HARVARD POLITICAL REVIEW

EXTENDED

ESSAY & DEFENSE

CHALLENGE 2025

For Middle and High School Students

Register Now!
Max. capacity 250 Teams only
Register now to secure your spot!

This competition is for you if you’re passionate about or studying or planning to study:

  • Social and Political Issues
  • History
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Politics
  • Public Policy

About Harvard Political Review

The Harvard Political Review is a student-run journal of politics, policy, and culture. The HPR is written and published entirely by Harvard undergraduates and is housed at the Institute of Politics.

The HPR was founded in 1969 by a group of Harvard College undergraduates. The founders envisioned a publication that allowed students to research, write, and edit incisive reportage and commentary in a thoughtful, non-partisan forum. To this day, the HPR does not take publication-wide editorial positions. While individual articles have distinct viewpoints, the publication as a whole does not represent any ideology or party.

Over the past generation, the HPR has incubated some of the best political minds in America. Among the magazine’s alumni are Al Gore, Jr. (former United States Vice President and Nobel Laureate), E.J. Dionne, Jr. (Washington Post columnist), Jonathan Alter (former Newsweek Senior Editor and columnist), and Jeffrey Sachs (Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University).

Learn More

Calling all next generation of leaders!

The Harvard Political Review Extended Essay and Defense Challenge invites you to delve into the most pressing social and political issues of our time and share your unique perspective.

This isn’t just an competition - it’s a platform to critically engage with contemporary issues, sharpen your analytical skills, and foster a deeper understanding of complex global challenges. Whether you’re passionate about generational change, global interconnectedness, or rethinking societal narratives, this is your opportunity to make your voice heard and contribute to the conversation shaping the future.

Don’t miss the chance to amplify your ideas and leave your mark as the next generation of leaders!

Register Now!

Why Join The Harvard Political Review Extended Essay and Defense Challenge?

Stand Out with a Prestigious Opportunity

Distinguish yourself from your peers by participating in a renowned competition that showcases your analytical, writing and presentation skills—boosting your profile for university applications and future endeavors

Becoming a voice in important global conversations

Collaborate with peers who are passionate about politics, society, and change, and establish yourself as an emerging voice in vital global dialogues.

Showcasing your talent to the globe

The HPR will feature the work of global champions, 1st runners-up, and 2nd runners-up on its website, providing a platform to share your insights with the global audience

Register Now!

How does the competition work?

Team size

2-5 students per team
(all team members must be from the same school)

Age Categories

Middle School Category

Grade 6 - 8 (Year 7 - 9)

High School Category

Grade 9 - 12 (Year 10 - 13)

What do teams need to do?

Single Round Essay Submission + Oral Defense

Limited Capacity

Max 250 teams
Register now to secure your spot!
Register Now!

Competition Format

Essay

Submission Deadline: September 26, 2025
  1. Each team will select one prompt to address and submit a single essay in response
  2. Essay type: Opinion, similar to articles on Harvard Political Review website
  3. Word count: 1,500 - 1,800 words
  4. Referencing Style: Associated Press, Chicago/Turabian, MLA, or APA

Oral Defense

Essay Defense Date: October 5, 2025
  1. Each team will present and defend their essay in a live Zoom session, showcasing your critical thinking and command of the topic, and will be evaluated by a panel of judges.
  2. Time allowed: 3 minutes presentation + 5 minutes Q&A
Register Now!

Exclusive Training by The Harvard Political Review

Participants will receive exclusive training led by members of the Harvard Political Review, focusing on effective writing techniques and presentation skills. These specialized workshops are designed to help students refine their arguments, communicate with clarity and confidence, and prepare compelling submissions for the competition. Participants will gain direct insights from experienced writers and editors, enhancing both their analytical thinking and public speaking abilities.

Format
Live on Zoom
Length per session
One Hour
Total sessions
3
Remark : The sessions will be recorded and students who couldn't attend the live session can access the recording
Register Now!

Registration Deadlines and Participation Fees

Priority Deadline
Deadline: June 15, 2025
Fees: US$125 per student
Regular Deadline
Deadline: September 11, 2025
Fees: US$145 per student
Late Deadline
Deadline: September 25, 2025
Fees: US$165 per student
Register Now!

Key dates and deadlines

Prompts

Across the world, cities serve as the lifeblood of their countries: hubs of innovation, culture, and entertainment. Yet, many cities today face major challenges, including traffic congestion, pollution, rising housing costs, gentrification, and growing unhoused populations. Choose one issue facing a city and propose a solution. Your essay should explain why this issue matters, analyze its causes and consequences, and offer a clear, actionable plan for how to address it.

The items we touch, the food we consume, the activities and hobbies we engage in: all of these objects, commodities, and concepts are subject to politicization. From Shein t-shirts to gendered bathrooms to Tesla Cybertrucks, seemingly neutral objects can quickly become politically charged. Pick an object and investigate the implications of its political associations. Take a position on whether politicizing daily life is an effective means of achieving political change.

Physical and mental health around the world are suffering as a consequence of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of doomscrolling, and increasing sedentary lifestyles. Analyze a health-related issue, predict whether its effects will worsen or improve in the near future, and decide if policymakers are doing enough to combat it.

In 2024, many voters cited the rising cost of living as a reason for voting incumbent parties out of power around the world. Identify a driver of the global affordability crisis. Are current efforts to address this challenge effective? What further action should be taken to limit rising costs in the long term?

In 1917, Marcel Duchamp shocked art critics and the general public when he submitted a porcelain urinal with the name “R. Mutt” scrawled across it to a prestigious art exhibition at Grand Central Palace in New York. For many, he had pushed the boundaries of modern art well past their limits, while others called him a genius. Today, new mediums such as AI image generators and NFTs are pushing us to once again consider the opportunities, and possible limitations, for artistic expression. Consider a controversial work created in the past 50 years and take a position on its cultural, political, and/or economic ramifications.

Recognition

All participants will be awarded a certificate of participation.
All participants will receive a scoresheet to help them understand their performance and identify areas for improvement in future competitions.
Country awards & Regional awards for teams
Certificates
Champion
1st Runner Up
2nd Runner Up
Honor
Merit
Note
To qualify for country awards, a team must achieve a score above Y. In other words, if a country has only one team, and it scores below Y, no award will be granted. The value of X and Y can be determined after all the entries have been evaluated.
Global Winners
Certificates
Global Champion
Global 1st Runner Up
Global 2nd Runner Up
Finalists
(Globally ranked 4-8)
Get Featured on Harvard Political Review website
The Harvard Political Review will feature the global champions, 1st runner-ups, and 2nd runner-ups' work on HPR website

Join the Challenge

This competition is more than just a challenge—it’s your pathway to making an impact on the social and political issues that matter most to you.

Register now to embark on a journey of critical thinking, writing and presentation. Delve into the topics you’re passionate about, refine your research and analytical skills, and present your insights. This is your chance to contribute your voice and ideas like the next generation of leaders.

Register Now!

Fee Waiver Policy

Fee waiver is available for individual low-income students. Please ask your school counselor or principal to send an email titled 'Fee Waiver Request' to waivers@algoed.co from their official school email with your email address and confirm you need a waiver.

All fee waivers must be requested before the regular deadline.
About

AlgoEd is a platform that hosts curated, prestigious competitions for middle and high school students.

EXPLORE COMPETITIONS