Blank is a strategy
A blank earns 1.5 points and a wrong answer earns nothing. We train a decision rule for every question, so guessing stops costing points.
Competition prep · 2026–27 season
Judged differently.
Judged differently.
Prepared differently.
AMC 10/12, the John Locke Global Essay Prize and the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest. We start from how each one is scored, then build a 1:1 plan that fits the student’s level and calendar.
At a glance
Three competitions, three ways to win points.
What the student produces, how it’s judged, and where the points are actually decided.
| AMC 10 / 12 | John Locke Global Essay Prize | HIR Academic Writing Contest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | 25 questions · 75 minutesMultiple choice, by the MAA | One argumentative essayUp to 2,000 words | One short journal-style articleAbout 800–1,200 words · grades 7–12 |
| What it tests | Problem solving under time pressure — algebra, geometry, number theory, combinatorics | An original, defended argument in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology or law | Analysis of an international-affairs question, backed by evidence and ending in a clear argument |
| How it’s scored | +6 correct · +1.5 blank · 0 wrong150 points maximum | Read by academic judgesKnowledge, argument, originality, structure | Scored against a published rubricFinalists may be invited to an oral defense |
| Where it’s decided | The last ten questions — and knowing when to leave one blank | One sharp thesis that survives the strongest counterargument | An under-covered angle and evidence instead of opinion |
| When | Early November2026: Nov 5 (A) · Nov 13 (B) | Register by end of March · submit by end of May | Deadlines change each cycle — we confirm the current one |
Dates and rules come from each organiser and change from year to year. We check the current rules with you before planning.
The season
A year of competition deadlines.
Most students start two to three months before a deadline. Here’s how the year usually falls.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
AMC 10 / 12
John Locke Global Essay Prize
HIR Academic Writing Contest
AMC 10 / 12
American Mathematics Competitions · Mathematical Association of America
“Start from the scoring rules — then stop losing the points you already know.”
A 75-minute pacing plan
About three minutes a question on average — but not evenly. Fast through the early questions, deliberate in the middle, selective at the end.
The hard end of the paper
Strong scores are decided in the last questions — usually combinatorics and number theory. We build the techniques those problems reward.
A path past the AMC
Top scorers are invited to the AIME. For students aiming there, the plan is built as a first step toward it.
How the preparation runs
| Stage | Format | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1Diagnose | Timed practice | A past paper under real timing → weak topics, a target score, and a personal plan. |
| 2Foundations | Live 1:1 | Core topics in algebra, geometry, number theory and combinatorics — and getting faster at each. |
| 3Problem types | Live 1:1 | Recent question types, error patterns, and when to leave a question blank. |
| 4Mock exams | Timed practice | Full papers under real timing, each followed by a review of where the minutes went. |
| 5Final week | Live 1:1 | Last review, an exam-day checklist, and one more pass over weak problems. |
The number of sessions depends on the student’s starting point and the deadline. Our team confirms the plan with you before anything starts.
John Locke Global Essay Prize
John Locke Institute · seven subject categories plus a junior prize
“One strong thesis, defended all the way down.”
Choose the question carefully
The essay has to take a position and defend it. We narrow the prompts by interest × arguability × how different the answer can be.
Original means past the obvious answer
Read the mainstream view first, then find what it misses. That second question is usually where the essay lives.
Meet the counterargument head on
The best essays state the strongest objection and answer it. Every outline has a counterargument section before drafting starts.
Make 2,000 words count
Within the limit, every paragraph has to serve the thesis. Editing focuses on cutting what doesn’t.
How the preparation runs
| Stage | Format | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1Question | Live 1:1 | Pick the category and prompt, review the student’s first research, settle the direction of the thesis. |
| 2Outline | Live 1:1 | Thesis, line of argument, counterargument and evidence plan → the student writes a draft. |
| 3Draft review | Live 1:1 | Check the argument’s structure and agree what to strengthen. |
| 4First edit | Live 1:1 + written feedback | Detailed comments on argument, evidence and structure → the student revises. |
| 5Final edit | Written feedback | Sentences, tone and word count, plus a check against the submission rules. |
The number of sessions depends on the student’s starting point and the deadline. Our team confirms the plan with you before anything starts.
