Business Competitions

Entry into competitive college business programs can be greatly influenced by high school engagement in business endeavors. For example, every once in awhile I see a VERY engaged Celt receive automatic freshman admittance to the University of Oregon College of Business. Most students must wait until after freshman year of college to apply to University of Oregon's Lundquist School of Business. Be bold. Be engaged. 

Students can also take free online courses related to their area of interest. Here are some examples:

Successful Negotiation: Skills and Strategies

Corporate Social Responsibility

Wharton 5-course series on entrepreneurship

Disciplined Approach to Social Entrepreneurship

Business competitions, including these, are another way to stand out:

Conrad Challenge (https://www.conradchallenge.org/) 

Initial deadline: November 3, 2023

Team challenge (2-5 people)

This year-long business challenge tasks students to apply science and technology to solve global issues, create a pitch, and build a business plan. Participants work in teams of two to five students to compete in four traditional categories (Aerospace and Aviation, Cyber Technology and Security, Energy and Environment, and Health and Nutrition) and one special category that changes annually.

Blue Ocean High School Entrepreneur Pitch Competition (https://blueoceancompetition.org/)

Deadline: February 18, 2024

Participants can work alone or in teams of up to five to generate an innovative product or service that the world needs and pitch it in a maximum five-minute-long video.

Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition (https://www.entrepreneurship-campus.org/youth-citizen-entrepreneurship-competition/)

Deadline: October 16, 2023 

Business competition focused on using entrepreneurship to solve global issues. Participants are challenged to create or implement an idea, project, concept, solution, or initiative with a societal impact that addresses one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Wharton Global High School Investment Competition (https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/investment-competition/about/) 

Deadline to register: September 15, 2023

Participants are required to examine a case study of a potential client and create a portfolio that meets their long-term goals using $100,000 in hypothetical funds. Unlike investment competitions that select winners based on the performance of their portfolio, Wharton Global High School Investment Competition winners are chosen based on the strength and articulation of their investment strategy. 

All information courtesy of Susan Goodkin of California Learning Strategies Center. I highly recommend her blog and to sign-up her newsletters.