The wharton global high school investment competition, also known as wghs, is a prestigious online investment competition hosted by the wharton school of the university of pennsylvania for high school students from grades 9-12 around the world. As the first collegiate business school in the world founded in 1881, the wharton school enjoys a sterling reputation and its signature undergraduate business competition naturally garners substantial recognition. By managing a simulated $100,000 investment portfolio for 10 weeks using the online trading and investment simulator (OTIS), participants not only gain hands-on experience in investment analysis and strategies, but more importantly have the opportunity to showcase their business acumen which is invaluable for their future academic and career pursuits.
wghs tests various critical skills for business success with a 10-week simulation-based format
Unlike many academic contests focusing on rote knowledge, wghs employs a practical design where students trade stocks in teams on a virtual platform. Throughout the 10-week competition period, they submit two reports – a mid-term review evaluating their interim strategies and a final presentation elaborating their overall investment rationales. Such a process enables comprehensive assessment of students’ competence in financial analysis, strategic thinking, teamwork and communication – soft skills instrumental to thriving in the competitive global market.
the blended criteria and attractive awards recognize well-rounded participants with multidimensional capabilities
Intriguingly, wghs does not judge participants solely by their simulated profits and losses. Assessment is based on both team investment performance and the quality of their strategy reports. This blended evaluation system ensures that participants striving for top honors have to demonstrate their intellectual ability instead of relying on luck or risk-taking. Impressively, the competition offers remarkable accolades like official certificates to all completing teams, advancement to the global semi-finals for the top 50 teams, in-person final presentation at Wharton to the top 3 teams per region and even free Wharton summer program to the 1st place winners – strong testaments to the international prestige of WGHS.
the experiential nature makes wghs especially appealing for aspiring business professionals
The highlight of wghs is arguably the simulated stock trading which resembles real-world practices on Wall Street and allows participants to gain first-hand experiences. Through researching companies, forecasting industry outlooks, conducting valuation analyses and formulating investment tactics, students interested in business, finance or related domains can validate their enthusiasm and aptitude. Such meaningful exposures before college applications are invaluable reference points for selecting majors tailored to personal strengths. Besides knowledge enrichment, WGHS also strengthens leadership, analytics, communication and interpersonal capacities vital for future careers through collaborative teamwork.
In summary, the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is a profoundly enriching business contest for high school students worldwide to showcase their potential. Its experiential design offers unparalleled learning opportunities.