Business and economics programs for high school students.
Competitions, summer programs and pitch contests for students interested in business, economics or starting something.
16 opportunities, 7 free · Links and programs checked October 18, 2026 · By Lokesh Pampatti, founder of Clarity Prep
16 of 16 shown
CompetitionFreeOnline
Global High School Investment Competition
Wharton Global Youth Program
Teams manage a simulated $100,000 portfolio and write a strategy for a fictional client.
Our take: Free, run by Wharton, with a written investment strategy judged by professionals. Semifinalist is a real line for a business applicant.
Research & internshipsFreeNonprofits in your metro + Washington, DC summit
Student Leaders
Bank of America
Eight-week paid internship at a local nonprofit for juniors and seniors, plus a leadership summit.
Our take: Paid nonprofit internship plus a week in DC, and Atlanta is one of the markets. Deadline is mid-January.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Diamond Challenge
University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship
Global business and social venture pitch competition for high school students.
Our take: Free pitch competition with $100,000 in total prizes. A real venture idea beats a clever one.
CompetitionFreeOnline
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
John Locke Institute
Essay competition in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law.
Our take: Popular on admissions forums and run by a for-profit summer school. A shortlist or a prize means something; entering does not, and a "commendation" is given to many.
CompetitionFreeSchool team → state → national
National Economics Challenge
Council for Economic Education
Team economics quiz competition with a national finale.
Our take: The only national econ competition of note. Two divisions so AP students and beginners compete separately.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Technovation Girls
Technovation
Technology entrepreneurship program and competition for girls ages 8–18.
Our take: Build an app and a business plan around a community problem, in a team of girls with a mentor. Free, well-structured, global.
ProgramFreePartner schools + online
Youth Entrepreneurship Programs
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
Entrepreneurship education and startup competitions, mostly through schools.
Our take: Free and practical. Its World Series of Innovation competition is a low-lift way to show initiative.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
Conrad Challenge
Conrad Foundation
Multi-phase innovation and entrepreneurship competition for ages 13–18.
Our take: Invent a product in aerospace, energy, health, or cyber and defend the business case. Finalists pitch at the Innovation Summit.
CompetitionUnder $1kChapter → state → international career development conference
DECA Competitive Events → ICDC
DECA Inc.
Business and marketing competitive events through school chapters.
Our take: Membership is nothing; placing at state or qualifying for ICDC is something. Written events (business plans) beat role-plays as evidence of work.
CompetitionUnder $1kChapter → state → national
FBLA Competitive Events → National Leadership Conference
Future Business Leaders of America
Business competitive events through school chapters.
Our take: Same as DECA. Top-ten at nationals is a line; attending is not.
Program$1k–5kUniversity campuses nationwide
Economics for Leaders
Foundation for Teaching Economics
Economic reasoning plus leadership training in a one-week residential format.
Our take: One week, moderately priced, a real economics curriculum. Good for a student deciding whether econ is the major.
ProgramOver $5kPhiladelphia, PA + online
Global Youth Program (LBW, Essentials)
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Wharton's pre-college business programs, from the flagship LBW to shorter Essentials courses.
Our take: Leadership in the Business World is the selective one and reads well. The other tracks are good classes at a high price.
ProgramOver $5kCampus sessions + online
LaunchX
LaunchX
Entrepreneurship program where teams start a real business over the summer.
Our take: You actually build a company. Selective enough to mean something; expensive. Worth most if you keep the venture running after.
ProgramOver $5kPhiladelphia, PA
University of Pennsylvania Pre-College and Summer Academies
University of Pennsylvania
Subject-focused summer academies plus a broader pre-college program.
Our take: The Academies (biomedical research, neuroscience, etc.) are more selective than the general pre-college and produce real work. Still paid.
Competition$1k–5kRochester, NY
GENIUS Olympiad
Terra Science and Education
International environmental-themed project fair with high finalist and medal rates.
Our take: You pay to attend after a light screening. Readers who know it weigh it well below ISEF or Regeneron.
Research & internships$1k–5kOnline
Ladder Internships
Ladder
Paid placement into remote startup internships.
Our take: You pay to intern at a startup. Cold-emailing twenty local companies costs nothing and reads better.
“Helps an application” is our read on how much an admissions reader is likely to weigh it: Strong means getting in or placing is a real achievement, Solid means it shows real interest and effort, and Light usually means most students who apply and pay can attend. It’s our opinion, not a ranking from any college, and a light one can still be a great summer.
Want a list picked for you?
Clarity Prep members get opportunities matched to their grade, interests and state in the app, plus a mentor who helps them decide what’s worth applying to and checks in every week until the applications are in.
Free tools: GPA calculator · chances calculator · college acceptance rates · essay grader
Every program here is real and links to its own official site. Dates, costs and rules change every year, so check the official page before you apply. Deadlines are shown as the months they usually close. Spot something out of date? Email sessions@joinclarityprep.com.