How to prepare for New York Times Student Editorial Contest

Where the points actually are

450 words is roughly a page. That constraint is the entire difficulty and the entire opportunity: there is no room to warm up, so the first sentence has to do real work. The winning entries almost always take a narrow, specific angle on a topic rather than a general position on a large one.

Topic breakdown

01Angle selection

A specific claim about a specific thing beats a general position on a large issue. Thousands of entries argue about the obvious national topics; far fewer argue about something local and concrete.

02Opening line

At this length the first sentence is a quarter of your impact. It should contain a fact or a claim, not a throat-clearing generality.

03Evidence

At least one Times source and one outside source are required. Choose evidence that is surprising rather than confirmatory.

04Counterargument

Even at 450 words, one sentence acknowledging the strongest opposing point makes the piece read as considered rather than naive.

A study plan that works backwards from the date

1. Before the window opens Read a dozen past winning editorials, which are published free. Notice how narrow the topics are.
2. Week 1 Write the draft at whatever length it comes out. Do not edit for length yet.
3. Week 2 Cut to 450. Every cut forces a decision about what actually matters, which is where the piece gets good.
4. Week 3 Read it aloud. Anything you stumble over is a sentence that needs rewriting. Then submit before the final days when the form is busiest.

Tips that come from the format itself

• 450 words means roughly six paragraphs. Plan the structure before writing rather than cutting a long piece down blindly.
• The Learning Network publishes all winning entries free. Reading twenty of them takes an hour and is the best preparation available.
• The Learning Network runs several other free contests through the year, including personal narrative, podcast and review contests. The calendar lists them all.

Practice resources

• New York Times Learning Network (also: past winning editorials) Official · free

  The contest calendar, rules and published winning entries for all Learning Network contests. Published free each year, and the clearest guide to what wins.

Past papers and official materials

• Winning entries archive

  The Learning Network publishes winners, runners-up and honourable mentions for every contest.

Skills this builds

• Persuasive writing
• Extreme concision
• Using evidence
• Finding an original angle
• Editing

Read what other students said about preparing