30th Annual Kogod Case Competition

Registration & Participation Criteria

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Registration & Participation Criteria

You can register as a Free Agent (to be placed on a team with other Free Agents) or as a member of a Team. Registration deadlines are displayed on the right.

In order to compete, a student must be an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at AU or an Invited Partner School during the residential Fall 2022 or Spring 2023 semesters or T4 2022 or T1 2023 for online students. Students graduating in Fall 2022 are eligible to compete.

AU continuing undergraduate students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 to compete. Note that first-year students without a GPA can compete but must have at least a 2.5 at the completion of the fall semester to be eligible for the finals.

AU graduate students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 to compete. Note that new students without a GPA can compete but must have at least a 3.0 at the completion of the fall semester to be eligible for the finals.

Questions? Please contact the organizers at (202) 885-1113 or kogodcasecomp@american.edu.

For AU Students Registering as an Individual

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/early November. 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.

For AU Students and Invited Partner Schools Registering as a Team

• Each team must have 2-5 members. Members can be added to or changed on your team at any time until the case is released.
• Teams will not be eligible to participate if the team's division changes due to members leaving the competition. Your team must meet eligibility requirements for your division on the morning of the competition.
  
• Team names cannot identify the students' school, college, or university in any way (to keep judging neutral)

Invited Partner Schools: There is a $50 fee per team payable upon registration.

Team Divisions

• First-year/Sophomore: Team is comprised of first-year and/or sophomores (by credit hours); no juniors, seniors, or graduate students are allowed on the team.
• Junior/Senior: Team is comprised of at least 50% juniors and/or seniors (by credit hours); can have no more than two (2) first-year or sophomores and no graduate students.
• Graduate: Team is comprised of at least 50% of graduate students; can have no more than two (2) juniors or seniors and no first-year or sophomores.
  

Team changes will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. on the day before 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.

Opportunities for Preparation

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Preparation Overview

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 Canvas 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.

Case Analysis

We have selected a Harvard Business course to help you prepare for the competition, learning strategies, and methods of reading and analyzing case studies. The cost of this course has been covered by Kogod. Please note this will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete.

You will be emailed a link to enroll after you have registered for the competition.

Panel of Experts

Early November | 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. ET

A panel of experts, executives with expertise in the case topics, will answer your questions and give you insights into the case. The names of panelists will be revealed when the case is released! 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 held virtually on Zoom.

Finals Weekend Schedule

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Schedule Overview

Note that depending on CDC guidelines, the operating status or event guidelines of the university, and the location of the finalist teams, there may be changes to this schedule including a completely online final round experience.

Thursday, February 9 | 7 p.m. ET | Team Check-in & Welcome Reception

This is for all competitors, advisors, judges, and Kogod faculty and staff. Join us at 7 p.m. in the Kogod Student Lounge.

Friday, February 10 | All Day

Speakers, lunch, and a fun event (throughout the day)

Saturday, February 11 | 9-10 a.m. ET | Breakfast, Registration, and Presentation

• Undergraduates: Kogod Harris Lounge (outside room 118)
• Graduates: Kogod Terrace Lounge
• Judges: Kogod Student Lounge

Saturday, February 11 | 10:15 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. ET | Final Round Presentations

• First-year/Sophomore: Kogod School of Business, Room 234
• Junior/Senior: Kogod School of Business, Room 118
• Graduate: Kogod School of Business, Room 233

Saturday, February 11 | 12:25 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET | Lunch, Remarks from Case Company, and Awards 

East Campus Commons

Structure, Guidelines, and Rules

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General Guidelines

Release of the Case
The case will be released on Friday, November 4 at 5 p.m.

Research and Outside Experts
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 Professionalism and Communications or comparable business communications/preparation office at other institutions. Prohibited assistance includes but is 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 partner schools as well.

Each team is permitted to have presentation run-throughs with the Center for Professionalism and 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 is not permitted.

Your team will be disqualified from the competition if you violate these rules.

Tiebreakers
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.

Guidelines for The Preliminary Round

• Each team will submit a video pitch which may include visual aids.
  
• The purpose of the pitch is to provide judges with an idea of the approach your team will take to address the issues presented in the case. Remember, a case competition poses a problem that needs a solution. You might not know what your final recommendations will be but your pitch will give preliminary round judges a sense of what critical analysis your team has undertaken. This analysis could be in terms of ideas, people, and data that are central to your proposed solutions and why your ideas will lead to strong recommendations for the company.
  
• All team members must speak and be visible in the pitch video.
• The length of the video will be no longer than 5 minutes. Videos longer than 5 minutes will be disqualified.

• Critical Issues: 10 points
• Recommendations: 10 points
• Delivery/Professionalism: 10 points
• Overall Impression: 10 points

Final Round Information 

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. Note that the finals schedule may change depending on the university's operating status, CDC guidelines, and the location of the finalists. We will keep you informed of any changes.

Provide Your Resume to Judges
One of the benefits of being a finalist is sharing your resume with all judges. AU team members must submit a resume via the Case Comp Canvas site and partner school team members must submit a resume to kogodcasecomp@american.edu. The deadline for inclusion is the first Friday in February at 5:00 p.m. Your resume must be submitted through Canvas.

Day of the Finals Round
Registration and USB Drop-off: Student registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 10:00 a.m. on the Saturday of the 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 Kogod Student Lounge. 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.

Final Round Presentations
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.

