Unlock Your Writing Potential: Students in Our Writing Competition Preparation Class Are More Likely to Secure Awards
1. What is High School International Economics Essay Competition (HIEEC)?
Sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association, the Harvard International Economics Essay Contest is organized to publish the top three essays in their online publications. HIEEC allows students to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Students hone their academic and professional skills through the contest and exhibit their knowledge of economics in relation to real-world issues.
2. How do I Submit to the Competition?
In order to submit an essay for the competition, students must first choose one of the four prompts and write a response with a maximum word limit of 1500 words. Essays must be submitted in a formal academic style such as Chicago or APA. Please note that students are only allowed to submit one essay per person. The essays will be judged by the HUEA board.
Each essay submission will have a $20 reading fee.
The deadline for submitting the essay is 11:59 pm EST, January 5th, 2025.
3. Who is eligible for the competition?
The contest is open to all high school students from grades 9 to 12 who have an interest in economics.
Deadline:
- November 1st – Essay Prompts released
- January 5th, 11:59 PM EST, 2025 – Essay submission deadline
- Late February 2024* – Highly Commended and Finalists notified
- Early March 2024* – Winners notified, and results published on the website
4. What are the topics for HIEEC?
This year, the prompt hasn’t been released yet. Normally, each year, HIEEC presents new essay prompts focusing on a current and relevant economic issue. Past topics have ranged from global economic policies to the implications of technological advancements on markets. Below are last year’s prompts for your reference:
- Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) can potentially affect growth, inequality, productivity, innovation, and employment. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in particular, has greatly increased public awareness about the significance of AI and its implications for the future. What impact will the development of AI have on economic inequality, the composition of the workforce, and economic output as a whole? How can nations prepare for the micro and macroeconomic changes brought about by AI?
- Measuring national and global economic activity allows us to understand how economies change in size and structure—how they grow and contract. In addition to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), government budgets, and the money supply, alternatives like the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gross National Income (GNI) are used to assess economic progress. What are the advantages of our current economic indices, including GDP, HDI, GNI, government budgets, and the money supply, and what areas are they lacking? Which indices do you find most helpful, and how can we enhance or combine them to improve our understanding of economic measurement?
- Proponents of income redistribution support the idea that redistribution policies will increase economic stability and give more opportunities to the less wealthy. Others, however, are more skeptical and believe it could negatively affect economic growth. Current redistribution methods include taxation, welfare, public services, and other monetary policies. What strategies for income redistribution should the U.S. adopt from other countries? What economic impacts could a wealth tax or super millionaire tax have? What type of redistribution is most effective and feasible? What would be the impacts of the U.S. enacting universal basic income? Discuss the implications of any of these issues and feel free to expand on other areas of economic redistribution.
- As the United States weighs the impacts of China’s rise to global prominence, economics and national security have become increasingly intertwined. As a result, the United States government has imposed tariffs and investment restrictions on China to limit the nation’s access to US markets and intellectual property (specifically in sensitive industries such as semiconductors). What are the economic implications of these policies for United States firms, consumers, and workers? Discuss the most important perspectives of the US-China trade war and suggest how both countries can manage the prospect of a changing economic order.
5. What are the prizes of the competition?
The top three winning essays will earn the opportunity to be published on the HIEEC’s website and adjudicated by a real-world economist. Last year, the essays were adjudicated by 2016 Economics Nobel Prize Winner Oliver Hart!
Students who receive Highly Commended distinction will also be published online.
85% of Aralia Students Place in Top Writing Competitions
6. How to structure Your essay?
To structure a research-heavy essay, students can follow this guidance to help them get started with writing the introduction, the analysis, the argument, and the conclusion. More tips and tricks for writing a research paper can be found on How to Write a Research Paper: 6-Step Guide. This type of essay is a bit different from the traditional research essay with an experiment, since students won’t particularly do any experiment with economics research.
If you want to view examples for inspiration and a general idea of the structure, go to Research Paper Examples for High School Students.
First, define the economic prompt you will discuss in the essay. In the introduction, you can introduce your thesis statement, your main argument, or your response to the prompt you will discuss throughout the essay. Ensure that the argument is strong and comprehensive since it is essentially a summary of other parts of the essay.
After the introduction, you can delve into analyzing the chosen economic prompt. Before starting to write the research, all the research you have done should be synthesized in this part of the essay. Students normally use a combination of real-world data, case studies, and economic theories to support their thesis. This analysis should demonstrate to the judge a deep understanding of economic principles and the connection to broader economic trends or patterns around the world.
After analyzing the economics prompt, students should connect the analysis to the arguments. Students have the freedom to make any arguments that they consider relevant, but make sure to present the argument in a logical format, and support them with strong evidence from scholarly sources or empirical data.
Finally, the conclusion should be where you summarize your findings and present a forward-thinking solution or reflection on the topic. Make sure it ties back to your initial thesis.
7. How to stand out with your writing
Writing for this kind of competition can be nerve-racking and daunting, but with the right approach, you can stand out among the competition with a winning essay. Here are some tips and tricks to help ensure your essay can impress the judges.
Focus on Your Research to Develop Unique Perspective
Since HIEEC focuses mainly on your opinions and perceptions of the economic prompts, extensive research will make your essay more compelling and authoritative. In addition to internet research, don’t forget to explore academic journals, government reports, and textbooks to enhance your arguments with well-researched facts and data to uncover different perspectives. Connecting abstract economics theory to contemporary economic challenges and trends will show that your work is relevant to current global issues.
Students should find a unique angle or approach to their paper from their research. The HIEEC judges read thousands of essays on the same prompt, so having a fresh perspective can help you stand out from the crowd.
Provide Thought-Provoking Argument but Focus on Clarity
A well-structured essay is easier to read and helps make your arguments more compelling. If your writing is challenging to follow, it would be hard to get your point across even though you may have unique ideas. In addition, avoid overly complex sentences or jargon. While you should demonstrate an understanding of economic terms, a simple explanation is key. Judges are experts in this subject; therefore, it would be better to go straight to the point and communicate ideas in an accessible way.
Attention to Detail
Pay close attention to formatting, citations, and grammar. Essays that are professionally presented, free of errors, and properly cited will demonstrate to judges that you are respectful of academic standards and follow the guidelines. Don’t forget to end your essay with a thought-provoking conclusion that will leave the reader keep thinking about your essay.
The High School International Economics Essay Competition (HIEEC) provides an excellent opportunity for aspiring economists to showcase their analytical and writing skills. With its esteemed association with Harvard, thought-provoking topics, and the opportunity to refine your research abilities, this competition can open doors to future economic success.
Aralia Education offers various economics preparation classes, such as the National Economics Challenge and the John Locke Economics Essay Competition. You can also conduct economics research with an expert instructor at Aralia Education.
8. Aralia's Courses
Students will use college-level economic theory and models to analyze the financial impact on the global economy. The economic tutor will provide students with the models and tools necessary to write an economic research paper. The economic research project encourages students to integrate their acquired knowledge of economic theory, phenomenon, data, and policy.
