UChicago’s Career Advancement offers many innovative industry and vocation-based competitions to enhance UChicago students’ career insights and prospects. In partnership with both UChicago experts and industry leaders, these competitions represent an opportunity to immerse oneself in the topics and tactics relevant to a profession. As a student progresses through each competition, they will be able to demonstrate teamwork, problem solving and communication skills that are in demand with employers. At critical milestones and the final deliverable, students will engage with industry professionals, expanding their career insights and network.
UChicago Trading Competition
The UChicago Trading Competition is the nation’s premier algorithmic trading competition. Now in it’s 11th year, the competition features case studies designed to challenge participants in multiple aspects and themes of trading. Participants are asked to develop algorithms to make automated trading decisions, and will have their technical programming skills, financial acumen, and ability to adjust based on algorithm performance tested. The competition is supported by the leading companies in algorithmic trading and includes over $15,000 in prize money.
Consulting Symposium – Consulting Case Competition
The Consulting Case Competition is an invaluable opportunity for students to gain experience solving real world business problems and communicating recommendations within a team context. Teams are given a time limit to solve a pressing business problem and create clear, evidence-based recommendations. Participating judges for the final presentations include professionals from the leading firms. Past judges have included members of Accenture, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, LEK, McKinsey, and Parthenon.
College New Venture Challenge (CNVC)
The CNVC is the dedicated track of the Polsky Center’s nationally ranked New Venture Challenge program. It supports UChicago students who are interested in launching a startup. Teams receive training and develop and pitch their business ideas during the Winter quarter. 70+ startup investors and successful founders participating in coaching and evaluating each startup, with a total of $150,000 in prize money on the line.
Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC)
Participants in VCIC play the role of venture capitalists who have approximately $100M to invest. Participating teams evaluate the pitches and perform due diligence with three current startups pursuing seed round investing. Students develop and deliver term sheets to a mock partner board made up of experienced venture capitalists in the Chicago VC community. UChicago’s winning team in 2021 went on to win the East Regionals and place third at the National Finals at the University of North Carolina.
Investment Banking Case Competition
In partnership with industry leader Training the Street, the investment banking case offers students development opportunities to refine their financial analysis and modeling skills. Students recruiting for investment banking fill out the team rosters. Training and coaching on the final presentation models industry standard pitch decks. Participating judges for the final presentation include professionals from leading financial institutions. Past judges have included members of Bank of America / Merrill Lynch, Citibank, Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley.
Consumer Insights (Behavioral Science) Competition
Student teams analyze consumer data using behavioral science approaches and methodologies. The challenge develops students’ skills and enable them to find creative solutions to a real-world, consumer insights problem designed by industry experts. After working in teams, student groups will present their solutions to a panel of distinguished judges.
Tech Summer Showcase
This is a Hackathon-inspired event where undergraduate computer science students have the chance to work on technical projects during the summer quarter and present to a selection of judges, advisors and mentors and compete for awards. This is an excellent resume-builder opportunity to show real-world skills applied outside of the classroom.
UChicago Tech Community Challenge
Students compete to create the most beneficial technical resources for the UChicago computer science community. Example resources include a web app to facilitate practice technical interviews and a student-created course on programming in Java. This program drives student innovation. and instills a sense of giving back in the CS student community.
Engineering Design Competition
The Inclusive Design Competition is an exciting engineering event where teams of students come together to design a product that serves a specific need for everyday use. This one week competition research and presentation development and concludes with a pitch competition This is a great opportunity for any students interested in engineering design with a focus on diversity and accessibility, and an opportunity to flex creative skills!