Status Update (September 2026)!

In September 2024, the original organizer publicly announced on the Effective Altruism Forum that she was seeking a new administrator to take over the contest, and noted that future funding was not guaranteed.

Since the contest website (eonessaycontest.com) has recently become inaccessible, we assume that this contest is closed!

Below, you can find out what the Eon contest was all about.

What is the Eon Essay Contest?

The Eon Essay Contest is a project of the effective altruism community, funded by a grant from Open Philanthropy that focuses on doing good better. Effective altruism is a research field and a practical community that enables people to find the best ways to help others and put them into practice. 

At the Eon, they use reason and evidence to do good. The essay context is about raising awareness of why it is important to avoid existential risks. 

Existential risks are the ones that threaten the future of humanity, such as pandemics, artificial intelligence and nuclear warfare. These risks should be avoided so that the future of the next generations is secured and they flourish. 

What is the Assessment Criteria?

Admission officers are on the lookout for students who walk the extra mile. Your involvement in such a prestigious contest reflects positively on your college application, underscoring your commitment to academic excellence. 

The essays are assessed on a scale from 0-40 using a stringent grading system. The Eon Essays receive a maximum of 10 points for each of the below-mentioned categories:

•     Knowledge rewards demonstrated familiarity with the book's arguments, not surface-level summary. Judges can tell when an essay is written by someone who read The Precipice carefully versus someone who skimmed a summary.
•     Writing style covers clarity, precision, and structure. Judges read hundreds of essays. Clear sentences, focused paragraphs, and a conclusion that lands matter more than sophisticated vocabulary.
•     Originality of ideas is not about being contrarian. It means bringing a perspective, example, or framework that is genuinely yours — something judges have not seen many times already in the same cycle.
•     Depth and sophistication of analysis separates essays in the middle of the pack from finalists. Shallow analysis states what the book says. Deep analysis evaluates it — where the argument is strong, where it is incomplete, and what evidence would change your view.

Who is Eligible to Participate?

High school, undergraduate and graduate students aged 13-24 are eligible to participate. The contest becomes competitive with an age range so wide. Since you are pitted against college students, the contest is more competitive. 

Eligibility is also limited by geography. Students must be legal residents of the United States (50 states and D.C., excluding Puerto Rico), Canada (excluding Quebec), or the United Kingdom. Students in other countries may also be eligible as long as no local laws prohibit participation — check your country's regulations before applying.

Students who entered in a previous year are technically eligible to enter again with a new essay — resubmitting a prior entry results in disqualification. The organizers note that the time invested in a second entry may deliver diminishing returns compared to exploring other opportunities in the existential risk field.

Prize Structure

1st Place (overall): $15,000 — one winner selected from all age brackets.

2nd Place: $5,000 — three winners, one per age bracket.

3rd Place: $2,000 — six winners, two per age bracket.

Recognition: The top 25 essays receive a complimentary copy of The Precipice.

Total prize pool: $27,000+ across ten cash prizes. The contest has been funded by a grant from Open Philanthropy.

When Does the Contest Open?

The contest has historically launched in late winter or early spring, with a mid-June submission deadline. The 2024 cycle closed on June 15. Winners have typically been notified by end of August, with public results by October.

The single most useful preparation you can do before the contest opens is read The Precipice. At approximately 480 pages, starting early gives you time to form your own view on the arguments and identify the gaps or extensions you might develop in an essay — the approach that has produced multiple first-place essays in recent cycles.

The Eon Essay Submission Requirements

For the Eon essay contest on the Precipice, you must read it and submit an essay on one of the prompts below by the contest's official deadline. The most recent deadline was June 15, 2024 — check eonessaycontest.com for the current cycle's closing date before submitting.

• A written essay in English, based on "The Precipice" by Toby Ord, responding to one of the prompts below.
• The essay must be at most 1,500 words in length, excluding the title, footnotes, endnotes, and citations. (Confirm this limit on the official website before submitting — some third-party sources cite 1,200 words.)
• The essay should be double-spaced and in PDF format.
• The PDF file should contain your name, while the essay should be anonymous.
• Essays generated with AI will be disqualified. You may use AI tools for brainstorming or idea refinement, but the submitted essay must be entirely your own writing.

Prompts For The Eon Essay Contest

The prompts below are from the 2024 contest cycle, included as examples of the style and scope judges expect. Prompts change every year — always confirm the current prompts on the official website before you start writing.

13-18 Age Bracket

Pick a transformative technology that has a chance of being created someday. Imagine you are responsible for handling it. For instance, you could be the scientist behind the development of the technology, a government official regulating it, or a corporate executive selling it to the general public. 

How would you approach your job to have the greatest chance of preserving humanity’s potential? What are the risks you face?

19-21 Age Bracket

If the ideas in this book are correct, what does that imply about what a group you are familiar with should be doing differently? What could incentivize them to do that? You may talk about a group like a research lab, a government body, a non-profit, a media company, a corporation, or an international organization.

22-24 Age Bracket

According to you, what is missing from this book? This missing piece can strengthen or weaken the conclusion. This missing piece can be data, analysis, or an argument. 