HIR Academic Writing Contest
Harvard International Review · Junior (grades 7–8) and Senior (grades 9–12) divisions
“Write in the voice of the journal, not an opinion column.”
Find the under-covered angle
Summaries of the obvious story don’t stand out. We look for an angle only this student is well placed to write.
Analysis, not opinion
Data, cases and how the system works. The outline is fixed as situation → causes → implications before drafting.
Style is part of the score
Academic tone, accurate citations and the formatting rules. We edit against published HIR articles.
Ready to defend it
Finalists may be asked to present and defend their article. Feedback sessions run as questions and answers to prepare for it.
How the preparation runs
| Stage | Format | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1Prompt & angle | Live 1:1 | Read the current prompts, review the student’s issue brief, settle a distinct topic. |
| 2Research & outline | Live 1:1 | A policy-analysis frame and a plan of credible sources → the student writes a draft. |
| 3Draft review | Live 1:1 | Depth of analysis, flow, and where citations need support. |
| 4Content edit | Live 1:1 + written feedback | Comments on analysis, evidence and implications → the student revises. |
| 5Style & defense | Live 1:1 + written feedback | Journal tone, citation format and length — then practice answering a judge’s questions. |
The number of sessions depends on the student’s starting point and the deadline. Our team confirms the plan with you before anything starts.
Beyond these three
Preparing for a different competition?
We prepare students for many more — in math, science, computing, writing, economics and debate. The same approach applies: start from how it’s judged.
Mathematics
From the middle-school AMC 8 to the AIME invitational and UK challenges.
AMC 8AIMEUKMT Challenges
Science olympiads & fairs
Biology, chemistry and physics olympiads, and independent research for science fairs.
USABOUSNCOPhysics Bowl · F=maScience fairs (ISEF)
Computing
Algorithmic contests and building projects under a deadline.
USACOHackathons
Writing & humanities
Creative writing, history research essays and journalism contests.
Scholastic Art & WritingThe Concord ReviewNYT student contests
Economics & business
Economics tests and investment or business case challenges.
National Economics ChallengeWharton Investment Competition
Debate & Model UN
Research, argument and speaking — prepared like the essay competitions.
Model UNWorld Scholar’s CupDebate tournaments
Don’t see your competition?
Tell us its name and deadline. Our team checks who can prepare the student for it.
Eligibility differs by competition and by country — we check whether the student can enter before planning.
Who you’ll work with
Matched by subject, not by a sales pitch.
Competition prep goes through the same consultation and matching as all our tutoring. These tutors cover the subjects these competitions draw on.
LSE — PhD candidate in Political Science
G. I.
For John Locke and HIR — political science, international relations and academic writing, from an LSE PhD candidate who teaches undergraduates.
View expertise
MIT — S.B. in Computer Science
N. W.
For AMC — calculus, statistics and timed problem solving, from an MIT computer science graduate with top AP and ACT scores.
View expertiseWe don’t promise awards or placements. What we promise is a plan built around how the competition is judged — and work that stays the student’s own.
Before you request
Questions people ask first.
01Do tutors write or rewrite the essay?
No. Tutors help choose the question, plan the argument and give feedback; every sentence that’s submitted is the student’s. Competitions screen for ghost-writing and AI-generated work, and HIR prohibits AI tools for writing the article.
02When should we start?
For the essay competitions, about two months before the deadline. For AMC, it depends on the student’s math level — three months before the November exam is a common starting point.
03Can a student prepare for two competitions at once?
Yes. John Locke rewards an academic argument and HIR rewards journal-style policy analysis, so we plan two different topics so each essay is written for its own competition.
04How do lessons and feedback work online?
Live sessions on a link our team sets up, usually once or twice a week. Written feedback happens in a shared document, comment by comment, and every draft is kept.
05Do parents get updates?
Yes — the same tutoring reports as all our lessons: what was covered, how the draft or scores are moving, and what comes next.
Every competition starts with a plan.
Tell us the competition, the student’s grade and the deadline. We start with a consultation and come back with a plan and a tutor.