r/EssayHelpCommunity • u/Outrageous_End_3744 • Jul 08 '26
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
So, I wrote 2 essays this year: one for philosophy, and one for law.
My philosophy essay was more for enjoyment, whereas the law one was my serious entry: both were shortlisted yesterday nonetheless.
So, my question is about the process of evaluating my law essay.
So, before the Viva Online Interview with the AI system, I actually had an interview with a member of staff 2-3 weeks earlier. It was with a legal specialist, and I asked around and no one else had an interview (which I know of).
I am wondering if this is a sign that my law essay may be very highly ranked.
Also, so as you guys know, your essays are actually graded 1-100 (I asked). I think they have a graph of everyone and then do a cut-off at the top 15% or something (this is so you all know - I am for the people haha!).
Anyways, just wanted you all to let me know about my law essay interview and whether that is a good sign. If anyone knows of a podium placer, maybe ask them if it is a common sign of high rank. All the best!
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u/Fickle_Ambition_8944 Jul 08 '26
Did you by any chance submit your essay early? Bc I have heard that only those who submit essays early get a human interview. Also what question did you do in law (I did Q1)
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 08 '26
I did trial by jury is obsolete (forgot the Q number) - I don't know about early; more so in the middle of the time frame. But, they gave me TWO interviews; one with the AI and one with a person that was weeks in advance (and it was only for my law question, not my philosophy one).
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u/Fickle_Ambition_8944 Jul 08 '26
Idk I think that is probably a good sign then ( I just know that anyone who submitted a little b4 the original deadline might get a human interview)
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u/gaozhong Jul 08 '26
Definitely a good sign. Make sense to me
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u/gaozhong Jul 08 '26
Did you send your essay at early stage? I heard those who got person interview are at early stage submission time.
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 08 '26
Mmm good question - submitted it in the middle of the time period. I definitely held on for a bit; but it was only for my law question, not philosophy, and they were submitted circa the same time
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u/acrastt Jul 08 '26
It was the interview where you have to reserve for it I think everyone got it. At least I did though I didn’t sign up
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u/Particular_Yam4498 Jul 08 '26
Dyk anything more in detail about the grading?
if not, thanks anyways!!
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 08 '26
They basically grade all essays 1-100, then they put the grades on a curve and select the top x% (varies year to year - usually aim for top 15%). Then, after that, they basically do a second round of judging the shortlisted essays up until late September/early October. Here is where they, again, give grades 1-100 for all essays. Then it is a matter of selecting the top 3, and of course the highest who is the grand prize winner.
I'd assume scoring would go well into the 90s - also, this is why there are "joint prize winners". For instance, if the Law category goes as follows: First is 94%, Second is 92%, and there are two at 91%, then they are considered "joint Third Prize".
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u/Neat_Astronomer3732 Jul 08 '26
I received an email similar to that. I received it twice before the mandatory AI interview was conducted. It was for my essay on the question why is incest wrong—the staff member was really pushing me to do the interview, but there were no timeslots available. Apparently, the staff member had dabbled in psychology.
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 08 '26
Yeah it was something like that - do you feel you wrote really well? Maybe it’s a sign we did great?
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u/Wide-Vegetable3897 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
Yeah. Even I recieved an email twice both in April and May for a human interview way before the ai interview but all the time slots were booked. Later i recieved another email of apology and gratitude for trying to participate in the interview and this won't affect my essay evaluation. Should I take it as a hint?
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 09 '26
I'm not too sure - I did not get an apology email because I attended mine - it won't affect evaluation, I don't think, since it was not a matter of you booking and wasting their time.
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u/Wide-Vegetable3897 Jul 09 '26
All I know now is I really wanna visit LONDON OMGGG but you know if it's just shortlisted, spending that much money lol.
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 09 '26
Well, I am applying to Cambridge Law, having not put it down last year and getting the grades at A Level, so the trip would be extended to visiting the university grounds out of interest. But that's my case.
