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For Students

We offer an array of educational programs to enable students at all levels of knowledge to learn about Ayn Rand’s philosophy and novels.
Essay Contests

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Have you ever read one of Ayn Rand’s thought-provoking novels? Now’s the time! Enter an Ayn Rand Institute essay contest and you’ll have a chance to win thousands of dollars in prize money. ARI has held essay contests on Ayn Rand’s fiction for more than thirty years, awarding over $2 million in total prize money to students around the world! This year we will award more than $30,000 to student winners.

Don’t have access to an Ayn Rand novel? You can now request a free eBook of your choosing and we’ll send you a copy within 24 hours. But hurry! The deadlines for this year’s contests are quickly approaching—April 29th for Anthem and The Fountainhead, and September 27th for Atlas Shrugged.

Questions? Write to us at [email protected].

 

Learn More and Submit Your Essay

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

Read what former essay contest participants had to say about Ayn Rand's classic novels.

“Anthem was one of those books that made me re-calibrate my way of thinking. I read it during a pretty dark time of my life when I was starting to feel the burden of expectations. It definitely made me open my mind to the idea of living for myself, of aspiring to be free beyond the opinions of others. I loved it, and I hope to still incorporate the lessons I’ve learned there in my daily walk through life.”

—11th grade student, Philippine Science High School

“I loved reading The Fountainhead. I thought the ideas presented were extremely unique to anything I had seen before, especially with the direction modern society is taking. As an artist, I appreciated that these themes were explored through the lens of architecture, and I related with Roark’s struggle to find people who found his art to be beautiful and meaningful. I am usually good at guessing plots in books, but this novel kept surprising me with every page. The ending was completely unexpected and I felt like it tied up the concepts nicely. I have already recommended The Fountainhead to two people and I plan to eventually purchase a physical copy of the book to add to my personal collection.”

—12th grade student, University of North Carolina School of Arts

“I read Atlas Shrugged for the first time this summer, and I stumbled on the essay contest as I was looking for resources to help me analyze the book. It was the perfect reason for me to take the time to engage with the ideas in the book and think about questions that matter. I put more thought-work into my essay than most of the essays I have ever written, and the process was extremely satisfying. After finishing, I realized that whether or not I placed in the contest, I had been more than compensated by the lessons I had learned from grappling with the essay questions and finding answers (and more questions). Thank you for organizing such a meaningful, growth oriented experience for me.”

—College student, Brigham Young University

CONTEST DETAILS

Eligibility for Anthem

8th – 12th GRADE

Entry Deadline

APRIL 29, 2021

  • 1ST PLACE
    $2,000
    1 Winner
  • 2ND PLACE
    $250
    3 Winners
  • 3RD PLACE
    $100
    5 Winners

SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE TOPICS:

  • In the society of Anthem, individuals are persecuted for their pursuit of knowledge. Why do you think this is? What lessons can be drawn from Anthem about how we should think about the pursuit of knowledge in our world today, especially in the face of social opposition?
  • In what ways do you think people should be more like Equality 7-2521? In your answer, give examples of Equality’s actions, character, or attitude that you think are good or admirable. Using experiences from your own life, explain why you think these actions or traits are good and worth emulating.
  • The people in the society of Anthem are taught to live by certain principles concerning what is good and evil, right and wrong. Do you think those who adhere to these principles are happy or unhappy? What lessons do you draw from this about how we should think about morality today?

