There’s still time for Year 12 or Lower Sixth students to enter the Robson History Prize 2010 with a First Prize of £600 (split between the winner and their school) and a £400 Second Prize (also split between the winner and their school).  To enter this essay writing competition, students should submit an essay of 2,000 to 4,000 words by the closing date of 31st May 2010.  The topic can be chosen from any of the questions set for this year.  Have a look at this list of Cambridge essays to see which question captures your imagination.  You also need to be considering university study in order to enter the contest.  The winners are invited to visit the college.

Essay writing prize

This prize, run by Trinity College, Cambridge, was founded in memory of Robert Robson, the history Fellow and Tutor.  Robson was the son of a miner and hailed from Northumberland near Hadrian’s Wall.  His father gave him his love of books and Robson became a Fellow of Trinity College in 1956.  He remained there until his death in 1995.  He was known as a traditional tutor, caring for his students’ well-being, rather than processing them to meet academic targets.

Essay papers – why a competition matters

Winning an essay competition, particularly from such a prestigious college, can be a real asset to you and would look fabulous on your CV.  As you approach the end of school, you’ll be starting to think about the work you want to do and how to enter the job market.  Winning an essay prize can show that you have excellent communication skills, dedication and focus.  It shows your ability to carry out accurate research and to deliver work to deadline.  It may also show that you can write a persuasive essay.  All of these are valuable skills in the workplace.

Further details

On the college website you can find full details for applying for this Cambridge essays competition.  If you’re interested in other University of Cambridge essay competitions and honing your critical essay skills further, keep an eye out for the Fitzwilliam College essay competitions for Music, the Classics and Land Economy, which are held in the spring.

Have you entered any essay competitions?  How did you find the experience?  Did you find useful essay examples to help you prepare?  Let us know about your experiences.  Please post a comment below.