First-Year & Transfer Case Competition

The Bauer First-Year & Transfer Student Case Competition is an opportunity for new business students to work in teams to solve a real-world business problem and present their recommendations to judges. No prior case competition experience is required.

Application Closed

FAQs

TL;DR

• What will we actually be doing?

  You and your team will:

  • Analyze a business case (real-world scenario)
  • Develop a solution and recommendations
  • Create a presentation
  • Present to judges and answer questions

  Yes, this is a presentation-based competition.

Eligibility & Teams

• Who can participate?

  Students must be:

  • First-time, first-semester students
  • Admitted in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026
  • Enrolled as a Bauer business major
• Is there a GPA requirement?

  No. There is no GPA or merit requirement.

• How many people can be on a team?

  Teams must have 3-5 students.

• Can I register without a team?

  Yes. You can register individually and be matched with a team.

• I already have 1-2 teammates. Can we stay together?

  Yes, just make sure you:

  • List each other on the application
  • Use consistent team member names

  We will do our best to keep partial teams together.

• Can I request a specific teammate?

  You can request teammates in the application, and we will try to accommodate, but it is not guaranteed.

• Can I compete solo?

  No, this is a team-based competition.

Timeline & Structure

• When do we get the case?

  The case will be released during the Virtual Kickoff on March 31.

• Can we start early?

  No, all teams receive the case at the same time to ensure fairness.

• How much time do we have to prepare?
  • Case Released: March 31
  • Presentation Due: April 2
  • Competition Day: April 3

  You will have ~2–3 days to prepare.

• Is it fast-paced?

  Yes, intentionally. This simulates real-world business problem-solving under time constraints.

Competition Day

• When and where is the competition?
  • Date: April 3
  • Location: Bauer College of Business (room details shared after team selection)
• How long does the competition last?

  Plan for a half-day commitment (exact time will be shared with selected participants).

• Will this interfere with my classes?

  Possibly, you should plan ahead and communicate with your professors if needed.

Case & Preparation

• What type of case will it be?

  A business case tied to a real-world company/industry (commonly energy, consulting, or strategy-focused).

• Do we choose the topic?

  No, the case is assigned to all teams.

• What company is it for?

  The competition is sponsored by bp, and the case will be aligned with relevant industry challenges.

• What should I study beforehand?

  You don’t need to pre-study a specific topic. Focus on:

  • Problem-solving
  • Team collaboration
  • Clear communication
• Where can I find resources to prepare?

  Resources and expectations will be shared during the Kickoff session.

Presentation & Judging

• Is this a presentation?

  Yes. You will:

  • Present your solution
  • Answer judge questions
• How long is the presentation? (Typical format)
  • ~8-minute presentation
  • 7-minute Q&A
• What are judges looking for?
  • Clear problem understanding
  • Strong, logical recommendations
  • Feasibility of solution
  • Team communication and delivery

Team & Participation Policies

• What if a teammate drops or cannot attend?
  • Teams may continue if minimum team size is maintained
  • If not, we will assess case-by-case
• What if I need to withdraw?

  Contact us as soon as possible so we can adjust teams accordingly.

• What if my team isn’t taking it seriously?

  Set expectations early, this is part of the learning experience in teamwork and accountability.

Strategy & Advice

• How should we prepare with limited time?

  Focus on:

  1. Understanding the problem clearly
  2. Creating a simple, strong recommendation
  3. Building a clean, structured presentation
• If we’re short on time, what matters most?
  • Clarity over complexity
  • Strong recommendation over perfect analysis
  • Confident delivery over too many slides

Prizes

• 1st Place: $500 (team prize)
• 2nd Place: $250 (team prize)

Still Have Questions?

Contact: Dell Ivy
ssivy@cougarnet.uh.edu