atlas shrugged essay contest scholarship 2021

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Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

ELIGIBILTY AND PRIZES Open to all 12th grade, college undergraduate, and graduate students worldwide.  Top Prize: $10,000; Second Prizes (3): $2,500; Third Prizes (5): $500  SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE TOPICS 1) In the world of Atlas Shrugged, material goods that many of the characters take for granted become increasingly difficult to obtain as the plot progresses. Identify several examples of such goods, and explain how the novel accounts for their disappearance. Describe the economic and the moral-philosophical forces at work in their disappearance. Are there significant parallels with the shortages our world has witnessed in the last few years? Explain any similarities and differences (using contemporary examples). 2) Throughout Atlas Shrugged, there are both literal and figurative references to motors and motive power. Describe three examples of this that occur in the novel, and explain their meaning in the context of the scenes they are taken from. How does this meaning relate to the wider philosophical themes of the novel? 3) Among the many advocates of the “morality of death” he targets in his radio speech, John Galt reserves special criticism for the “mystics” who declare that man’s duty is “to crawl through years of penance, atoning for the guilt of his existence to any stray collector of unintelligible debts.” Name and describe at least two of the doctrines about human nature that Galt says these mystics use to encourage this moral outlook. Then illustrate their impact by choosing a character from Atlas Shrugged who struggles with these doctrines. (If one struggles with both, you need only discuss one.) What types of behavior do the doctrines encourage? What are the consequences for the character(s) in question? How is this struggle resolved? RULES AND CRITERIA A) Students are permitted to submit one entry for the contest per year. B) Essays must be 800-1600 words in length and written in English only. C) Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification. D) 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. E) For complete rules, click "Apply" or visit aynrand.org/contests.

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Ayn Rand Institute Novel Essay Contest (Atlas Shrugged) This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Ayn Rand Institute

Multiple awards worth up to

Grade level.

All Grade Levels

Application deadline:

September 20, 2024

Scholarship Overview

Are you a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student with a passion for reading, writing, and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand? If so, we may just have the perfect opportunity for you: the Ayn Rand Institute Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest! Each year, the contest asks its applicants to write an 800 – 1,600 word essay in which they analyze and make an argument about an aspect or plot point of the novel Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Nine prizes of varying amounts are awarded each year, with a grand prize of $25,000! If you’re familiar with Atlas Shrugged , can make a convincing argument, and want to make some cash, we encourage you to apply!

About Ayn Rand Institute

The Ayn Rand Institute is a California-based nonprofit “think tank” dedicated to promoting a better understanding of Ayn Rand’s philosophies.

Eligibility information

This scholarship is open to students meeting the below eligibility criteria.

Literature/English/Writing

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Application information.

To apply for this scholarship, submit an online application and the below application materials. Essays should be logically-organized, clear, and illustrate an incredibly in-depth understanding of the meaning of “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. Whether a judge agrees or disagrees with an applicant’s argument will not be a factor in scoring.

1,600-word essay

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• Scholarships

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

Ayn Rand Institute has created a contest for students with great writing skills to assist them in their college education. The winning essay will have the chance to compete for the prestigious annual first-place award, aiming to win a grand prize of $25,000. Two first-place winners will get $3,000, 3 winners will get second place and $2,000 each, and 3 winners will get third place and $1,000 each.

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Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

Entry Deadline

Prizes Available

Eligibility

Welcome to your student dashboard for this year’s contest!

Here you can start a new application for the contest, view any of your existing saved or submitted entries, and even request a free copy of Atlas Shrugged if you don’t already have access to the book. Questions? Simply write to us at [email protected] . We’re here to help!

Our Grading Criteria

Essays are judged on whether the student is able to justify and argue for his or her view—not on whether the Institute agrees with the view the student expresses. Our graders look for writing that is clear, articulate, and logically organized. Essays should stay on topic, address all parts of the selected prompt, and interrelate the ideas and events in the novel. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of Atlas Shrugged .

Available Essay Topics

In his speech about money, Francisco says: “Whenever destroyers appear among men, they start by destroying money, for money is men’s protection and the base of a moral existence. . . . Paper [money] is a check drawn by legal looters upon an account which is not theirs: upon the virtue of the victims. Watch for the day when it bounces, marked: ‘Account overdrawn.’” Explain what Francisco means by this and how it serves the purpose of his speech. Then explain how his statement can be seen as applying to our economic world today.

In his radio speech, John Galt names a principle that Rearden and Dagny have struggled to discover for themselves: “The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. . . . Do not try to live on your enemies’ terms or to win at a game where they’re setting the rules. . . . One cannot hope to maintain one’s life by accepting bribes to condone one’s destruction.” Explain what Galt means by this and how the issue plays a role in the plot of the novel. Describe an issue or event from current events (whether in your country or in its relations with others) to which you think this principle applies. How might events have unfolded differently if this principle of the sanction of the victim were taken more seriously?

