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Pick stocks and manage a high dollar portfolio.

Are you a high school student entering your senior year? Apply for the TCU High School Investor Challenge®.

There are two High School Investor programs in 2023:  June 4 – June 9 and June 18 – June 23.  Completed applications and letter of recommendation must be received by April 12, 2023.

A Week of College-level Classes at TCU

Spend a week on campus with dozens of other students the summer before your senior year of high school, living in residence halls and taking finance classes at the TCU Neeley School of Business.

Manage a $100,000 Virtual Portfolio

Throughout the fall and spring, you’ll submit stock trades online. TCU students in the prestigious Educational Investment Fund will analyze your stock reports and offer feedback.

Spring Banquet

You’ll return to TCU in the spring to present your results to your fellow students, family and professors.

Sponsored by:

 

“The TCU High School Investor Challenge is an amazing opportunity to spend a week as a Horned Frog with other people with similar career interests as you. It not only gives you knowledge in economics and investing, but also allows you to experience a week of college level classes and presentation.”
John Thomas Borowitz

The TCU High School Investor Challenge is a unique program for high-achieving, motivated high school students who have a strong interest in investing in the stock market. The Challenge provides initial training in security analysis and portfolio management. To be eligible, you must be currently enrolled in high school with a reasonable expectation of graduating in May or June 2024.

What happens at the High School Investor Challenge?

  • Students selected for the program attend a six-day on-campus course in securities analysis (stock selection) and portfolio management. You will learn to access company data and analysts’ reports on the Internet, and use TCU’s online resources including Value Line to evaluate and compare companies. You will stay in TCU dorms throughout the week.
  • Each student manages a virtual portfolio and delivers periodic stock reports July-March to security analysts for review, critique and execution of his/ her proposed portfolio decisions/stock trades.
  • In April 2024, we invite all students to attend a celebration banquet at TCU to present your portfolios. Parents and family are invited to attend the banquet.

There will be two program offerings, June 4 - 9, 2023 and June 18 - 23, 2023. HSIC A begins Sunday, June 4, 3:00 p.m., and ends Friday, June 9, 1:00 p.m. HSIC B begins Sunday, June 18, 3:00 p.m., and ends Friday, June 29, 1:00 pm. From June 2023 to March 2024 students will continue to buy and sell stocks to increase the risk-adjusted return of their virtual portfolios. The portfolio management phase of the program ends at 3:00 p.m., Friday, March 29, 2024. Portfolio results will be reported soon thereafter. The celebration banquet will be held in April 2024 on the TCU campus.

Cost is $1200 and covers room, board, and program expenses. (We recommend that you bring a limited amount of spending money for entertainment and miscellaneous expenses while on campus.) The entire program fee is due no later than 30 days after notification of acceptance into the program.

Financial assistance can be requested by those with financial need.

  • Complete the TCU High School Investor Challenge Application Form
  • Provide contact information for a teacher or counselor willing to provide a recommendation. We will send a link to your counselor or teacher asking for input.
  • Submit a copy of your high school transcript, your online application and recommendation response no later than April 12, 2023.

If you are selected into the program, you will be notified by email.

Students will be selected based on the information contained in the application. Areas of assessment include:

  • Scholastic achievement
  • Leadership
  • Motivation and interest in investing in the stock market
  • Unique competence or expertise

To be considered for the program, you must:

  • Complete the on-line application, provide a copy of your high school transcript, and provide contact information for a teacher or counselor willing to provide a recommendation.
  • Be able to bring a laptop or table to the program that has access to word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software.
  • Be entering your senior year of high school with a reasonable expectation of graduating in May or June 2024.
  • Have a history and evidence of high achievement in your academic subjects, especially math.
  • Plan to continue your education after high school graduation.
  • Be able and willing to commit to attend the summer program, June 4 – 9, 2023 or June 18 – 23, 2023.
TCU is committed to providing a positive learning and working environment free from discrimination and harassment. In support of this commitment, TCU prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, and any other basis protected by law.

Mailing Address:
Luther King Capital Management Center for Financial Studies
Neeley School of Business
TCU Box 298530
Fort Worth, Texas 76129

Physical Address:
Luther King Capital Management Center for Financial Studies
Neeley School of Business
2900 Lubbock Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76109

Program Director:
Barbara Wood

Email:
hsic@tcu.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Completed applications must be submitted by the deadline date, including transcripts and letter of recommendation; no exceptions will be made.

Yes, you may still apply to the program.

You can have a family friend or an employer provide the recommendation.

The transcript must come from the school office. It doesn’t have to be the “official” transcript, but it cannot be a copy of your grades from another source.

Your transcript will be uploaded with your application. We will send a link to your recommender (teacher or counselor) asking for his/her input. Please follow up with him/her to be sure the recommendation is submitted by the deadline.


We receive approximately 160 applications each year. A maximum of 40 students are admitted to each challenge.

All applicants will receive an email the first week of May telling you if you have been accepted into the program. Students who are accepted will be sent a packet of materials you will need to complete and return to TCU.

We do not provide transportation to or from the campus.

You must arrive on campus by 2:30 p.m. You should not arrive on campus earlier than 1:30 p.m. Before that time, there will not be staff available to get you into the residence hall.

You must arrive on campus by 2:30 p.m. on the first day of the program. To complete the program, you should plan to stay until Friday at noon. There is a lunch for students, family and TCU program staff at noon on Friday which we would love for you to attend, but if you must leave early, that can be arranged. Your parent or guardian must communicate with the TCU program staff regarding early departure so we can be sure you are checked out of the residence hall.

You will not have the opportunity to train during the week. One evening, we do go to the TCU Recreation Center where you will have access to a pool, volleyball courts, basketball courts and an indoor running track.

The fastest way to get your questions answered is to email us at hsic@tcu.edu.