High school competitions offer students the opportunity to showcase their talents, develop new skills, and stand out in college applications. From academic decathlons to robotics competitions, these events can significantly enhance your extracurricular profile and demonstrate your commitment to excellence.
This comprehensive guide covers the most prestigious high school competitions across various disciplines, their eligibility requirements, and how they can strengthen your college application.
Why Competitions Matter for College Admissions
Competitions demonstrate several qualities that colleges value:
- Intellectual Curiosity: Participation shows you're willing to go beyond classroom learning
- Commitment and Perseverance: Many competitions require months of preparation
- Leadership and Teamwork: Most competitions involve collaboration and leadership roles
- Achievement and Recognition: Awards and rankings provide concrete evidence of your abilities
- Passion for Learning: Competitions often focus on specific subjects you're passionate about
Academic Competitions
Academic Decathlon
Category: Interdisciplinary
Eligibility: 3.75+ GPA for "Honors" division
Overview: National competition covering Science, Literature, Art, Music, Social Science, Economics, and Math around a given theme. Teams compete in ten events, making it one of the most comprehensive academic competitions.
American Mathematics Competitions (AMC)
Category: Mathematics
Eligibility: Grade 10 or below for AMC 10; Grade 12 or below for AMC 12
Overview: 25-question, 75-minute exams covering advanced trigonometry, algebra, and geometry (no calculus). AMC 12 is more advanced and serves as a qualifier for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME).
American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME)
Category: Mathematics
Eligibility: Top 5% scorers on AMC Math exam
Overview: 15-question, 3-hour test that serves as a qualifier for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO).
Harvard MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT)
Category: Mathematics
Eligibility: High school students, teams of 4-6 or 6-8
Overview: 1,000+ competitors from around the globe participate in individual, team, and "guts" rounds. One of the most prestigious math competitions.
MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge
Category: Mathematics
Eligibility: 11th and 12th graders
Overview: Challenge Weekend presents a problem that students work on over 14 consecutive hours, applying mathematical modeling to real-world scenarios.
STEM Competitions
Regeneron Science Talent Search
Category: STEM
Eligibility: High school seniors only
Overview: 1,800 students engage in original research. The top 300 scholars are recognized, and the top 40 are invited to participate in finals in Washington, D.C. Often called the "Junior Nobel Prize."
Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
Category: STEM
Eligibility: High school students who win at regional fairs
Overview: The world's largest international pre-college science competition, with over 1,800 students from 75+ countries competing for nearly $5 million in awards.
Chemistry Olympiad
Category: STEM
Eligibility: High school students under 20, no more than two students per school
Overview: 16,000 students participate in local exams; 1,000 students advance to the 4-hour, 45-minute national exam. Top performers represent the USA internationally.
National Science Bowl
Category: STEM
Eligibility: Grades 9-12, teams of 4-5 students
Overview: Standards-based challenges for 8,000+ teams; hosts 450 annual competitions covering biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, energy, and math.
National Science Olympiad
Category: STEM
Eligibility: Grades 9-12, teams of up to 15 students
Overview: Nearly 8,000 teams compete in various STEM categories through Regional, State, and National tournaments, plus unofficial "Invitational" events.
USA Biolympiad
Category: STEM
Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Overview: 10,000 competitors go through two rounds of exams, with 20 Finalists invited to National Finals. The top four represent the USA at the International Biology Olympiad.
Robotics and Engineering
FIRST Robotics Competition
Category: Robotics
Eligibility: Grades 9-12, ages 14-18
Overview: 660,000+ students worldwide participate, building robots for game-based competitions. Draws 4,000-8,000 teams annually with significant industry support.
VEX Robotics Competition
Category: Robotics
Eligibility: Grades 6-12
Overview: Teams build robots that play against other teams in game-based engineering challenges. More than 11,500 teams compete in 900+ tournaments at local, regional, national, and world levels.
BEST Robotics Competition
Category: Robotics
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Overview: 18,000 students participate in contests to design functioning machines using everyday objects, emphasizing creativity and practical engineering skills.
Business and Finance
DECA
Category: Business/Finance
Eligibility: High school teams must be comprised of one sponsor and ten members
Overview: Variety of competitive events including decision-making, project management, and marketing. Strong focus on business leadership and entrepreneurship.
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
Category: Business/Finance
Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Overview: 5,200+ high school chapters. Students must qualify through business knowledge and skills at the state level before advancing to nationals.
