Who is eligible to participate?
High school students from around the world who are interested in business and finance and wish to enhance their knowledge and skills. Students do not need any prior stock market experience to participate; however, they must have an advisor (see Rules) to help them navigate the competition's recommended articles, lesson plans, and learning outcomes, ensuring they can achieve our ultimate goal through this game: learning the nuances of investing. Advisors may also simply serve as liaisons and motivators, depending on their desired level of involvement with the competition. Participation is open to entire classes (organized into distinct teams of 4–7 students), individual investment clubs, homeschooled students, and ad-hoc groups of students (from the same school) who enjoy a challenge and are eager to learn.
Is there a fee to participate in the competition?
No, the competition is free for all participants. There is no registration fee. If your team is selected to advance to the Global Finals held in Philadelphia, Wharton Global Youth Programs will not cover your competition-related expenses. All costs, including travel and accommodation, are the responsibility of the participants. However, if travel costs are prohibitive, teams qualifying for the Global Finals may opt to participate virtually via video conferencing.
Who should complete the competition registration form?
Advisors must register for the investment competition and form their teams. Students are not permitted to register for the competition themselves.
How many students can be on a team?
From the start of the competition, each team must maintain a minimum of four members and a maximum of seven members. All team members are expected to play a contributing role. Students may not participate in more than one team.
Can a team include students from different schools?
No. Students must form a team with members (and an advisor) from the same high school. There are no exceptions.
Can homeschooled students participate?
The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition strives to be as inclusive as possible of all types of learners. Homeschooled students are eligible to participate in the competition; however, we ideally prefer that your team consists of homeschooled students from your local community, or from the same homeschooling cooperative or online school. We will require you to provide documentation to verify this structure—for example, the name or affiliation of your cooperative or online school. We will review and determine whether the team structure complies with our rules, which place restrictions on teams composed of students from different schools and/or geographic locations.
Homeschooling teams must be led by a parent advisor and may optionally have a teacher or financial professional serve as a secondary advisor. However, it is important to note that the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition does not permit the use of paid advisors of any kind. Student teams that hire paid advisors (or participate in camps or courses claiming to teach specifically for our competition) will be disqualified. As with all teams, parents and other advisors for homeschooling teams have access to our free online resources, including the competition teaching guide, lesson plans, and student resource pages.
Must my team have an advisor?
Yes, every team is required to have an advisor, who must be a teacher or educator at the high school attended by the student team members. Advisors serve as key motivators and as sources of information and insight.
I am a team member; why haven't I received any notifications?
Your advisor and your student team leader serve as the primary points of contact for each team. All communications and notifications will be sent via email to your advisor and your student team leader. Copies of the weekly emails will also be posted on WInS for all team members to view.
Where do I submit the names of my team members?
I didn't see a place to submit them on the registration form.
We will not collect the names of your team members until October 18, 2024. Instructions regarding this process will be emailed to all teams in early October.
What is WInS?
The Wharton Global Youth Program has partnered with Stock-Trak®, a leading provider of web-based stock market simulations for universities, secondary schools, and the financial services industry. WInS stands for the Wharton Investment Simulator; it is the platform used for the investment competition, designed to help students execute trades and act upon their investment strategies. WInS allows students to apply concepts of investing and portfolio management in a hands-on learning environment—utilizing real-world data—without the risk of losing actual money.
Where can I find more information on how to use WInS for the competition?
When you log in to your WInS account, you will find tutorial videos, user guides, and FAQs located under the "Getting Started" section on the right side of the page.
How do I access the funds for the investment competition?
The Advisor is responsible for forming his or her team. The Advisor will register and receive an email containing instructions on how to set up their student team. The Advisor will then distribute the login credentials to their team members. Teams can access WInS, but they will not be able to place trades until September 30, 2024.
How much virtual capital do I receive?
Each team will be responsible for managing a virtual cash portfolio of $100,000.
I just logged into WInS, but I am unable to place trades?
Trading begins on September 30, 2024, and concludes on December 6, 2024.
Why did my entire team receive only one WInS username?
All 4 to 7 members of the same team will share a single WInS account. They should share the username and password among themselves. Advisors can view their team's username and password within the "Manage" tab on WInS.
Who is permitted to place trades on WInS?
Students—not Advisors—should be the ones placing trades on WInS. A key component of the investment competition is teamwork and communication; therefore, trading decisions should be made collectively by the team. We strongly encourage teams to assign specific roles to each member, including designating a Team Leader. By appointing a Team Leader, students are required to work together to address all matters regarding stock selection and strategy development. Team structure is also crucial for ensuring portfolio diversification.
Does WInS offer any analytics features?
WInS includes a suite of analytics tools that students can use to analyze their portfolio's performance. The "My Portfolio" tab features a drop-down menu listing various datasets and analytical reports regarding the portfolio's performance.
Is my team required to place trades using WInS?