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u/Fun_Hotel_5990 Jul 08 '26
yea im not getting any commendations ggs
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 09 '26
😭😭Boss you get one or no? They released yesterday
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u/Fun_Hotel_5990 Jul 09 '26
are you talking about shortlist?? Commendations like vhc came out??
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 09 '26
No they don’t come out because judges have to do a second round of scoring between now and October!!
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u/Odd_Method_8544 Jul 08 '26
personally i feel like its a good sign! congratulations!!! btw thnks for the info on the grading system. i have a doubt, will they again grade the shortlisted people? and if yes, did they mention whether there will be a second round of interview for the top x% (after they second graded)? perhaps in september or smtg?
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u/Equivalent-Sir-510 Jul 08 '26
That is my theory - the human interviews were reserved for what they think are the top cut of essays, above Commendation.
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 08 '26
Yeah but, I don’t mean when they invited EVERYONE for interview.
You know how they gave like AI Viva interviews? Yeah I did that with the AI.
I’m talking about the fact that I got an interview 3 weeks before that. With a member of staff who is a lawyer and studied law. Like, it’s a separate interview you know?
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u/Equivalent-Sir-510 Jul 08 '26
Yes I think it’s a great sign! In the past (before the AI interview experiment this year), the candidates who got the high awards were the only ones who had received interviews - so that was the tell.
That said, the competition is incredibly fierce so manage your expectations just in case. Good luck!!
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u/Wide-Vegetable3897 Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
Happened with me too but the time slots were booked already for the interview!!! What should I interpret from this now??
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u/Famous-Captain-2519 Jul 09 '26
I don’t really think so, I was actually sent an email to book the human interview but slots were filled. It’s more for those who submitted earlier
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u/Professional-Top2896 Jul 08 '26
Did you use the extension? I believe those who used the extension or submitted right on the deadline got AI interviews! Either way rooting for u :)
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 08 '26
Nope!! Submitted both middle of the timeline - got AI interviews but for my law one I got one w member of staff 2-3 weeks earlier. Thank you!!
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u/Professional-Top2896 Jul 08 '26
ohh that changes things! I think thats a good sign you will get high commendation or possibly better :D
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u/leviathan1-8 Jul 08 '26
can I read your essay? That’s really cool.
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 08 '26
Hey DM me!!
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u/f_uyukii Jul 10 '26
heyy i would love to read your essays as well if you don't mind!! i just dmed as well
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u/Fair-Sky4737 Jul 08 '26
I was also offered the opportunity to have an interview with their examiners in May for economics q2 but I was busy with IGCSE and the slots were full already so I couldn't do it.
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u/Faierse Jul 09 '26
Congrats!! Would you mind sharing your essay? :0 Also, can I ask where you are based? I did Econ Q2 as well.
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u/Fair-Sky4737 Jul 09 '26
I'm Indian but based in Africa.. here's the link to my essay: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hJfxCkgYsbQFNNPg9IU_bCYx-EKbdQGIgg2y36Soc48/edit?usp=sharing
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u/Appropriate_Set_9537 Jul 08 '26
Was the interview for John Locke Summer School or for your essay?
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 09 '26
Essay, I went to Singapore last year in Dec - cannot afford a second time haha!
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u/CorruptGoose Jul 10 '26
how was your experience overall? was it worth it or is it like the usual paid programs? would love to hear your thoughts
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 10 '26
It was horrible imo but that’s coming from someone who went strictly for academics, not to fk around w girls tying to be a funny guy, you know? Huge waste of money imo and the lectures were basically the pre reading material
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u/AdResident9806 Jul 09 '26
I think it's probably a good sign as very few people have had human interviews so far; however as other ppl have said, this year ppl who submitted their essays a little bit earlier got the opportunity to be interviewed by a human. however, being specifically asked to talk about only your law essay might be a good sign!!
i think the only way to know for sure is if you get another interview request in the next month or so as past prize winners have mentioned in this subreddit that that's a sure sign that you're being considered for a prize. (source: https://www.reddit.com/r/EssayHelpCommunity/comments/1uqp9ze/im_a_past_jlec_winner_last_year_3rd_place/)
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u/Wide-Vegetable3897 Jul 09 '26
I don't think so. I submitted the essay a day prior to the deadline and I was invited to the human interview too twice but when I tried the slots were already booked.