CRITERIA

Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify his or her view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophical meaning of Anthem.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Contest is open to students worldwide, except where void or prohibited by law.
  • Entrant must be at least 13 years old and in 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade for any part of the school year in which the contest is held. The Ayn Rand Institute reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule, on a case-by-case basis, for international students or for students with nonstandard school years. Verification of school enrollment will be required for all winning entrants. If you or your child are under 13 and wish to participate, contact [email protected]
  • Essays must be submitted electronically through the online portal. If you are unable to submit an essay electronically contact us at [email protected]
  • Essays must be written in English only, and must be no fewer than 600 and no more than 1,200 words in length, double-spaced. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found on the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.
  • One entry per student per contest.
  • Essays must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the entry deadline. The Ayn Rand Institute has the right to provide contest deadline extensions when deemed appropriate.
  • Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification. Essays must not infringe on any third-party rights or intellectual property of any person, company or organization. By submitting an essay to this Contest, the entrant agrees to indemnify the Ayn Rand Institute for any claim, demand, judgment or other allegation arising from possible violation of someone’s trademark, copyright or other legally protected interest in any way in the entrant’s essay.
  • Decisions of the judges are final.
  • Employees of the Ayn Rand Institute, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest. Past first-place winners are not eligible for this contest.
  • All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
  • All participants will be notified of the results via email by August, 2021.
  • Winners are responsible for providing their mailing addresses and other necessary information under the law in order to receive any prizes. Prizes must be claimed within six months of the results being announced.
  • Winners agree to allow the Ayn Rand Institute to post their names on any of ARI’s affiliated websites. The first-place essay may be posted in its entirety on any of these websites with full credit given to the author.
  • Winners consent to participate in interviews and allow the Ayn Rand Institute to use quotes and take photographs, movies or videotapes of them.
  • Winners also grant to The Ayn Rand Institute: The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism the right to edit, use and reuse said products for non-profit purposes including use in print, on the internet and all other forms of media.
  • Winners release the Ayn Rand Institute and its agents and employees from all claims, demands, and liabilities whatsoever regarding the above.
  • Winners will be solely responsible for any federal, state or local taxes.

Protected by Ithenticate Plagiarism Detection Software

ADVICE ON YOUR ESSAY SUBMISSION

Other than endorsing perfect punctuation and grammar in English, the Ayn Rand Institute offers no advice or feedback on contest essays.

The following links are recommended to improve your essay content:

To submit an essay electronically, please complete the steps below:

  1. Click the “Submit your essay” button below.
  2. You’ll be taken to our online portal for the Anthemessay contest. Once there, click “Apply.”
  3. Either create an account or login using your existing username and password.
  4. Once logged in, complete the application form and upload your essay.
  5. When each of the four tasks is complete, click “Submit.”

 

SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

 

Entrants are responsible for keeping copies of their essays, as duplicate copies will not be provided. If you have difficulty submitting your essay electronically, or if you have not received an email notification confirming receipt of your electronically submitted essay within 24 hours, please email [email protected].

Eligibility for The Fountainhead

11th and 12th GRADE

Entry Deadline

APRIL 29, 2021

  • 1ST PLACE
    $5,000
    1 Winner
  • 2ND PLACE
    $1,000
    3 Winners
  • 3RD PLACE
    $500
    5 Winners

SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE TOPICS:

  • Describe a situation in your own life when you faced a conflict between doing what you truly thought would advance your own goals in life, and doing what was approved of by society. What do you think Roark would decide to do in such a situation? What would Keating decide? Explain your answers by citing scenes from The Fountainhead. What decision did you make, and how would you compare it to Roark’s and Keating’s likely decisions?
  • In an editorial defending Roark, Wynand writes: “It is precisely the self that cannot and must not be sacrificed. It is the unsacrificed self that we must respect in man above all.” What does The Fountainhead have to say about what it means to actually have a “self”? Illustrate by giving examples of major and minor characters who are described in ways that suggest that they either have or lack a self.
  • The novel opens with the line “Howard Roark laughed.” What things does Roark laugh at in this scene, and in other scenes? Give a few examples from the book. Later in a scene with Keating, Toohey reveals that part of his method is to “kill by laughter.” What things does Toohey laugh at? Give a few examples. What is different about the things Roark and Toohey laugh at? Explain how the contrast reflects wider themes in the novel.

