APO - American Philosophy Olympiad

02/28/2026

The American Philosophy Olympiad has a new website that has just gone live. Check it out.

The American Philosophy Olympiad is a pre-college Philosophy writing contest for American students that is connected to the wider world of international philosophy. Students compete by writing philosophical essays on specific topics. Each year, the top two writers from the USA are chosen to compete....

02/17/2025

Here's the announcement to this year's APO HS Essay Writing Contest 2025.

This blog is for philosophers, teachers who'd like to learn to teach AP-CP, interested students, and friends. It is also the American Philosophy Open (APO) source site and the American link to the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). Bloggers will write on relevant ideas & aspirations, a...

07/23/2024

Who of my Fb friends are going to Rome for the WCP Rome 2024? I'd love to meet you there. WCPRome2024.com

01/23/2024

Announcing the APO 2024 HS Philosophy Essay Writing Contest. This year the winners travel to Helsinki, Finland to the IPO in May. Take a look at the blog about it in this post. Either just for fun and info or with interest to participate.

This blog is for philosophers, teachers who'd like to learn to teach AP-CP, interested students, and friends. It is also the American Philosophy Open (APO) source site and the American link to the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). Bloggers will write on relevant ideas & aspirations, a...

05/10/2023

The American Philosophy Olympiad/Open (APO) is the USA Delegation and American branch of the International Philosophy Olympiad. We are on our way to Greece tonight for the IPO 2023 in Olympia, Greece. This is the 31st International Philosophy Olympiad. The APO team of administrators, judges, tech specialists and students have been working very hard this year to make it possible for us to bring two American students--our national essay winners--to Olympia. One of our winners is Charlie De Belloy from California, who will be writing his essay in French, the other is Benjamin Ming Who from Connecticut, who will be writing his essay in Spanish. There are only two student winners from each country allowed to compete at the IPO. This year there will be 48 countries represented at Olympia, Greece for this week's philosophy essay contest. Altogether there will be about 250 people including teachers and students for a long weekend of international, philosophical fellowship. Click on the link to go to the IPO 2023 website. Wish us luck.

We are happy to welcome our international students to the 31st International Philosophy Competition in Olympia.

03/07/2023

The American Philosophy Open (APO2023), sponsored by the American Philosophical Association, is a philosophy writing contest for U.S. high school students that is connected to the wider world of international philosophy. Students compete by writing two philosophical essays—the first in English, the second in French, German, or Spanish—on specific topics. The top two writers from the U.S. will be chosen to compete in the 31st Annual International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO2023) celebrated in Olympia, Greece in May 2023 with peers from 50 countries. The first APO essay is due on March 26, 2023. Here’s the link for all the information.

This blog is for philosophers, teachers who'd like to learn to teach AP-CP, interested students, and friends. It is also the American Philosophy Open (APO) source site and the American link to the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). Bloggers will write on relevant ideas & aspirations, a...

03/17/2022

Remember that the due date for the APO Stage 1 essay is coming up. It is March 25, 2022. Get all the info at the APO Blog:

This blog is for philosophers, teachers who'd like to learn to teach AP-CP, interested students, and friends. It is also the American Philosophy Open (APO) source site and the American link to the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). Bloggers will write on relevant ideas & aspirations, a...

03/17/2022

Remember, the deadline for the 2022 APO Stage1 essays is 3/25/22. Look for all the info with this link:

02/24/2022

Interested students and teachers are invited to write a review here of the APO. You may include the information that has been published in APO's blog. Here is the blog link.

This blog is for philosophers, teachers who'd like to learn to teach AP-CP, interested students, and friends. It is also the American Philosophy Open (APO) source site and the American link to the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). Bloggers will write on relevant ideas & aspirations, a...

02/22/2022

Here is all the information about the 2022 APO, high school philosophy writing contest.
http://precollegephilosophy.blogspot.com/

(Note on our name: The US Olympic Committee has required us to refrain from using the name "Olympiad" in any form. They say that it is proprietary. In spite of the fact that the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO) http://www.philosophy-olympiad.org/ uses the name with impunity. We have, therefore, changed the APO from the American Philosophy Olympiad to the American Philosophy Open.)

This blog is for philosophers, teachers who'd like to learn to teach AP-CP, interested students, and friends. It is also the American Philosophy Open (APO) source site and the American link to the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). Bloggers will write on relevant ideas & aspirations, a...

01/20/2020

The topics for the APO 2020 Stage 1 English Essay are posted at the official APO blog/website: http://precollegephilosophy.blogspot.com

Good luck!

01/05/2020

Announcing the APO Philosophy Essay Contest for 2020!

The American Philosophy Open (APO) is the official USA arm of the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO), which will be celebrated this year in Lisbon, Portugal. The two APO winners will go with the leaders of the APO to Lisbon in May for the 28th IPO. There will be almost 50 countries represented this year.

Participants must:
• be high school students in the USA
• read philosophy in school with a teacher in a class or a club, for example
• be highly proficient (post-AP level or equivalent) writing in French, German or Spanish

There will be two stages

Stage 1:

Submit an 800-word max. essay in English on one of the two topics posted on the APO’s website. This essay must be submitted by no later than February 10, 2020. The English essay will determine semi-finalist status. You will be notified by February 19th. Then your teacher and a school administrator must send us letter vouching for you and granting you time away from school to participate in the IPO in May. Letters will be due on March 2nd. Receipt of these letters will determine finalist status.

Stage 2:

Finalists must compete in a 4-hour on-line timed essay writing contest in French, German or Spanish on a philosophy topic selected from topics posted on the APO website. There will be two dates from which you may choose to write your essay on-line;
Primary Contest Date: March 7, 2020 | Alternate Contest Date: March 8, 2020
Detail will be sent to the finalists.

------oOo-----

Costs:
Nothing to participate in the APO contest. At the IPO in Lisbon the APO winners will have meals and lodging paid in full. The two winners will have to pay their own travel to Lisbon. We encourage you to seek sponsorship for this.

Benefits:
The IPO is sponsored by UNESCO and the major philosophical societies of the world. It is a major honor for you, your school and your community.
------oOo-----

The APO website is www.precollegephilosophy.blogspot.com
e-mail: [email protected] Put “APO and IPO” in the subject line.
Mailing Address:
Joseph A. Murphy
Ethics and Philosophy Chair
Dwight-Englewood School
315 East Palisade Avenue
Englewood, NJ 07631
Phone: 201-227-3265
Fax: 201-569-0047