UNDERCLASSMEN CONTEST

Any first or second-year student regularly enrolled in English 124, 125, 223, 225, 226, 301, 302, 323, 325, or 340, in Sweetland practica 100-109, in Communication 290, 301, or 302, in Great Books 191 or Classical Civilization 101 in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, or in Residential College courses 100, 220, 221, 222, 300, 325, or 326 is eligible for this competition. Certain other writing courses may also be used to qualify. Check with the Hopwood Assistant Director to determine course eligibility. Freshmen who place out of the required composition course are eligible to enter the Underclassmen Contest if they present an official statement from the appropriate office. A contestant may use as a qualifying course one taken in the past two years. Spring/Summer writing courses may also be used for qualification. The rule requiring a writing course is unwaivable. A literature course does not qualify a student.

Manuscripts should be typed or word-processed on 8 1/2 X 11 inch white paper. They should be doubled-spaced on one side of the paper only, with a left-hand margin of at least one and one-half inches. Poems need not be double-spaced throughout.

Three copies of each entry shall be submitted, each set bound in a folder with title, pen name, and category on the cover. Each folder in a division should be identical to the others in terms of content.

Only binders which require punched paper are acceptable. Plastic covers, ring binders, and thesis binders will not be accepted. Samples of inexpensive acceptable binders will be on a display in the Hopwood Room, and recyclced ones will be given out while supplies last.

A pen name which is entirely different from the contestant's real name is required to insure objectivity in judgment. One pen name only, regardless of how many categories entered.

Accompanying the manuscripts shall be one entry form (obtained in the Hopwood Room, 1176 Angell Hall).

Three-hole punches will be available in the Hopwood Room. On the day of the contest deadline, the Hopwood Room will be closed. However, completed and assembled manuscripts will be accepted at the door between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon—absolutely no later. The contest deadline will be enforced to the minute. Manuscripts may be submitted at any time during the fall term prior to the deadline. Since last-minute problems do arise, contestants are strongly advised to turn their work in early.

A transcript is not needed for this contest.

The judges will be selected from the staff of the University and the Ann Arbor community. For a listing of former judges, please click here.

Names of the winners in this competition will be announced early in the winter term. A manuscript that has received a prize in the contest for underclassmen will not be eligible for any subsequent Hopwood contest. Prizes may be redistributed in the event that the merit in a particular field makes such redistribution desirable. The committee reserves the right to keep on file one copy of each winning manuscript. A five year archive of previous recipients of awards can be seen here.

Questions about this contest should be addressed to the Hopwood Program Assistant Director, 1176 Angell Hall (734) 764-6296.

To download an application, please click here.