CRITERIA

Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify his or her view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophical meaning of The Fountainhead.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Contest is open to students worldwide, except where void or prohibited by law.
  • Entrant must be in 11th or 12th grade for any part of the school year in which the contest is held. The Ayn Rand Institute reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule, on a case-by-case basis, for international students or for students with nonstandard school years. Verification of school enrollment will be required for all winning entrants.
  • Essays must be submitted electronically through the online portal. If you are unable to submit an essay electronically contact us at [email protected]
  • Essays must be written in English only, and must be no fewer than 800 and no more than 1,600 words in length, double-spaced. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found on the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.
  • One entry per student per contest.
  • Essays must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the entry deadline. The Ayn Rand Institute has the right to provide contest deadline extensions when deemed appropriate.
  • Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification. Essays must not infringe on any third-party rights or intellectual property of any person, company or organization. By submitting an essay to this Contest, the entrant agrees to indemnify the Ayn Rand Institute for any claim, demand, judgment or other allegation arising from possible violation of someone’s trademark, copyright or other legally protected interest in any way in the entrant’s essay.
  • Decisions of the judges are final.
  • Employees of the Ayn Rand Institute, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest. Past first-place winners are not eligible for this contest.
  • All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
  • All participants will be notified of the results via email by August, 2021.
  • Winners are responsible for providing their mailing addresses and other necessary information under the law in order to receive any prizes. Prizes must be claimed within six months of the results being announced.
  • Winners agree to allow the Ayn Rand Institute to post their names on any of ARI’s affiliated websites. The first-place essay may be posted in its entirety on any of these websites with full credit given to the author.
  • Winners consent to participate in interviews and allow the Ayn Rand Institute to use quotes and take photographs, movies or videotapes of them.
  • Winners also grant to The Ayn Rand Institute: The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism the right to edit, use and reuse said products for non-profit purposes including use in print, on the internet and all other forms of media.
  • Winners release the Ayn Rand Institute and its agents and employees from all claims, demands, and liabilities whatsoever regarding the above.
  • Winners will be solely responsible for any federal, state or local taxes.

Protected by Ithenticate Plagiarism Detection Software

ADVICE ON YOUR ESSAY SUBMISSION

Other than endorsing perfect punctuation and grammar in English, the Ayn Rand Institute offers no advice or feedback on contest essays.

The following links are recommended to improve your essay content:

To submit an essay electronically, please complete the steps below:

  1. Click the “Submit your essay” button below.
  2. You’ll be taken to our online portal for the The Fountainhead essay contest. Once there, click “Apply.”
  3. Either create an account or login using your existing username and password.
  4. Once logged in, complete the application form and upload your essay.
  5. When each of the four tasks is complete, click “Submit.”

 

SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

 

Entrants are responsible for keeping copies of their essays, as duplicate copies will not be provided. If you have difficulty submitting your essay electronically, or if you have not received an email notification confirming receipt of your electronically submitted essay within 24 hours, please email [email protected].

Eligibility for Atlas Shrugged

12th-Graders, College Undergraduates and Graduate Students

Entry Deadline:

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

  • 1ST PLACE
    $10,000
    1 Winner
  • 2ND PLACE
    $2,500
    3 Winners
  • 3RD PLACE
    $500
    5 Winners

SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE TOPICS:

  • In Atlas Shrugged, the society’s leaders enact a series of laws and directives (the Equalization of Opportunity Bill, Mouch’s directives about the railroads of Colorado, Directive 10-289, etc.) that exercise increasingly arbitrary power. Describe one example of a major recent government policy decision in your country that resembles one of the edicts in Atlas Shrugged. How has this decision been justified by today’s leaders, and how do their claims resemble those given in Atlas Shrugged? In light of the story, what do you think Ayn Rand would expect to be the consequences of the policy you’ve described? Do you agree with her? Explain your answers.
  • Francisco d’Anconia presents himself as a playboy who has abandoned serious concern for his family’s business. But early in the story Dagny realizes that Francisco’s public persona does not fit with the man she knows. Compare Francisco to another major figure in film, TV, or literature who adopts a similar double life to accomplish his purposes. How is he similar? How, in terms of his motives and methods, is he different? What kind of purpose could make the price of leading a double life like this worth paying? Explain your answers.
  • After quitting her job, Dagny thinks this to herself: “It is not proper for man’s life to be a circle . . . or a string of circles dropping off like zeros behind him—man’s life must be a straight line of motion from goal to farther goal, each leading to the next and to a single growing sum, like a journey down the track of a railroad, from station to station to—oh, stop it!” How do Dagny’s thoughts here relate to the wider dilemma she faces at this point in the story? How does her dilemma relate to the wider themes of the novel? Explain your answers.

SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

CRITERIA

Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify his or her view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophical meaning of Atlas Shrugged.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Contest is open to students worldwide, except where void or prohibited by law.
  • Entrant must be a 12th grade, undergraduate, or graduate student for any part of the school year in which the contest is held. The Ayn Rand Institute reserves the right to make exceptions to this rule, on a case-by-case basis, for international students or for students with nonstandard school years. Verification of school enrollment will be required for all winning entrants.
  • Essays must be submitted electronically through the online portal. If you are unable to submit an essay electronically contact us at [email protected]
  • Essays must be written in English only, and must be no fewer than 800 and no more than 1,600 words in length, double-spaced. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found on the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.
  • One entry per student per contest.
  • Essays must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the entry deadline. The Ayn Rand Institute has the right to provide contest deadline extensions when deemed appropriate.
  • Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification. Essays must not infringe on any third-party rights or intellectual property of any person, company or organization. By submitting an essay to this Contest, the entrant agrees to indemnify the Ayn Rand Institute for any claim, demand, judgment or other allegation arising from possible violation of someone’s trademark, copyright or other legally protected interest in any way in the entrant’s essay.
  • Decisions of the judges are final.
  • Employees of the Ayn Rand Institute, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest. Past first-place winners are not eligible for this contest.
  • All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
  • All participants will be notified of the results via email by January, 2022.
  • Winners are responsible for providing their mailing addresses and other necessary information under the law in order to receive any prizes. Prizes must be claimed within six months of the results being announced.
  • Winners agree to allow the Ayn Rand Institute to post their names on any of ARI’s affiliated websites. The first-place essay may be posted in its entirety on any of these websites with full credit given to the author
  • Winners consent to participate in interviews and allow the Ayn Rand Institute to use quotes and take photographs, movies or videotapes of them.
  • Winners also grant to The Ayn Rand Institute: The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism the right to edit, use and reuse said products for non-profit purposes including use in print, on the internet and all other forms of media.
  • Winners release the Ayn Rand Institute and its agents and employees from all claims, demands, and liabilities whatsoever regarding the above.
  • Winners will be solely responsible for any federal, state or local taxes.

Protected by IThenticate Plagiarism Detection Software

ADVICE ON YOUR ESSAY SUBMISSION

Other than endorsing perfect punctuation and grammar in English, the Ayn Rand Institute offers no advice or feedback on contest essays.

The following links are recommended to improve your essay content:

To submit an essay electronically, please complete the steps below:

  1. Click the “Submit your essay” button below.
  2. You’ll be taken to our online portal for the Atlas Shrugged essay contest. Once there, click “Apply.”
  3. Either create an account or login using your existing username and password.
  4. Once logged in, complete the application form and upload your essay.
  5. When each of the four tasks is complete, click “Submit.”

 

SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY

 

Entrants are responsible for keeping copies of their essays, as duplicate copies will not be provided. If you have difficulty submitting your essay electronically, or if you have not received an email notification confirming receipt of your electronically submitted essay within 24 hours, please email [email protected].

PAST WINNERS

Winner
ANTHEM 8TH-10TH GRADE
GEORGIA MIRICA
American International School of Bucharest
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
ANTHEM 11TH-12TH GRADE
ASHLEY YUEN
Irvine High School
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
THE FOUNTAINHEAD
CORA USURELU
Thornhill Secondary School
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
ATLAS SHRUGGED
NATHANIEL SHIPPEE
University of Illinois at Chicago
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
ANTHEM 8TH–10TH GRADE
MADELEINE PRESCOTT
Technical Senior High School
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
ANTHEM 11TH–12TH GRADE
CYNTHIA LU
Belmont High School
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
THE FOUNTAINHEAD
JITAE YOU
Shepherd International Education
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
ATLAS SHRUGGED
Sam Weaver
St. John's College
Read The Essay
See All Winners
Winner
ANTHEM
KATRICE WASGATT
Towle Institute
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Winner
THE FOUNTAINHEAD
LUCAS PRINGLE
Repton School
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Winner
ATLAS SHRUGGED
PATRICK MAYLES
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
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Winner
ANTHEM
ELISABETH SCHLOSSEL
The Spence School
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Winner
THE FOUNTAINHEAD
ADELINA FENDRINA
High School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics “Dobri Chintulov”
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Winner
ATLAS SHRUGGED
CHRISTINA JEONG
University of Notre Dame
Read The Essay
See All Winners

FAQ

I'M A FOREIGN STUDENT. CAN I STILL ENTER THE CONTEST?

Yes! Foreign students may enter our essay contests, except where void or prohibited by law. We have no citizenship requirements. Please enter the contest for your current grade level. If you’re not sure which contest you’re eligible for, please write to the Education Department at [email protected].

