The Kogod Case Competition is an excellent opportunity for students to sharpen their communication skills, presentation style, and problem-solving techniques.
Students have the opportunity to network with business leaders who judge the competition and the event is open to all graduate and undergraduate students at AU and invited Kogod-partner schools.
Register here for the 2019-2020 competition.
Questions? Contact Andrew Toczydlowski at (202) 885-1982 or kogodcasecomp@american.edu.
Case Competitions focus on an issue faced by an organization and participants work together to recommend solutions to leadership in that organizations. These competitions, held around the world, are an excellent opportunity for students to sharpen their case analysis and problem-solving techniques, leadership and teamwork expertise, and communication skills. There are different formats and styles for competitions but they often come with cash prizes (see the Prizes and Awards section below for more information about Kogod's prizes). Additionally competitors build their resume and network with employers. Below is information about the structure of the annual Kogod Case Competition:
Who: All undergraduate and graduate (including WCL) students at AU as well as partner schools of Kogod are invited to compete in teams of 3-5 students. There are three competition divisions: Freshman/Sophomore, Junior/Senior, and Graduate. The three divisions ensure that students are competing against others who have had similar experiences or course work. Our judges are mostly alumni and area business leaders, many of whom have been judging the Competition for more than 5 years!
What: There are two rounds in the competition: The first round is online only where teams will receive the case study in late October then submit a video pitch with their proposed recommendations in early November. This video is reviewed by judges and scored. The top five teams in each division are then invited to Kogod in early February to present their full recommendations in a 10 to 15-minute presentation followed by a 10-minute Q&A before a panel of judges.
Where: Online (preliminary round) and on the American University campus (final round)
When: Registration opens in September, workshops on case analysis are hosted in October for AU competitors, the case is released in late October, the digital preliminary submission process occurs in late-October and early-November, and the in-person final round for the top 5 teams in each division occurs in early-February
Why:
You can register as a Free Agent (to be placed on a team with other Free Agents) or as a member of a Team. The deadline to register as a Free Agent is November 1st at 12 p.m. The deadline to register as a team (or to add/change members of your team) is November 7th at 11:59 p.m.
Questions? Please contact the organizers at (202) 885-1982 or kogodcasecomp@american.edu.
To register as an individual to be matched with others, please write "FREE AGENT" in the "Team Name" field. There will also be a Free Agent Social where all Free Agents can meet each other and develop teams themselves in late October. See the Workshops & Events section on this web page for more information. Those from invited partner schools must register as a team and cannot register as individuals.
If you are registering as a member of a team, please write your team's name in the "Team Name" field.
Teams must fall into one of the following divisions:
Team changes will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. on the day the case is released and must be communicated with the competition planning team at kogodcasecomp@american.edu. Your team must meet eligibility requirements for a division by this time even if that division is different than the one for which you were originally registered. See the FAQs section on this page for more information on teams.
Workshops and events are specifically designed for Case Competition participants who want to prepare for the competition.
For AU students, you will be added to a Blackboard section after registering for the competition and have access to workshop content that covers the basics of case analysis and presentation skills.
Events also include a panel of judges and a panel of professionals with expertise in the case topic for all competitors.
If you're on your own and looking to form a team for the competition, this is the opportunity to meet other free agents. For the past several years, free agent teams have consistently made it to the final rounds and placed well in the competition. Note that this event is only open to AU competitors.
A panel of experts, executives with expertise in the case topics, will answer your questions and give you insights into the case. Names of panelists will be revealed when the case is released! Refreshments will be served following the event. The format of this event is questions from the competitors that the panel will answer. Note that this workshop is open to all competitors and will be live streamed/recorded.
Case released (and team registration deadline)
The case will be released on Friday, November 8th at 5 pm.
Once the case is posted, coaching by faculty members or school staff or contact with outside experts is expressly prohibited. Teams are expected to conduct any and all necessary research through publicly available resources. Use of all library resources, including pay-for-subscription services such as Lexis-Nexis, is welcomed.
Students MAY NOT gain assistance in any form from anyone other than the Center for Business Communications or comparable business communications/preparation office at other institutions, including but not limited to faculty sponsors, professors, parents, friends, or personal contacts of any kind whose ideas are not publicly available (i.e. published online).
For AU students, the Business Librarian may help you conduct research but not answer any questions about the case content or possible solutions. Comparable library staff and resources are allowed at partners schools as well.
Each team is permitted to have presentation run-throughs with the Center for Business Communications or comparable business communications/preparation office at other institutions, prior to the competition. Feedback in these sessions with the team will be restricted to clarity, organization, format, and style. Feedback on content or strategy will not be given.