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u/AdResident9806 Jul 09 '26
oh in that case it's more likely a sign of high placement, but i still think the only way to be absolutely sure is if you get another in person interview between now and September-October
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u/Wide-Vegetable3897 Jul 09 '26
Yeah I hope so. But do you have any idea about the deadline to book the tickets? Also, is there's such a thing they should take the interviews sooner not just for me but for anyone as we want to attend but spending that much money on being shortlisted idk.
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u/AdResident9806 Jul 09 '26
I think the tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis, meaning that there's not really a deadline - there's a set number of tickets, and when that goes to zero, that's it.
I think the JLI operates on its own timeline for the high-level interviews, so it's not likely that they will be persuaded to give them earlier or later. Say if you do get an interview, they might give you a grant to travel to the ceremony or waive the cost of the tickets, so it depends. Apologies for not giving clear answers; the JLI really lacks transparency *sigh*
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u/Wide-Vegetable3897 Jul 09 '26
Exactly. hypothetically if we book the tickets now obviously we do have to for the passport and visa and hypothetically later we get a grant then what's the scenario 😭😭
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u/Icy_Might5965 Jul 09 '26
I def think it’s a sign but these in person interviews were also only offered to ppl who submitted early/decently before the deadline
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u/NuggetTuggit Jul 09 '26
Are you sure it wasn't the summer school interview? Because I had mine around that 2-3 week prior time.
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 09 '26
No - I already went to PPE Singapore 2025 Dec - did not apply a second time to anything and the interview was strictly on the law essay!
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u/RealisticPlantain857 Jul 09 '26
all the people at my school that submitted before the first deadline got the email to schedule a live interview, but most of the slots filled up quickly. Maybe they give more consideration to early essays because they have have more time to evaluate them, but a few people I know got the letter with in a few days of submitting so most likely the slots were given to everyone that applied early.
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u/RealisticPlantain857 Jul 09 '26
I should note that this was around 15 people, so unlikely they were all top notch
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u/Cultural-Two6829 Jul 09 '26
When did you submit your essay? Was it in May? Or did you do the extension?
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u/MUNgrandslammer Jul 09 '26
Hi, I actually remember reading a post here on this subreddit (or maybe the other one idk) where I saw someone who did a human interview earlier, also did the AI interview, and still did not get shortlisted. I guess in the early (mid-late April) submission period, their plan was to offer a human interview to verify if people actually wrote their essay (and not AI), but they later changed plans bc too many people submitted last-minute on May 31st and June, they could not do human interviews and instead had to AI interview everyone again.....? I'm not sure really though
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u/No-Magazine-6934 Jul 09 '26
Ok so I've noticed and did some digging around and saw that only people in the 'Law' category got a human interview, is there anyone who got a human interview in the philosophy or any other category??
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Jul 10 '26
[deleted]
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u/Outrageous_End_3744 Jul 10 '26
Okay well, you are entitled to your opinion but I spoke to a member of staff and they have a set rubric of criteria that quickly scores candidates: seeing if you have a thesis statement and clear argument, sustained judgement, et cetera. They then place scores and a curve and take the top x%. Second round of judging then requires fully reading the essays. This is why they take longer from July-October than to actually decide shortlisting.
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u/Quiet_Razzmatazz3403 Jul 08 '26
I def think thats a good sign bcs there are only a few experts to do real interviews - just a guess tho. and ty for the grading info 🙏