual curiosity and critical thinking.

Author
Recent Posts

Nellie Brennan Hall

Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions

Nellie has spent her entire career in teaching, admissions, and counseling. As Associate Director of Admission at Brown University, she spent nearly a decade recruiting and evaluating applicants. In her role as chair of selection committees, Nellie made executive decisions on applicants and also served as a central member of the athletics committee. Armed with a nuanced view of the review process in highly selective institutions, Nellie moved into college counseling at independent schools, helping students craft essays and guiding them through every stage of the college search and application processNellie’s students have gained admission to the top schools in the country, among them Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, UPenn, Northwestern, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Amherst, and Middlebury. Nellie graduated from Harvard and holds an M.Ed. from Notre Dame in Secondary Education and an Ed.M. from Harvard in Higher Education, where she was awarded the Pforzheimer Fellowship.

Latest posts by Nellie Brennan Hall (see all)