What does it mean to win first place in the Ayn Rand Essay Competition?

How strong does an award like that look on your college application? Especially in comparison to being published in the Concord Review, or winning other prestigious awards?

It’d likely help at schools like Hillsdale or Grove City. Elsewhere, it’s a nice honor but it doesn’t make a huge difference because it doesn’t fill an institutional need. It can be a differentiator in your favor for your flagship’s honors college.