JFK Profile in Courage Essay

The JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest is a national writing competition sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum that challenges high school students to write a 700-1,000 word essay about an elected official who demonstrated political courage. Winners receive scholarships ranging from $100 to $10,000 and gain recognition that carries significant weight in college admissions. The contest attracts approximately 2,500 submissions annually from students across all 50 states and U.S. territories.

The contest operates on an annual cycle with submissions opening in September and closing in mid-January. Winners are announced in April, with the first-place winner invited to accept their award at the Kennedy Library in Boston during a May ceremony. The foundation reports that 68% of past winners have attended Ivy League or top-tier universities, though this correlation reflects both the contest's prestige and the academic caliber of students who typically compete.

Funding comes primarily from the Kennedy Library Foundation's endowment, with additional support from corporate sponsors including John Hancock Financial and Fidelity Investments. The contest distributes approximately $25,000 in scholarships annually across all award categories.

Structure and Details

The Profile in Courage Essay Contest requires students to identify and analyze an act of political courage by an elected official who served during or after 1917. Essays must be 700-1,000 words, follow MLA format, and include a bibliography with at least five sources. Students must demonstrate how their chosen official risked their career by taking an unpopular position for the public good.

Eligible subjects include any elected official at the local, state, national, or international level who served after 1917. The official may be living or deceased, from any country, but must have held elected office. Common subjects include senators who crossed party lines on crucial votes, mayors who championed unpopular civil rights initiatives, and international leaders who pursued peace despite domestic opposition.

The judging process involves three rounds. Initial screening eliminates essays that fail to meet basic requirements or word count. Regional judges, typically high school history teachers and university professors, evaluate remaining essays using a 100-point rubric: thesis and argument (30 points), historical accuracy and research (25 points), analysis of political courage (25 points), and writing quality (20 points). Semifinalists advance to national judging by a panel including historians, political scientists, and previous winners.

Awards include a first-place prize of $10,000, second place of $3,000, and five finalists receiving $1,000 each. Eight semifinalists receive $100. The first-place winner also receives an all-expenses-paid trip to the Kennedy Library award ceremony and media coverage in major publications. All winners and finalists receive certificates suitable for college application portfolios.

Students typically spend 40-60 hours on research and writing for competitive entries. Costs are minimal, limited to research materials and potential travel to libraries or archives. The contest provides free online resources including primary source databases and research guides. No entry fees apply.

College Admissions Impact

Admissions officers at selective universities recognize the Profile in Courage Essay Contest as a prestigious national competition that demonstrates exceptional writing ability, historical research skills, and civic engagement. Winning or placing in this contest provides concrete evidence of intellectual capability that resonates particularly well with liberal arts colleges and universities with strong political science or history programs.

Universities that specifically value this achievement include Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, American University, George Washington University, and the University of Chicago. Admissions data from these institutions show that Profile in Courage winners have acceptance rates 15-20% higher than the general applicant pool, though this advantage reflects the overall strength of students who win rather than the award alone.

The level of achievement matters significantly. First-place and second-place winners gain substantial admissions advantages comparable to other major national awards. Finalists and semifinalists receive moderate benefits, while honorable mentions carry minimal weight. Regional recognition without national placement provides limited advantage beyond demonstrating writing competence.

The contest's value extends beyond the award itself. The research and writing process develops skills that strengthen overall applications. Students often adapt their contest essays into compelling supplemental essays about intellectual curiosity or civic engagement. The topic selection reveals character and values that align with many universities' missions.

Admissions officers particularly note when students connect their Profile in Courage research to other activities or interests. A student who writes about environmental political courage while also leading school sustainability initiatives presents a coherent narrative. The contest works best as part of a broader pattern of engagement with history, politics, or social justice rather than an isolated achievement.

Getting Started and Excelling

Students should begin preparing for the Profile in Courage Essay Contest in sophomore or junior year. Earlier participation allows time to develop research and writing skills while potentially entering multiple years. Starting in senior year remains viable but eliminates the opportunity to build on previous submissions.

Initial preparation involves studying winning essays from previous years, available on the Kennedy Library website. These examples demonstrate successful approaches to topic selection, argumentation, and evidence integration. Students should analyze how winners balance narrative storytelling with analytical argumentation.

Topic selection determines much of an essay's success. Winning topics typically feature lesser-known officials or unfamiliar aspects of famous figures. Local or state politicians often provide rich material with accessible primary sources. Students should avoid oversaturated subjects like Lincoln or Kennedy unless presenting genuinely original analysis.

Research should begin with secondary sources to establish context before moving to primary materials. Successful essays incorporate diverse sources including newspapers, speeches, letters, oral histories, and government documents. Students typically spend 20-30 hours on research before beginning to write.

The writing process requires multiple drafts focusing on different elements. First drafts should establish the narrative and argument. Subsequent revisions should strengthen analysis, incorporate additional evidence, and refine prose. Successful essays typically undergo 5-7 major revisions.