The bum in the diner says to Dagny, “It doesn’t take any morality to turn out a ten-ton truck on an assembly line.” In important ways, the events of the novel go on to address this and other claims the bum makes in this scene about the nature of morality. What do they suggest is right about the bum’s conception of morality? What do they suggest is wrong about it? How, in particular, does Rearden start from the bum’s point of view and develop a new view over the course of the story?

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[ESSAY] [THEME: "ATLAS SHRUGGED" BY AYN RAND] Sept 27, 2021: Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest for Students (High school seniors, college and graduate students, worldwide; no fee; awards $10,000 and online publication)

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Highly recommended free contest for high school seniors and college and graduate students awards $10,000 top prize, other large prizes, for essays on Ayn Rand's novel 'Atlas Shrugged'. Essays should be based on one of the three questions in the 'Topics' section of the website and be 800-1,600 words long. Enter online. Contest is looking for entries that are sympathetic to Rand's rationalist, libertarian philosophy. See sponsor's website for other student contests.

Contest details

Sponsor: The Ayn Rand Institute

Category: Essay

Submission length: 800-1,600 words

Entry fee: No fee

Awards: $10,000 and online publication

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• 2021 Scholarships

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

• Date February 20, 2021

Essay contest on Ayn Rand’s novel, Atlas Shrugged. the competition is hospitable grade 12 students and college undergraduate and graduate students worldwide. it’s liberal to enter and no application is required. Submit an 800 to 1,600-word essay on one among three specific topics, which may be viewed on our website.

Eligibility

• The contest is hospitable grade 12 students and college undergraduate and graduate students worldwide. it’s liberal to enter and no application is required.
• it’s liberal to enter and no application is required. Submit an 800 to 1,600-word essay on one among three specific topics,

The award is in cash and may be used any way the winner wishes.

Application Submit an 800 to 1,600-word essay on one among three specific topics, which may be viewed on our website,

How to Apply

Scholarship Council Canada has an application that is electronic, fill in the proper execution and upload your write-ups. Upon effective application submission, you may receive an acknowledgment and payment receipt that is electronic. Keep it safe as being a delay and reference for the results. Scholarship Council Canada team takes care of your process that is further upon.

Formal Scholarship Council Canada Site:  https://apply.scholarshipcouncil.com/

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College Scholarship: Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged” Essay Contest

As college costs continue to soar, more and more students find themselves looking for additional ways to fund a college education. More than 85% of college students now receive some type of financial aid, but for many families, this still isn’t enough to cover college expenses. In fact, CNBC estimated in 2018 that 70% of students were graduating with student debt, and that the average graduate has $37,172 in student loans. One way to help defray these costs is through college scholarships.

About the Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged” Essay Contest

Students who have read Ayn Rand’s prolific novel “Atlas Shrugged” know that the book provides commentary on a number of complex philosophical themes, ranging from objectivism to capitalism and individualism. For over 30 years, the Ayn Rand Institute has held worldwide essay contests for students based on Ayn Rand’s fiction. In 2019, they will award over 230 prizes, totaling more than $70,000.

Participants submit an essay that addresses one of three prompts based on “Atlas Shrugged”. The prompts for 2019 are:

• Atlas Shrugged depicts a society of diminishing economic freedom. What is the philosophical motivation behind these controls and what is the practical result? What is hero John Galt’s answer, both practically and philosophically? Use the events in the novel to support your answer. In your answer, consider what Ayn Rand says in the lecture “ Faith and Force .”
• Dagny says to Rearden: “If I’m asked to name my proudest attainment, I will say: I have slept with Hank Rearden. I had earned it.” Why is she so proud, and what does she mean by having earned it? How and why does Rearden’s attitude differ from hers? How do their attitudes toward sex relate to the wider themes of the novel? Consider also what Ayn Rand has to say in her essay “ Of Living Death .”
• Atlas Shrugged is a story that portrays a dramatic conflict of characters and their values. What is the most significant conflict in the story? Is it the conflict between the creators and the looters? Is it the conflict the creators experience in their own souls? Is it something else? Explain your answer.

Essays are judged on the student’s ability to justify and provide evidence for his or her statement, not on whether the Institute agrees with the student’s perspective. Judges look for writing that is “clear, articulate and logically organized [and] winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of ‘Atlas Shrugged’.”

The first place winner receives $25,000. Two second place winners receive $2,500, five third place winners receive $500, and 50 finalists receive $100 each.

