The Oral Exam Contest: The Princeton Method

Ask a room of accomplished adults what’s actually carried them through life, and few will credit a test score. They’ll point to something harder to measure: the ability to be confident, present, and convincing in a room. That skill, thinking and speaking well under real pressure, is one of the strongest predictors of professional and personal success. It is also one that school, with its focus on grades and credentials, quietly leaves out. The Oral Exam Contest at Reason & Rationality is built to put it back at the center.

The contest follows the oral examination method long used in Princeton undergraduate courses, a tradition of live, spoken examination that rewards genuine understanding over memorization. Reason & Rationality is an independent program, held at Princeton Theological Seminary and not affiliated with Princeton University. The connection here is to the method, and to the caliber of the judging.

What the Oral Exam Contest Is

Students who attend the full two-week program are eligible to take part in the Oral Exam Contest, held on the second to last day of classes.

The Format

Rather than fill in a bubble sheet, a student sits for a live examination and reasons aloud through questions, defending a position and responding to challenges in real time. The format rewards exactly the qualities the program builds all session: clarity, composure, and the ability to follow an argument wherever it leads.

The 2027 Judging Panel

For 2027, we’re honored that Benjamin Morison, Chair of the Princeton University Philosophy Department, will join the judging panel. His participation reflects the seriousness of the exercise, though the program itself remains independent of the University.

Why Oral Examination Is Coming Back

For a century, the written test has been the default. We think that is beginning to change, and that oral examination will return to prominence in college coursework and admissions over the coming years. The reason is practical.

As artificial intelligence takes over more written and quantitative tasks, institutions need a way to see how a student actually thinks. A live conversation is very hard to fake. It reveals whether understanding is real, whether reasoning holds up, and whether a person can adapt when questioned. Students who are comfortable in that setting will have a growing advantage.

Sample Contest Topics

The questions are designed to be genuinely open, the kind reasonable people disagree about. A sample of what students have taken on:

Law and conscience: When, if ever, should you break the law?
Trust and expertise: When should you trust the experts?
Markets and fairness: Should ticket scalping be illegal?
Justice and merit: Is meritocracy fair?
Knowledge and testimony: Can you ever rely on human testimony?

There is no single correct answer. What is judged is the quality of the reasoning and the clarity of its delivery.

A Credential You Can Point To

Results carry weight beyond the program. Winners and finalists are published online, which gives students a concrete, verifiable distinction to reference in applications and interviews. In a field of resumes that list the same activities, a documented result from a rigorous oral examination stands out precisely because it cannot be padded.

Beckett Koe, the winner of the 2026 Session 1 competition, has his full examination published on our Stories page: a concrete look at what a strong result sounds like. You can read more about the contest, past results, and the judging on the Oral Exam page.

For Deans and Heads of School

The Oral Exam Contest is a natural fit for educators who want to give a promising student a real intellectual challenge. It is also connected to how families can access support. Reason & Rationality offers tuition grants, and the grant process includes a brief application and a direct conversation between our Dean of Academics and the student's school administrator.

That conversation is intentional. It lets us understand the student, and it gives schools a direct line to us. If you are a dean, counselor, or head of school with a student who would thrive here, we would welcome that call. Start on the Apply page or reach us through our contact page.

Eligibility and How to Take Part

A few practical notes:

The contest is open to all students attending the full two-week program.
Participation is included for students in the Advanced Program, which now runs in all four sessions.
Foundation students can add the contest when completing the application.

Because the details can change, the current terms are kept on the Apply page and the Oral Exam page.

Program Highlights at a Glance

A live oral examination modeled on the Princeton undergraduate method
A distinguished judging panel, including a Princeton philosophy chair for 2027
Open to all full two-week students, and included for Advanced
Published winner and finalist results for applications
Held at Princeton Theological Seminary, independent of Princeton University

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can enter the Oral Exam Contest?

Any student attending the full two-week program is eligible. It is included for Advanced Program students and available as an add-on for Foundation students.

Is this affiliated with Princeton University?

No. Reason & Rationality is independent and is held at Princeton Theological Seminary. The contest draws on the oral examination method used in Princeton undergraduate courses, and a Princeton philosophy professor joins the judging panel, but the program is not affiliated with the University.

How do published results help with college applications?

Winners and finalists are listed online, giving students a verifiable distinction to cite. It signals demonstrated skill in live reasoning, which is difficult to convey through grades alone.

How do we add the contest to an application?

You can add it when paying the application deposit. Current details are on the Apply page.

Give Your Student a Stage for Real Thinking

The people who thrive in life are often the ones who learned early how to think on their feet and speak with conviction. The Oral Exam Contest gives students a serious, supportive place to build exactly that.

To learn more or apply, visit the Apply page, explore the Oral Exam page, or reach us through our contact page.

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