I'M A HOME-SCHOOLED STUDENT. CAN I STILL ENTER THE CONTEST?

Yes! Homeschooled students may enter our essay contests. Please enter the contest for your current grade level. Instead of writing your school name and address in your application, simply write “Homeschooled.” If you’re not sure which contest you’re eligible for, please write to the Education Department at [email protected].

WHERE CAN I FIND A COPY OF THE NOVEL I WANT TO WRITE ON?

All of Ayn Rand’s novels can be purchased via links from our website. They should also be available in your local bookstore or library.

HOW CAN I VERIFY THAT MY ESSAY WAS RECEIVED?

When you submit your application using ARI's online portal, you are automatically sent a confirmation email indicating our receipt of your essay. If you have not received an email within 24 hours of submission, please first check your Spam folder. It's sometimes the case that our messages are filtered there. If you still can't find it, please write to the Education Department at [email protected].

CAN I SUBMIT MY ESSAY BEFORE THE DEADLINE?

Yes

CAN I SUBMIT MY ESSAY AFTER THE DEADLINE?

We do not accept essays submitted after the deadline. If you have a valid reason why your essay could not be submitted by the deadline, please write to the Education Department at [email protected].

CAN I WRITE MORE THAN ONE ENTRY FOR A CONTEST?

No. You may submit one essay for each contest, each year.

CAN I SUBMIT ESSAYS TO MORE THAN ONE OF YOUR CONTESTS?

Yes! You are more than welcome to enter multiple contests, provided you do not exceed any of the grade level restrictions.

CAN I WRITE ON MORE THAN ONE TOPIC?

No. The contest guidelines ask that you select ONE of three topics. Please select only one topic.

CAN I WRITE ON A TOPIC OTHER THAN THE THREE LISTED IN THE CONTEST RULES?

No. Essays not written on one of the three topics will be disqualified.

I AM IN A DIFFERENT GRADE THAN WHAT IS LISTED FOR THE CONTEST. CAN I STILL ENTER?

You may enter if you are in a lower grade, but not if you are in a higher grade.

I ENTERED ONE OF YOUR CONTESTS IN A PREVIOUS YEAR. CAN I ENTER AGAIN THIS YEAR?

Yes, as long as you were not previously a first-place winner. In fact, some students have won prizes two years in a row!

DO I NEED TO REFERENCE PAGE NUMBERS OR INCLUDE A BIBLIOGRAPHY IN MY ESSAY?

You do not need to reference page numbers for quotes from the essay topics. However, if you use any quotes from the novel you are writing about, you should cite the page numbers and place quotation marks around the quoted material. You do not need to include a bibliography unless you quote from a source besides the novel you are writing on. (Please note that you do not need to reference any additional material other than the assigned novel to write your essay. See the next question.)

DO I NEED TO CITE OTHER SOURCES BESIDES THE NOVEL I’M WRITING ON?

You do not need any source material other than the novel you are writing on. However, you may quote and reference other sources if you like. If you do, please cite your sources and include a bibliography with your essay.

WHAT EXACTLY IS PLAGIARISM? CAN I HAVE A FRIEND/TEACHER/PARENT PROOFREAD MY ESSAY?

Yes, you may have your essay proofread. It is not plagiarism to have someone check your essay for spelling and grammatical or structural errors. However, it is plagiarism to have someone else write your essay for you, or to use someone else’s words as if they were your own (see above regarding citing outside sources).

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’VE WON A PRIZE IN ONE OF THE CONTESTS?

We typically contact all the Atlas Shrugged contest entrants by January of the contest year, and all the Anthem and The Fountainhead contest entrants by July of the contest year.

IF I WIN, DO I HAVE TO APPLY THE PRIZE MONEY TOWARD COLLEGE?

No. All awards are cash prizes. We place no restrictions on how the prize money is spent by recipients.

I DISAGREE WITH AYN RAND’S PHILOSOPHY. WILL THIS AFFECT MY CHANCES OF WINNING?

No, this will have no effect on your chances of winning. Judges look for writing that demonstrates a clear understanding of the novel, not whether the student agrees with it.

I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS NOT ANSWERED IN THIS FAQ. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Please send your comments or questions about the essay contests to the Education Department at [email protected]. In most cases, we should be able to respond within two to five business days.

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