Finance Challenge Info

The Annual MBA Finance Challenge is the largest and longest running MBA case competition at McCombs.  Every year, roughly 150 first year students compete in teams of four by analyzing and providing a solution to an in-depth financial business case.  The Challenge takes place over the course of three intense days.  On the final day, the students present their conclusions to a panel of corporate and faculty judges.  The goal of the Challenge is to be one of the teams selected to the final round and thus compete for cash prizes to the top teams. 

The MBA Program, the Graduate Finance Association, and the McCombs Finance Department are very proud to host the Fourteenth Annual MBA Finance Challenge in November of 2004.  The rough schedule of the 2004 Challenge is as follows:

Mid-September:  Information session for participants.  Cover rules, expectations, sponsorship, team self-selection, and logistics of the competition.

Beginning of October:  Formal registration for the Finance Challenge.  Registration is submitted for teams of four.  Open to all first-year MBA students, with priority going to GFA and EFG members. 

November 10 Evening:  Distribution of the case and participant packet.  At this time, each team will be matched with one second-year mentor to consult with during the challenge.  Finance Challenge officially begins.

November 11:  Challenge “working day”.  Teams analyze case, meet with mentors, and prepare recommendations for formal presentation.  Corporate judges arrive in Austin and attend Judges Dinner where they receive the Finance Challenge case and review rules and expectations for participants’ formal presentation.

November 12:  Finance Challenge formal presentations.  Teams must turn in formal presentation to Finance Challenge ambassadors.  Participants enjoy breakfast before beginning their presentations.  Over the course of the morning, each team presents to panel of judges in closed sessions.  The presentations last 20 minutes and are followed by a five to ten minute question and answer session with the judges.  Over lunch, participants and judges mingle and network and the finalist teams are announced.  Finalists present their recommendations a second time in the afternoon in the EDS Trading Center.  The finals are open for observation by all Challenge participants and faculty judges.  The panel of judges for the final round consists of the corporate sponsors.  Following the final round presentations, a reception will be held in the McCombs Hall of Honors for all participants, faculty judges, and corporate sponsors.  At this time, the winners are announced and each team receives its reward. 

If you have questions, please contact Rachel Carlson.

For more information about participating in the 2004 Finance Challenge, please review the following presentation.

The Graduate Finance Association would like to thank the following corporations for their sponsorship of the 2004 Finance Challenge.