LSESU Essay Competition vs Economics Challenge: Two LSE Competitions, Side-by-Side (2026)
The LSESU Economics Society runs two competitions whose names look almost interchangeable but which test completely different skills. The Essay Competition asks for a 1,500-word argued essay answering one of five set questions; the Economics Challenge is a multiple-choice test of roughly 50 questions. Students apply to the wrong one every year. As the official China and Asia editorial desk, here is the clear, side-by-side distinction — and how to choose.
In one line: the Essay Competition rewards how well you argue and write; the Economics Challenge rewards how much economics you know and how fast. This site covers the Essay Competition. Both are run by the same Society, so always confirm the live details for each on the official society pages.
Two competitions, one Society
Both competitions are organised by the LSESU Economics Society — the student economics society at the London School of Economics — which is why their branding overlaps and search results blur them together. But they are separate events, with separate formats, deadlines, and skills. The Essay Competition is a written, argued piece judged by a rubric; the Economics Challenge is a timed knowledge test scored objectively. Confusing them is not a small error: preparing for one does almost nothing to prepare you for the other.
The core difference: argue vs recall
Everything else follows from one distinction. The Essay Competition is a test of reasoning made visible: you take a position on a hard question, build it with evidence and economic logic, reference your sources, and are judged by readers against a 100-point rubric. The Economics Challenge is a test of knowledge under time pressure: you answer about fifty multiple-choice questions, and your score is simply how many you got right, fast. One rewards the student who can think and write; the other rewards the student who has learned the material cold. Both are legitimate skills — they are just not the same skill, and they do not transfer.
| Essay Competition | Economics Challenge | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 1,500-word essay, one of five questions | ~50 multiple-choice questions, timed |
| Scoring | 100-point rubric, human-judged | Objective — number correct |
| Tests | Argument, research, writing | Knowledge recall and speed |
| Referencing | Harvard-style, required | None |
| Preparation | Reading, drafting, revising over weeks | Syllabus mastery and timed practice |
| Best signal for | Writing-and-research universities (PPE, Economics with essays) | Quantitative economics aptitude |
Which one should you enter?
Choose by the skill you want to build and show, not by which name you saw first. The Essay Competition is the better fit if you enjoy taking a position and defending it, if you are aiming at degrees that read your writing closely — PPE, Economics programmes with essay components, Oxbridge and other UK and US courses where a personal statement and supplements matter — and if you are willing to read around a question and revise a draft over several weeks. The Economics Challenge is the better fit if you have strong syllabus command, enjoy fast problem-solving, and want a clean, objective result. They are not rivals; a student with both the knowledge and the writing can enter each in its own season. But for most students, time is limited, and the honest question is: do you want to be judged on how you argue, or on how much you know?
Why this site covers the Essay Competition
This editorial desk focuses on the Essay Competition because it is the harder competition to prepare for well and the one where good guidance makes the biggest difference. A multiple-choice test rewards revision you can largely do alone; a 1,500-word argued essay rewards structure, originality and disciplined referencing that students rarely get feedback on. Our guides break down the five set questions, the 100-point rubric, and the realistic timeline from question release to the 1 September deadline. If you have landed here while looking for the Economics Challenge, that is a separate event — check the official society pages for its format and dates.
For students in China and Asia
Both competitions are open internationally, and students across China and Asia can enter the Essay Competition through the Society’s official page or through ASEEDER, the official regional partner since 2017. There is no registration step and no submission portal: it is free to enter, and the link is obtained by messaging the Society on WhatsApp. The route does not change the judging — every essay reaches the same LSE-linked rubric — but the ASEEDER route adds Mandarin-language support and an optional structural draft review ahead of the deadline. Because the Essay Competition is judged on argument rather than on prior credentials, there is no economics prerequisite: a motivated student from any curriculum background can write a strong entry. What matters is the quality of the thinking, not the badge of preparation.
Frequently asked questions
Is the LSESU Essay Competition the same as the Economics Challenge?
No. They are two separate competitions run by the same Society. The Essay Competition is a 1,500-word written essay answering one of five set questions, judged on a 100-point rubric. The Economics Challenge is a multiple-choice test of roughly 50 questions, scored objectively. This site covers the Essay Competition.
Which one is better for university applications?
It depends on the course. The Essay Competition is a stronger signal for degrees that value writing and research — PPE, Economics with essay components, and applications where personal statements and supplements matter. The Economics Challenge signals quantitative aptitude. Neither is universally “better”; they show different strengths.
Can I enter both?
Yes, if you have both the syllabus knowledge and the writing stamina, and the schedules allow. For most students with limited time, it is better to commit fully to the one that matches the skill they want to build, rather than splitting effort across two very different formats.
Do I need to have studied economics to enter the Essay Competition?
No. There is no prior economics requirement. It is open to students in grades 9 to 12 or the IB, A-Level, AP or national-curriculum equivalent. The essay is judged on the quality of the argument, not on whether you have taken a formal economics course.
Filed underComparisons · Foundation · LSE Faculty
This site is the LSESU Economics Society Essay Competition editorial desk operated jointly by Hanlin Education and ASEEDER — the official partner for China and Asia since 2017. Our editors verify every claim against lsesuesec.org and lse.ac.uk source material. Corrections are made within 7 working days of confirmation. We are not the LSE Department of Economics, the LSE Students’ Union, or the LSESU Economics Society itself; this is an independent editorial guide produced by the official regional partner.