About debate

Competitive debate at the high school and college levels emphasizes spontaneous preparation and in-depth research, as well as high-level discussion about a broad range of social, political, and philosophical issues.

The competitive structure and rigorous nature of debate push students to excel at:

• public speaking and persuasion,
• critical thinking under pressure,
• construction and evaluation of arguments,
• working cooperatively,
• high-level research, and
• understanding complicated academic issues and scholarly debates.

According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, award-winners in debate have 22% to 30% higher acceptance rates at top-tier colleges than non-debaters, while debate team captains have 60% higher acceptance rates.

Given the valuable skills debate teaches, it is no surprise that former debaters pursue extraordinarily successful careers in law, politics, entertainment, and academia. Famous debaters include US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, Oprah Winfrey, and General Wesley Clark. Recent college debaters have gone on to clerk for the United States Supreme Court, open successful businesses, join the entertainment industry, serve as policy analysts for think tanks, and work in high-profile government positions.