Guidelines for PowerPoint Presentations

• Presentations will be displayed on laptops that operate on the Windows platform.
• All presentations must be saved in Microsoft PowerPoint format. (Note: Presentations will be viewed on computers with Microsoft PowerPoint 2016.)
• All presentations must be saved to a USB Drive. (Note: Please test your presentation files before the day of the competition.)
• The USB must be clearly labeled with your team's name.
• The presentation file should be the only item on the USB.
• Sound effects are NOT allowed in the presentation.
• Graphics ARE allowed in the presentation but animation effects are discouraged.
• To achieve the best presentation quality, the color should be set to 16 bits (high color) and the screen should be set to 800 x 600 pixels.
• In the case of technical difficulties, each team is allowed to bring printouts of their slide show to give to judges if the laptop or projection fails (plan for 15 judges, i.e., bring 15 copies of the presentation and at least one for the team.) You may also bring a backup copy of your presentation on a USB drive in case the file on the drive malfunctions. Ten minutes will be allotted to fix any technical or equipment problems after which the teams must use their handouts.

Additional Guidelines for the Final Round

• Presenters must be dressed in business attire.
• All team members must speak during the presentation.
• Notecards are allowed to be used during the presentation.
• The time limit for the presentation is 15 minutes (followed by 10 minutes of Q&A by the judges). Time limits will be strictly enforced.
• Handouts and/or props or displays are NOT allowed.

Final Round Scoring
The scoring structure is:

• Critical Issues: 10 points
• Evidence: 10 points
• Recommendations: 10 points
• Q&A: 10 points
• Delivery: 10 points
• Overall Impression: 10 points

The maximum total score is 60 points. 

Prizes & Awards

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Prize & Awards Overview

The following cash prizes are awarded in each division:

• 1st Prize: $500 for each teammate
• 2nd Prize: $400 for each teammate
• 3rd Prize: $300 for each teammate

These awards are presented to individuals or teams:

• Slivinksi Award: $150 for each teammate on the AU first-year/sophomore team with the highest score that does not advance to the final round
• Best Individual Presenter: Any division, final round only, $500
• Best Team Question and Answer Session: Any division, final round only, $500 split among the whole team
• Best or Most Creative Use of Technology: Any division, preliminary round only, $500 split among the whole team
  

Note: All awards may be considered taxable income.

Sponsorship Opportunities

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Sponsorships Overview

Case Competition Sponsorship Levels
For more information about sponsorship, contact us kogodcasecomp@american.edu.

Signature Sponsor - $25,000 (Limited to one exclusive sponsor)
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.

Networking Luncheon Sponsor - $10,000 (Limited to one exclusive sponsor)
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.

Student Breakfasts Sponsor - $5,000 (Limited to one exclusive sponsor)
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.

Judge Breakfast & Orientation Sponsor - $2,500 (Limited to one exclusive sponsor)
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.

Networking Reception Sponsor - $2,000 (Limited to one exclusive sponsor)
Recognition as Reception Sponsor on website, program, and signs at the reception. Opportunity to set up an information table at the reception. Inclusion in Dean's sponsorship recognition announcements.

Competitor Award Enhancement - $1,000 minimum (Open to multiple sponsors)
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.

Information Table on Competition Day - $500 (Open to Multiple Sponsors)
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. A Kogod staff member will coordinate the information table set up with any other sponsors whose level of sponsorship includes a table.

FAQs

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FAQs Overview

Who can be on my team?
There are three divisions of teams:

• First-year/Sophomore: Team is comprised of first-year and/or sophomores (by credit hours); no juniors, seniors, or graduate students are allowed on this team.
• Junior/Senior: Team is comprised of at least 50% juniors and/or seniors (by credit hours); can have no more than two (2) first-year or sophomores, and no graduate students.
• Graduate: Team is comprised of at least 50% graduate students; can have no more than two (2) juniors or seniors and no first-year or sophomores.

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:

• If a team is comprised of three (3) juniors, a first-year and a sophomore, they would be in the junior/senior division. If two juniors wish to leave the team (leaving only a junior, first-year and sophomore), this team would still meet the minimum number of members required to participate but would not be eligible to compete because they no longer fit into any of the divisions.
  
• If a team is comprised of three (3) graduate students, a senior, and a junior, they would be in the graduate division. If two graduate students wish to leave the team (leaving only a graduate student, senior and junior), this team would meet the minimum number of members required to participate but would not be eligible to compete because they do not fit any of the divisions.
  
• If a team is comprised of a first-year and a junior, they would be in the Junior/Senior Division.

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.

• First-year: 0-29 completed credits
• Sophomore: 30-59 completed credits
• Junior: 60-89 completed credits
• Senior: 90+ completed credits

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 Canvas 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. 

I'm a first-year/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 first-year/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. The case competition isn't an excuse for missing class, so make sure you plan accordingly and prepare class assignments and readings in advance to 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 led by Kogod faculty and Kogod Center for Professionalism and 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. 

Why are partner schools invited to send a team to the Kogod Case Competition?
The Kogod School of Business values:

• its globally diverse student body and faculty
• partnerships with the people and institutions shaping international change
• educating its students to be competitive in the US and abroad
• offering exchange and study abroad opportunities
• educating students and institutions around the world about the Kogod School

Benefits of inviting partner schools to the Kogod Case Competition include:

• providing AU students the opportunity to see how business students from another school conduct case analysis
• giving AU students experience competing in a global marketplace
• demonstrating Kogod's value to a wider audience
• strengthening the relationships between Kogod and its partners

How can my school be invited?
Contact us kogodcasecomp@american.edu.