The Columbia Political Review (CPR) High School Essay Contest is a free annual writing competition run by the student-edited political journal at Columbia University, open to high school students worldwide. The contest has run since 2017 and aims to amplify student voices on pressing political and social issues.
Each year, CPR publishes a new essay prompt on a political theme. The 2026 prompt asks students to address declining trust in liberal democracy and voting: students must propose and analyze an alternative model for political participation, drawing on historical examples or their own imagination. Essays are judged on clarity, concision, strength of argument, use of evidence, and citation quality.
Submissions must be 700–1,200 words, submitted as a PDF with in-text hyperlink citations, by July 1, 2026 at 11:59pm ET. One winner receives $300 and one to two honorable mentions each receive $100; winning and honorable mention essays are published on the CPR website. Use of generative AI is strictly prohibited.