Your team will be disqualified from the competition if you violate this rule.
In case of a tie in either round, judges will be asked to rank each team. The team with the highest rankings will win the tie. If there is still a tie, three judges will be selected at random from all the judges. The team that has garnered the highest scores from these randomly selected judges will win the tie. The names of all the final round judges will be placed in a box, and the scoring official will pull the names of three judges out of the box.
The scoring structure is:
The maximum total score is 40 points.
For teams that advance to the finals round, the information below provides more information on what to expect. Finalists will be announced in late November.
One of the benefits of being a finalist is sharing your resume with all judges. Each team member must submit a resume to be given to all judges via the Case Comp Blackboard site. The deadline for inclusion is the first Friday in February at 5:00 p.m. Your resume must be submitted through Blackboard.
Registration and USB Drop-off: Student registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 10:00 a.m. on the Saturday of finals weekend. Undergraduate students will check in and drop off their presentation (on a USB that will be returned the week after the competition) in the main lounge of the Kogod building. Graduate students will check in and drop off their presentation (on a USB that will be returned the week after the competition) in the Terrace Level Lounge in Kogod. A light, continental breakfast will be available at both locations.
USB Drop-off Deadline: 9:45 a.m. A USB drive containing the final copy of the presentation must be submitted by 9:45 a.m. on competition day at registration. All team members must be checked in by 10:00 a.m.
There will be multiple judges evaluating each of the final round of presentations. Judges will review the final round of the same division throughout the round. Presenters will be allowed to use PowerPoint but no other software or visual aids are allowed.
The scoring structure is:
The maximum total score is 60 points. Click here to view the score sheet.
The following cash prizes are awarded in each division:
These awards are presnted to inviduals or teams:
Note: All awards may be considered taxable income.
For more information about sponsorship, contact us kogodcasecomp@american.edu.
Recognition as Signature Sponsor on all publicity to students, judges, faculty, staff and external audiences, including postcards, newsletters, flyers, website, participant gifts, competition day signs, and others. Option to include a promotional item in gift bags for students and judges. Opportunity to have up to two information tables at the competition. Opportunity to hand out awards to winning teams with Kogod Dean(s). Sponsor may send up to six judges.
Recognition as Networking Luncheon Sponsor on website, programs, and all competition day signs. Special recognition at the Lunch by Dean of School. Opportunity to set up an information table at lunch. Option to include a promotional item in the gift bags for students and judges. Sponsor may send up to three judges. Inclusion in Dean's sponsorship recognition announcements.
Recognition as Breakfast Sponsor on website, programs, and signs at the breakfasts. Opportunity to set up an information table at breakfasts. Note: Graduate and Undergraduate breakfasts are in separate locations. Inclusion in Dean's sponsorship recognition announcements.
Recognition as Breakfast Sponsor on website, programs, and signs at the breakfasts. Opportunity to set up an information table at breakfasts. Note: Graduate and Undergraduate breakfasts are in separate locations. Inclusion in Dean's sponsorship recognition announcements.
Recognition as Reception Sponsor on website, program, and signs at the reception. Opportunity to set up an information table at reception. Inclusion in Dean's sponsorship recognition announcements.
Recognition as an award sponsor on website, programs, and signs at lunch and awards reception. Opportunity to provide a cash amount to increase current award amounts ($200 per competitor for 1st;$150 for 2nd;$100 for 3rd). Award amounts received will be event split between all award levels. This sponsorship also allows for in-kind items for winners in each division. In-kind items should be valued at least $50 each.
Workshop series for student participants runs during the month of October and includes 9 events such as: Meet the Judges;Breakin' It Down: How to Analyze a Case;Delivering a Powerful Powerpoint;Free Agent Social and the Panel of Experts. Sponsorship includes recognition on all workshop emails, flyers, and announcements;on website and program;on signs at all workshops. Option to set up an information table at up to four of the workshops. Inclusion in Dean's sponsorship recognition announcements.
Sponsor may choose one location/time from the following -student breakfast (graduate or undergraduate), judge breakfast, undergraduate competition area, graduate competitions area, luncheon, or networking reception. Inclusion in Dean's sponsorship recognition announcements. Kogod staff member will coordinate information table set up with any other sponsors whose level of sponsorship includes a table.
Who can be on my team?
There are three divisions of teams:
The purpose of this is to group participants with similar skill levels so judges in your rooms will not be comparing teams with different skill levels.
What happens if we want to add or remove team members?
There are two reasons we recommend not adding or removing members once a team has formed: Work load and team division changes.
The reason we allow up to five person teams is a balanced distribution of work that goes into creating a presentation for the Case Competition. Teams with less people will have more work to do individually than a team with more people.
