Global Research and Consulting

GRC Social Impact Essay Competition 2023

Solutions for Good

GRC Social Impact Essay Competition 2023

Solutions for Good

A platform for ambitious high school students to share ideas for social good

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GRC is an international 501(c)(3) non-profit with branches at 23 top global universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and Columbia. Every year over 1,000 GRC members help startups, NGOs, governments, and corporations around the globe solve their challenging social impact issues. This year we are inviting high school students from around the world to brainstorm with our community Solutions for Good.
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GRC Affiliate Schools

Awards

TOP 5

Authors will be offered an internship with one of GRC university branches and will support a consulting team with a client project from February till May 2024.

TOP 10

Authors will get an Ivy League mentor to support them in their academic journey for at least three coaching sessions.

TOP 30

Essays will be published by GRC's think tank on our Insights platform and all authors will receive a digital laureate certificate.

TOP 31-50

Authors will receive a digital finalist certificate.

TOP 5

Authors will be offered an internship with one of GRC university branches and will support a consulting team with a client project from February till May 2024.

TOP 10

Authors will get an Ivy League mentor to support them in their academic journey for at least three coaching sessions.

TOP 30

Essays will be published by GRC's think tank on our Insights platform and all authors will receive a digital laureate certificate.

TOP 31-50

Authors will receive a digital finalist certificate.

Prompts

Write an argumentative piece identifying an important problem that the world faces today and offer a compelling solution on how to solve it.

Focus your essay on one of these topics

Sustainable
Development

How can countries, companies, and / or communities balance economic growth, resource consumption, and wealth distribution?

Global
Health

From nutrition to vaccination, how can we improve human quality of life around the globe?

Technology
for Good

With step changes in AI, automation, and tele-communications, technology has the potential to unlock prosperity for our society. How can we harness its power for the greater good?

Rules

Word count

Minimum 500, maximum 800 words (excluding titles, references, and footnotes).

Graphics

You can attach up to 2 charts or infographics to support your argument.

Authors

You can submit an essay as an individual or a group of up to 3 students.

Plagiarism

All essays will be screened for plagiarism using software. Any plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.

References

Reference all sources, preferably using Chicago citation style. References do not count towards the word limit.

Timeline

Pre-registration
opens

August 1st, 2023

Webinar
hosted

Date TBD

Submission
deadline

December 10th, 2023

Results
announced

February 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply?

High school students and high school graduates who haven't enrolled yet in college.

What region can I apply from?

There are no geographic limitations.

What is the competition format?

Essay between 500 to 800 words on one of three topics.

What are the key dates?

Submissions open on September 1st. Students have time till November 30th end of day to apply.

How can I pre-register?

Please follow the registration form on our main page.

When does the application open and close?

Submissions close on November 30th, 2023 (midnight GMT -10).

Will the essay be checked for plagiarism?

We take plagiarism very seriously. All essays will be analyzed using software. Any form of plagiarism will result in an immediate disqualification.

Will I receive feedback of my essay?

Due to a high volume of applications we are unable to provide individual feedback. Each essay will be evaluated by several people to ensure objectivity and fairness.

What is the cost of submitting an essay?

$20 for individual submission and $40 for group submission. This processing fee will help us cover the cost of organizing the competition.

Will I receive confirmation that I successfully submitted my essay?

You should receive a confirmation email (please check your spam folder). If you don't receive an email within 24 hours, please email us.

What if I am having troubles with the payments portal?

Please trying using all available payment options such as credit cards and PayPal. If you continue to have difficulties, please reach out to us.

Can I request the deadline extension?

We cannot accommodate any deadline extensions. We highly recommend that you submit your essay at least a week before the deadline.

Can I submit more than one essay?

No. We will accept only your first submission.

Do titles, sub-headings or references count towards the word limit?

They do not.

Will webinars be recorded?

They will not be recorded.

Can I participate as a team?

Yes, you can submit your essay as a team of up to 3 people.

What documents do I need to submit?

You will need to submit your essay in a Word or PDF format.

When will I be notified about the results?

We will announce winners in January and publish winning essays in February.

If you have any questions, please email us at info@grcglobalgroup.com