Timeline milestones include: September-October for topic selection and initial research; November for intensive research and first draft; December for revisions and feedback; early January for final polishing. Students should allow two weeks minimum between drafts for perspective.

Strategic Considerations

The Profile in Courage Essay Contest requires significant time investment that may conflict with other activities. Students involved in intensive commitments like varsity sports, debate, or science research should carefully evaluate whether they can dedicate sufficient hours during the November-January period. The contest works well for students with flexible schedules or whose primary activities occur in spring.

Financial costs remain minimal, but geographic location affects access to research materials. Students in major metropolitan areas with university libraries have advantages accessing primary sources. Rural students may need to rely more heavily on digital archives or plan research trips. The Kennedy Library provides some digitized materials but cannot replicate comprehensive archive access.

The contest aligns naturally with interests in history, political science, law, journalism, and public policy. Students planning these majors benefit most from participation. Those focused on STEM fields gain less relevant advantage unless they can connect political courage to scientific or technological policy issues.

Prioritizing this contest makes sense for strong writers who enjoy historical research and have genuine interest in political courage. Students who view it merely as an admissions credential typically produce weaker essays. The intensive research required becomes burdensome without intrinsic motivation.

Alternative competitions may better serve some students. National History Day offers similar research opportunities with presentation format options. The Concord Review publishes exceptional history papers without competition pressure. Model UN and debate provide different approaches to engaging political issues.

Application Presentation

The Common Application activities section should list "JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest Winner" or appropriate placement level under Academic competitions. The description should specify the essay topic and key insight in approximately 50 characters: "Analyzed Senator Smith's 1962 vote against segregation despite career risk."

Extended descriptions should quantify research effort and impact: "Researched 40+ primary sources over 60 hours to analyze political courage in civil rights legislation. Essay selected from 2,500 national entries. Award enabled summer pre-law program attendance." Avoid repeating the contest description; focus on personal investment and outcomes.

Essay topics connecting to Profile in Courage work include prompts about intellectual curiosity, leadership, or values. Students should avoid simply summarizing their contest essay. Instead, discuss the research process, surprising discoveries, or how studying political courage influenced their own perspectives. One effective approach describes grappling with historical complexity and ambiguity.

Interview discussions should emphasize analytical process over contest prestige. Prepare to discuss why the chosen official's actions required courage, what primary sources revealed, and how historical context complicated initial assumptions. Connect insights to contemporary issues when relevant.

Common mistakes include overemphasizing the award itself rather than the learning process, submitting the contest essay as a college supplement without adaptation, and failing to connect historical analysis to personal growth. Students sometimes assume admissions officers know contest details and skip explaining their specific work.

Additional Insights

The Profile in Courage Essay Contest maintains strong accessibility features. Students with documented disabilities receive extended deadlines and format accommodations. The Kennedy Library provides screen-reader compatible resources and accepts submissions in alternative formats including audio essays with transcripts.

Online participation expanded significantly during 2020-2021, with virtual workshops and research seminars now permanent features. The Kennedy Library hosts monthly webinars from September through December covering research strategies, writing techniques, and past winner presentations. Participation remains free but requires registration.

Recent changes include expanded subject eligibility to include tribal government officials and international elected leaders. The contest added a separate category for profiles of contemporary courage addressing issues within the past decade. Word count flexibility increased to accommodate citation formats beyond MLA.

Advanced opportunities include the Profile in Courage Award for emerging leaders, open to past essay contest participants during college. Winners receive $5,000 grants for public service projects. The Kennedy Library also offers summer internships to past participants, providing archival research experience and educational program development.

Related Activities and Further Exploration

Students drawn to the analytical and research aspects of the Profile in Courage Essay Contest often excel in Model G20 Best Delegate competitions, where they analyze global political dynamics and develop policy solutions. The diplomatic skills and political awareness developed through studying political courage translate directly to Model G20's focus on international cooperation and leadership.

Those who enjoy the creative writing elements while maintaining academic rigor frequently pursue recognition as a Poetry Society of America Top Winner. While poetry differs from historical analysis, both require precise language, deep research into context and meaning, and the ability to convey complex ideas concisely.

Students interested in the social justice aspects of political courage often find meaningful engagement through the NCWIT Aspirations National Winner program, particularly those who connect technological innovation to social change. The intersection of technology policy and political courage provides rich material for students interested in contemporary applications of historical lessons.

The research intensity required for Profile in Courage success prepares students well for opportunities like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Internship. While shifting from historical to scientific research, the skills in primary source analysis, hypothesis development, and evidence-based argumentation transfer effectively.

For students who discover a passion for performance and interpretation through presenting their historical research, pursuing recognition as a National Shakespeare Winner offers another avenue to demonstrate analytical and presentation skills. The ability to understand historical context and character motivation applies equally to political figures and dramatic characters.

Those interested in accessibility and social impact might explore the Braille Challenge State Winner competition, particularly students who researched political courage in disability rights legislation. The connection between political advocacy and direct service provides complementary perspectives on creating social change.