Yes. All teams must fully execute at least one WInS trade by the close of U.S. markets on October 18, 2024 (4:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time), to be eligible to advance to the Semi-Finals or Global Finals. WInS should be utilized as a learning tool to define your strategy and to gain firsthand experience in executing trades and acting as an active participant in the stock market. These constitute the fundamental aspects of this competition. That said, we recognize—and you should recognize as well—that a core principle of long-term investing is that investors should disregard short-term gains and losses. Consequently, you should refrain from frequent buying and selling of stocks designated for the long-term component of your portfolio. This does not imply that you cannot take action while researching various aspects of strategy and analysis to determine the optimal investments; however, the objective is not to validate the merit of your long-term strategy through the performance of your portfolio over a mere 10-week trading period.
Does the competition allow me to trade all types of securities on WInS?
No. The investment competition primarily involves the buying and selling of stocks listed on various domestic and international exchanges. Teams are permitted to buy and sell only those stocks included in the Approved Stock List. Teams are strictly prohibited from recommending stocks outside the Approved Stock List to their clients—whether as part of their team's investment strategy or for trading purposes on WInS. Please note that teams are permitted to recommend that their clients invest in U.S. Treasury bills, notes, bonds, and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). However, teams will *not* be able to invest in these bills, notes, bonds, or TIPS directly on the WInS platform. Teams should specify in their final reports which bonds and/or notes they have recommended for their clients' portfolios. Teams are *not* required to recommend that their clients invest in bonds or notes.
Why does the competition utilize an Approved Stock List?
The Wharton Global Youth Program views the Approved Stock List as a crucial tool for ensuring that the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition remains accessible to learners of all proficiency levels. One of the greatest challenges facing new investors is knowing how—and where—to begin. Rather than casting you adrift in the vast universe of approximately 41,000 publicly traded companies worldwide, we narrow your options by providing a curated sample of large, mid, and small-cap stocks drawn from a diverse array of exchanges, sectors, and industries. This approach provides you with ample choices to consider as you formulate your 10-week strategy and analysis, while sparing you from the daunting prospect—and frequent paralysis—of having to evaluate an overwhelming number of options within an extremely limited timeframe. The structure of the approved stock list and its accompanying rules also encourages diversification (at least regarding equities).
Does the competition allow for margin trading or short selling?
No.
How quickly are trades executed when I trade on WInS?
WInS executes all U.S. stock trades at real-time prices. Please note that while trades are executed at real-time prices—and the bid and ask prices are live—the prices you see reflected in your open positions will be delayed by 10–15 minutes. International stocks (those not based in the U.S.) experience a longer time delay; orders for these stocks will be settled at the end of the trading day. For example, if an international stock trade is placed at 4:00 PM on a Monday, it will be settled at the close of trading on Tuesday. Additionally, exchange rates are automatically calculated when trading in foreign markets. You do not need to perform any extra work, but it is advisable to be aware of the potential gains or losses you may incur due to currency exchange rate fluctuations.
Does the WInS system charge commissions on trades?
Yes. WInS operates just like any real-world trading platform. A flat commission fee of $25 is charged for every trade. Commissions are charged only upon the settlement of a trade.
Do we receive dividends (distributions of corporate earnings to shareholders) that are reflected in our portfolio funds?
WInS incorporates real-world corporate actions, such as dividends, stock splits, bond coupon payments, and more. Therefore, students can expect to see dividends reflected in their portfolios when they are issued by the respective companies.
How can I void a stock order that I placed by mistake?
You can only cancel *open* orders. To view your open orders and cancel any of them, go to the "My Portfolio" tab and select "Order History" from the submenu. WInS is a real-world simulation, so please ensure you double-check everything carefully before clicking "Submit." If you do make a mistake, we encourage you to let the trade run its course rather than scrambling to "fix" it immediately; trading errors are an integral part of the learning process.
What are the main deliverables for the competition?
Your team is required to submit two deliverables over the course of the competition to be considered an active participant. For more information regarding these two deliverables, please visit the "Deliverables" page. Teams that successfully meet the deliverable requirements will receive a Certificate of Participation. Is the selection of the winning team determined by the growth of
their stock portfolio on WInS?
No. Although the WInS simulator serves as a valuable learning tool during our competition, your team's ranking on WInS has little bearing on the final results. Winners are selected based on the strength and clarity of their overall investment strategy and competitive experience—rather than the percentage growth of their investment portfolio. This constitutes a key distinction between this investment challenge and others.
How can my team win the competition?
The key to winning lies in learning as much as you can, collaborating effectively as a team, formulating a compelling and creative investment strategy designed to grow your client's wealth, engaging in rigorous stock analysis, and articulating your strategy and overall competitive experience in a genuine manner that captivates the judges. Please refer to the Deliverables page for further details. You can also explore the investment strategies of past winning teams on our Past Winners page.
If our team advances to the Global Finals, what expenses are covered?
The Wharton Global Youth Program does not cover your competition-related expenses. All costs, including travel and accommodation, are the responsibility of the participants. However, if travel costs prove prohibitive, teams qualifying for the Global Finals have the option to participate virtually via video conference.
What is expected of my team if we advance to the Semifinals or Global Finals?
Your team will be required to create and deliver a 10-minute presentation—conducted via video conference for the Semifinals (which will be livestreamed) or via video conference for the Global Finals—to present your team's strategy, analysis, and experiences over the past 10 weeks to the judges.