“Atlas Shrugged” Essay Contest Requirements

Entires are open to students worldwide, but the essay must be written in English. All entrants must be 12th graders, college undergraduates, or graduate students.  All essays must be between 800-1600 words in length. Essays can be submitted by mail or online. If submitted by mail, be certain to include all of the elements outlined on the Contest Rules page. Submissions need to be submitted online or postmarked by September 19, 2019, no later than 11:59 p.m., Pacific Standard Time. Winners will be notified by January 2020. Be sure to see the complete Contest Details for all requirements.

Tips on Applying for the Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged” Essay Contest

Follow the directions.

It can be difficult to juggle the requirements of multiple scholarship applications, but it is absolutely paramount that you follow all directions for each scholarship exactly. Remember, most scholarships receive thousands of applicants, and it can be difficult to choose a single winner. Failure to follow directions gives the contest evaluators or scholarship judges good reason to pass you over.

Proofreading is an essential piece of every scholarship application, but it is especially important for essay contests. Judges want to hear from students who can express themselves articulately and intelligently. Lapses in spelling or grammar may at best indicate that you rushed through your work, or at worst be a sign that you don’t know the proper spelling or grammar to begin with.

Research is an especially helpful part of the “Atlas Shrugged” Essay Contest. This is because the Ayn Rand Institute provides a number of resources to guide entrants. For one, they provide the actual essays of past winners. Read these carefully to learn more about the type and level of work expected from a winning entry. In addition, don’t miss the countless resources provided under the Resources tab . Although the Institute is careful to say that beyond “endorsing perfect punctuation and grammar” they offer no specific advice for the essay, they do provide a number of tools to help frame your thinking and enhance your essay content. Read these carefully before beginning.

Enlist Help

While your essay must absolutely be 100% your own work, there’s not doubt that having another set of eyes and ears to review your work is very helpful. Talk with a teacher, mentor, or friend about your essay content before you begin writing. You may get some helpful feedback to help shape the direction of your work. Then, once you’re done with the writing part, be sure to have someone else give your essay a good proofread and edit. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes will find typos that blended in when you reviewed your work.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

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• Atlas Shrugged

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

For all students in grade 12, college, and graduate school, next entry deadline: september 20, 2024, cash prizes.

Annual Grand Prize

Essay Topic

Robert Stadler is a brilliant scientist, but also one of the chief villains in the novel. What motivates his major decisions over the course of the story, and in particular, his hostility to Galt? How do these decisions and the way he meets his end relate to the theme of the novel, and why would the author have chosen a brilliant scientist as one of the villains to convey her theme?

Essays will be judged on whether the student is able to argue for and justify their 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 philosophic meaning of Atlas Shrugged .

Essay submissions are evaluated in a fair and unbiased four-round judging process. Judges are individually selected by the Ayn Rand Institute based on a demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Ayn Rand’s works.

To ensure the anonymity of our participants, winners’ names are unknown to judges until after essays have been ranked and the contest results finalized.

• The Ayn Rand Institute’s (ARI’s) Atlas Shrugged essay contest is open to all students worldwide, except where void or prohibited by law.
• Entrants must be enrolled as a high school, college, or graduate student at some point during the year in which the contest is being held. ARI 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.
• Students are permitted to submit no more than one entry to the contest, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements outlined above and have not previously won first-place in the contest.
• Essays must not include any personally identifiable information (name, email, school, et cetera). Your entry may be disqualified should such information be discovered in the essay.
• Essays must be written in English only, and be between 800 and 1,600 words in length. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found in the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.
• Essays must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in automatic 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 ARI 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.
• Essays must be submitted electronically through ARI’s online application portal. If you are unable to submit your essay electronically, please contact us at [email protected] .
• Essays must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the entry deadline. ARI reserves the right to provide contest deadline extensions on a case-by-case basis when deemed appropriate.
• All entries become the property of ARI and will not be returned.
• All entrants consent to participate in a video interview should ARI deem it necessary for the purposes of verifying eligibility, confirming entry information, or conducting any other relevant assessments related to the contest. Entrants understand that participation in such interviews is voluntary but may be required to determine eligibility status, and agree to make reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests within a timeframe as specified by ARI.
• All entrants will be notified of the final results via email within three months of the contest deadline.
• 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 ARI to post their names and school information on any of its affiliated websites.
• Winners agree to record a short video testimonial about their experience reading Atlas Shrugged , and consent to ARI’s sharing of said video with donors who make the essay contest possible.
• Winners agree to participate in interviews and allow ARI to use quotes and take photographs or videotapes of them.
• Winners also grant to ARI 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 ARI 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.
• Employees of ARI, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate.

Entry Process

Submit your essay

You will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of your entry within 24 hours. If it has been  at least 24 hours , and you still have not received e-mail notification, please first check your junk or spam folders and then e-mail us at [email protected] . Please do not re-submit your essay.

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