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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 2026: June 1-5 and June 15-19. Completed applications and recommendations must be received by 5:00 p.m. on April 1, 2026.

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.

 

“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 securities analysis and portfolio management. To be eligible, you must currently be enrolled in high school with a reasonable expectation of graduating in May or June 2027.

What happens at the High School Investor Challenge?

  • Students selected for the program attend a five-day on-campus course in securities analysis (stock selection) and portfolio management. You will learn to access company data and analysts’ reports, 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 from July to March to security analysts for review, critique and execution of their proposed portfolio decisions/stock trades.

There will be two program offerings, June 1-5, 2026 and June 15-19, 2026.

HSIC A begins Monday, June 1, 3:00 p.m., and ends Friday, June 5, 12:00 p.m.
HSIC B begins Monday, June 15, 3:00 p.m., and ends Friday, June 19, 12:00 p.m.

From June 2026 to March 2027, students will continue buying and selling stocks in an effort to increase the risk-adjusted return of their virtual portfolios. The portfolio management phase of the program consludes at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2027. Portfolio results will be compiled and shared via email shortly thereafter. 

Cost is $1600 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.) 

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 1, 2026.

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 full accepted into 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 tablet 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 2027.
  • 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 1-5, 2026 or June 15-19, 2026.
  • Provide proof of medical insurance coverage.
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

Email:
hsic@tcu.edu

Phone:
817-257-7788

Frequently Asked Questions

Completed applications must be submitted by the deadline date, including transcripts and 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 more than 200 applications each year. A maximum of 40 students are admitted to each camp.

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 1:00 p.m. You should not arrive on campus earlier than 12:00 noon. Before that time, there will not be staff available to get you into the residence hall.

You must arrive on campus by 1:00 p.m. on the first day of the program. You should not plan to leave the camp early. You will be presenting your work on Friday morning before the camp ends.

You will not have the opportunity to train during the week. During one or more evenings, we plan to go to the TCU Recreation Center where you will have access to the gym facility.

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