8 Tips to Ace The Eon Essay Contest

Now let’s go through the 8 tips that will help you ace the contest and win the essay prize.

1. Comprehensive Understanding of the Book 

Ensure you have read “The Precipice '' by Toby Ord thoroughly and completely understand the theme. The source material is the foundation of your essay, so ensure a firm grasp of the core ideas and arguments presented. 

You must build the essay's contents on the book’s contents, dig deep, and explore the author's blended approach and perspective on existential risks. Make a note of the key takeaways that you find relatable. 

Understanding the source material will help you craft an insightful essay that the contest evaluators find relatable. 

2. Research To Substantiate And Cite Key Insights 

A winning essay for such scholarship essay competitions is always backed by comprehensive research that substantiates your arguments. Set your essay apart as an authentic, researched, credible piece supported by arguments and evidence. 

Once you have selected your prompt, focus on the topic and start collecting relevant data from credible sources such as authoritative websites, books, academic journals, and expert opinion to support your evidence. 

Demonstrate the reliability of your sources with proper citations and referencing. 

3. Strengthen Your Thesis With A Well-Structured Thesis Statement

Encapsulating the essence of the essay, your thesis statement is at the core of your essay. So make sure your thesis statement is clear, compelling, well structured, well thought out and in sync with your prompt choice. 

A good thesis statement is like a “hook” that captures the reader's attention and steers them through the thesis with a convincing narrative. 

4. Follow The Prompt To The Letter And Structure Accordingly

The competitiveness of winning The Precipice Scholarship makes this competition so prestigious. In past cycles, a significant share of submitted essays failed to respond directly to the assigned prompt — in 2022, roughly one-third of over 1,500 entries were disqualified on this basis alone. The numbers have likely shifted since, but the lesson has not: read the prompt carefully and address it specifically. So do not take it lightly; stay focused.

Participants must respond to the essay prompt relevant to their age category. The key to addressing the prompts is to do so in a way you find relatable to your interests and expertise. This approach helps you write a genuine piece straight from the heart and reflects passion and insight. 

Make sure your essay is well-structured and has a logical flow. Ideally, it would help to begin with an engaging introduction, highlighting the thesis and interests your readers to continue reading. A good essay flow would ensure seamless reading and leave a lasting impression.

Follow this with well-organized body paragraphs presenting your arguments one after the other coherently. Finally, conclude with an impactful summary stating the main highlights.

5. Refer To Past Entries Of The Eon Essay Contest

Review the past winning entries from the Eon Essay Contest to understand what the judges are looking for, and refine your approach accordingly.

Past essays of distinction can provide insight into the details, style and quality of writing that resonates with the contest evaluators. See how previous winners have structured their themes, pay attention and create a unique perspective.

6. Write And Proofread

The judging process of the contest requires writing and revising several drafts, so take your time to review and refine. 

Pay attention to your thesis statement, arguments and evidence; all should be in sync and have a smooth, logical flow of points. Keep your writing concise and to the point. Remove redundant thoughts. 

Multiple revisions can help fine-tune your essay, increasing its chances of being appreciated by the judges. 

7. Seek Constructive Feedback

Seek feedback from peers, mentors and teachers, be open to criticism and make improvements based on their suggestions. Your essay will benefit from external input from another set of eyes. 

Multiple perspectives and constructive criticism can enhance clarity, strengthen your arguments and refine the presentation of your essay. 

A well-edited essay shows you pay attention to detail and ensures your message is conveyed clearly. Check spelling, eliminate grammatical errors and improve overall coherence to provide a polished professional piece that leaves the evaluators in awe. 

8. Comply To The Word Limit

Significantly, you adhere to the word limit stated in the current contest guidelines — confirm this on eonessaycontest.com before submitting, as it has varied across cycles. Concisely convey your ideas. Going beyond the world limit can result in disqualification. 

FAQ

Q: Can I enter if I am not from the US?

Yes, with conditions. Students outside the US, Canada (excluding Quebec), and the UK may participate as long as local laws do not prohibit entering international contests. Check the official rules before applying.

Q: Do I have to buy The Precipice to enter?

No. Students who cannot access the book can request a complimentary copy through the official contest website using the request form in the FAQ section.

Q: Can I use ChatGPT or other AI to write my essay?

No. Essays generated with AI are disqualified. You may use AI tools for brainstorming or idea refinement, but the submitted essay must be your own writing.

Q: What happens after I submit?

Finalists are typically notified by end of August. Winners are made public by October. All entrants receive access to resources on existential risk work after the contest closes.

Q: Can I enter again if I entered in a previous year?

Yes, but you must submit a new essay — resubmitting a previous entry is a disqualifying offense. The organizers note that repeat entries tend to yield diminishing returns and encourage past entrants to explore other opportunities in the existential risk space instead.

Wrapping Up!

Participating in essay contests, such as the Eon Essay Contest, can boost your chances for college admission. Adhering to the following eight tips can increase your likelihood of triumph and deliver a compelling essay that leaves a lasting impression.