The Review’s 2026 Essay Competition

Welcome to The Review’s 2026 High School Essay Competition!

“The only way in which a human being can make some approach to knowing the whole of a subject, is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of opinion, and studying all modes in which it can be looked at by every character of mind.” – John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

For Mill, public discourse and the freedom of thought are essential to resisting conformity and sustaining social progress. Even where strong consensus persists, open dialogue allows individuals to understand the reasoning behind their beliefs and form new ones based on critical reflection. When writing, we encourage the expression of all ideas because we know that it is through the interrogation of accepted truths and entrenched assumptions that society becomes more just and capable of change.

This year, our essay topic invites writers to adopt this Millian mindset toward a system that has long resisted change: the immigration system. In your response, we challenge you to interrogate your own assumptions and to uncover the historical and legal foundations that have shaped existing laws. Most importantly, we ask you to use your unique, powerful voice to imagine and defend what a more equitable and forward-looking immigration system might look like today. It is through writing that we move closer to a shared understanding of justice, but this can only be done by sharpening and testing ideas that challenge our preconceptions and biases.

Happy writing!

Sincerely,

Jazzlee and Rafael

Co-Editor-in-Chiefs, Columbia Hispanic Pre-Law Review

Submit your essay today!

Competition Topic

“The paradox of a nation of immigrants that is simultaneously a nation of laws—and laws that often seem designed to keep people out—remains the great unresolved question of the American republic.” President John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants

Our nation faces the reality of a troubled immigration system. We live in the 21st century, yet our systems still use lingering 20th-century laws. 

The Review invites high school students to respond to the following: 

Who has the ultimate legal authority to manage immigration when the congress or the federal government fails to act? Analyze how this conflict between layers of power plays out in the legal system today.


Competition Parameters

Successful submissions will:

  1. Answer the prompt. It is important that you take on a position and clearly define what you are arguing. A good argument will be supported by using concrete legal cases, constitutional principles, or historical examples.

  2. Contextualize your answer. For example, Trump-Vance’s 2025 re-establishment of the Remain in Mexico policy. 

  3. Your writing should be clear and with a disputable thesis. We expect a coherent response to eken question and your knowledge of the issue at hand. 

  4. Explain the significance of this issue in the context of law and contemporary debates. For more information on editorial guidelines, refer to our in-house abridged guide. 

Criteria

Open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (or equivalent) across all 50 U.S. states and territories. We strongly encourage submissions from students from diverse and historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Essay Requirements

  1. Essays must be original, unpublished work written by the student.

  2. Maximum length: 1,000 words.

  3. Formatting: 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, submit as a PDF via the submission form. Please do not include your name, high school, or any identifying content on your final PDF file. 

  4. Each submission form must include: Student’s full name, high school name, grade level, email address, and phone number. 

The Evaluation Committee 

All submissions will be reviewed by a committee composed of Columbia University faculty. To ensure fairness, submissions will be anonymized during the evaluation process. Only the PDF essay file will be considered, and no external or identifying information will be factored into the decision. The Evaluation Committee will select up to three winners based on the parameters and essay requirements outlined above. Final decisions will reflect the strength of the written submission alone.

Honor Code

This competition adheres to the Columbia University Honor Code: 

I affirm that I will not plagiarize, use unauthorized materials, or give or receive illegitimate help on assignments, papers, or examinations. I will also uphold equity and honesty in the evaluation of my work and the work of others. I do so to sustain a community built around this Code of Honor.

Winning essays will undergo a fact-check and editing process led by The Review’s Co-Editor-in-Chiefs before publication.

Timeline

  1. Application opens: June 1, 2025

  2. Application closes: July 25, 2025

  3. The Committee’s #1 evaluation: August 1, 2025

  4. The Committee’s #2 evaluation: August 8, 2025

  5. Final Decision: August 18, 2025 

    1. Please note that all applicants will be notified of their application outcome.

FAQs

  • Yes.

  • All essays must answer the prompt.

  • Your main point of contact are the Co-Editor-in-Chiefs

    Rafael: rv2532@columbia.edu

    Jazzlee: jrc2278@columbia.edu

  • This competition is not affiliated with Columbia’s Undergraduate Admissions Office. The Columbia Hispanic Pre-Law Review is a publication of the Columbia Hispanic Pre-Law Society, a University recognized student-club.