Your team must also fall into one of the three divisions. In most cases, teams will still be eligible to compete due to members of different class standing entering/leaving the competition but doing so may result in a division change. Your team must meet eligibility requirements for a division when the case is released even if that division is different than the one for which you originally registered. This may be an issue in the following situations:
Why is there a GPA requirement?
Participating in the competition requires a significant amount of time and energy. We determined that students who are on academic probation will not benefit from the competition in the same way that students who are in good academic standing will benefit. Undergraduate students whose GPA is below a 2.5 and graduate students whose GPA is below a 3.0 should focus on their coursework in the spring semester, trying to improve their GPA and looking forward to competing next year.
Can I register as a free agent and then move to a team later?
Absolutely. We recommend registering yourself as soon as possible to save a space. Of course, if you have a team formed, you should all register as soon as possible, but if you find teammates later, you can add them to your team. If you register as a free agent and would like to be added to a team later, just email kogodcasecomp@american.edu. Unfortunately, you can't save spots for team members and we can not "complete" partial teams once the competition has been filled, so don't delay!
Can I still participate if I'm not a Kogod student? Or, can I include students from other AU schools on my team?
Yes. The Kogod Case Competition has value for all students at American University. The event is open to all graduate and undergraduate students at AU. Students from all academic backgrounds and levels of experience will enjoy and benefit from the event. We have had all schools represented by competitors in the past and hope to do the same this year! The case that students will analyze encompasses communications, nonprofit management, public policy, and law, in addition to business.
How do I determine my class standing? (Undergraduates)
To determine your class standing for your division eligibility in the Case Competition, your must have the appropriate number of completed credits by the opening of registration.
If you are unsure of your class standing based on completed credits, please consult with the Undergraduate Advising Office.
What support is available to help prepare for the competition?
Kogod provides several resources to help AU students be prepared for the competition. First, the Case Competition Blackboard site will be your "one stop" for case competition resources, including videos of past finalists and updates from staff. For non-AU teams, this information will be shared via email. Additionally, a comprehensive workshop series has been developed to give AU students a "crash course" in case competitions. See the Workshops section on this page for details about the competitions available. Similar coaching/training can be provided by other universities.
I'm a freshmen/sophomore...do I have the business knowledge I need to participate?
Yes! A big part of the competition is working on a team and learning how to analyze a business case from any level of experience. As a freshmen/sophomore, you will gain experience in how to manage your time during a competition and how to work on a team so that in future years, you will be able to focus more on the application of your business knowledge. In addition, the opportunity to network with judges could land you your next internship and give you a solid experience to highlight during an interview. Finally, the opportunity to interact and network with upper division Kogod students could help you make new friends and get connected with the Kogod student community.
How can I highlight the case competition on my resume?
The Kogod Case Competition is a great addition to your resume as well as integral to your interview prep. The Office of Career Engagement staff is prepared to help you highlight this experience to fit the jobs/internships you are looking for. We hear time and time again that students have landed a job or internship because of the skills they acquired during the competition and/or the network they cultivated during the event.
What time commitment is required to participate?
You probably hear this saying a lot but "you will get out of the competition what you put into it." Remember, the case competition is not required, but you are working on a team with peers who are committed to giving the case competition their best shot. So, you need to pull your weight. Although workshops are optional, they can often save you time in the long run by giving you tips and insider information about case competitions. Case competition isn't an excuse for missing class, so make sure you plan accordingly and prepare class assignments and readings in advance so ease the workload that week.
How is the competition scored and how are teams ranked?
Each presentation will be observed and scored by a panel of judges who are business leaders and alumni. It is important to remember that this competition is different than classroom grading. Judges are not faculty and they will each come to the competition with a background of experiences that will, inevitably, inform their scoring. To prepare judges, we send each judge the case in advance and judges will engage in a training session lead by Kogod faculty and Kogod Center for Business Communications. We hope students will embrace the opportunity to be in front of a real panel of professionals and appreciate the diverse experiences brought by each of our judges. The scoring rubric used by judges is available in the Guidelines section of this webpage.
Why are partner schools invited to send a team to the Kogod Case Competition?
The Kogod School of Business values:
Benefits of inviting partner schools to the Kogod Case Competition include:
How can my school be invited?
Contact us kogodcasecomp@american.edu.
Registration Opens: September 23, 2019
Registration Closes: November 1, 2019 (for Free Agents) or November 8, 2019 (for teams)
Case Released: November 8, 2019
Preliminary Round Presentations Due: November 18, 2019
Finalists Announced: November 26, 2019
Final Round Presentations: February 8, 2020
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