High School Fed Challenge
Category: Business/Finance
Eligibility: Grades 9-12, teams of 3-5 students
Overview: Teams give 12-minute presentations on the economy and engage in 13-minute Q&A sessions with judges. Sponsored by the Federal Reserve.
Knowledge at Wharton Investment Competition
Category: Business/Finance
Eligibility: Grades 9-12, teams of 4-7 students
Overview: Students manage a virtual portfolio. Winners are determined by how well teams articulate their strategies, not just portfolio growth.
The Stock Market Game
Category: Business/Finance
Eligibility: Open to all middle and high school students, teams of 3-5
Overview: Simulation of global markets where teams invest. Capital Hill Challenge selects ten winners to meet with members of Congress and fiscal policy-makers.
Diamond Challenge for High School Entrepreneurs
Category: Business/Finance
Eligibility: Teams of 2-4, ages 14-18
Overview: Students pitch innovations in business and social realms to judges. Hosted by University of Delaware with significant prize money.
Computer Science and Technology
Congressional App Challenge
Category: Computer Science
Eligibility: All high school students, individual or team (up to 4)
Overview: Students use any programming language to design new apps. Sponsored by Congress and top tech companies, with winners meeting with legislators.
CyberPatriot
Category: Computer Science
Eligibility: High school students
Overview: Run by the Air Force Association, teams compete to tackle cyberthreats to a fictional company. Combines cybersecurity education with competition.
USA Computing Olympiad
Category: Computer Science
Eligibility: Open to all secondary school students
Overview: Series of competitions in one of five programming languages. Four students emerge to represent the USA at the International Olympiad in Informatics.
Technology Student Association High School Competition
Category: Computer Science/STEM
Eligibility: Grades 9-12, between 1-3 teams per state/chapter qualify
Overview: Participants enter one of 38 contests in CS, STEM, or other categories, with strong focus on technology and innovation.
Humanities and Social Sciences
Model UN
Category: Humanities/Social Science
Eligibility: Grades 9-12 (for high school Model UN)
Overview: Conference participants research and formulate positions to represent assigned countries. Top performers receive awards and recognition.
National Speech and Debate
Category: Humanities/Social Science
Eligibility: Must be members of the NSDA Honor Society (with 25 points)
Overview: Qualified districts from around the U.S. are invited to participate in the National Tournament, covering various debate and speech categories.
National Economics Challenge
Category: Humanities/Social Science
Eligibility: All high school students, teams of 3-4
Overview: Tests knowledge of micro and macroeconomic principles. State winners advance to National Semi-Finals and then National Finals.
We The People (Constitutional Scholars)
Category: Humanities/Social Science
Eligibility: All high school students
Overview: Teams apply understanding of constitutional principles through mock congressional hearings. 1,200 students participate in National Finals.
National History Bowl
Category: Humanities
Eligibility: 11th or 12th grade (for Varsity), teams of up to 6 students
Overview: Team quiz competition where teams compete to qualify for National Championships, testing historical knowledge and critical thinking.
Foreign Language Competitions
National French Contest
Category: Foreign Language
Eligibility: Grades 7-12, eligible regardless of French coursework
Overview: 60-minute test leads to prizes at Chapter and National levels, with recognition for language proficiency.
National Spanish Examinations
Category: Foreign Language
Eligibility: Grades 6-12
Overview: Students take standardized Spanish tests, earning gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention distinctions at the national level.
National Latin Exam
Category: Foreign Language
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in a Latin course
Overview: Students take a 40-question, 45-minute exam and are awarded a range of certificates based on performance.
Chinese Bridge Proficiency Competition
Category: Foreign Language
Eligibility: Open to all high school students who were not born in China
Overview: Participants demonstrate understanding of Chinese language (including delivering speeches), knowledge of China, and Chinese cultural skills.
Goethe-Institut International German Olympics
Category: Foreign Language
Eligibility: Ages 14-17
Overview: Top 5% of scorers on a German language exam compete in the USA Final Round, with international opportunities for winners.
Writing and Journalism
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Category: Writing/The Arts
Eligibility: Grades 7-12
Overview: Awarded to students whose work shows originality, technical skill, and personal voice or vision. One of the most prestigious writing competitions.
American Foreign Service National H.S. Essay Contest
Category: Writing
Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Overview: Submit essays focused on challenges to U.S. peace and prosperity, with significant scholarship opportunities for winners.
Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Category: Writing
Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Overview: Submit 700-1,000-word essays identifying acts of political courage by elected U.S. officials. Sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
Letters About Literature
Category: Writing
Eligibility: Grades 9-12 (for Level III)
Overview: Contestants compose letters to authors (living or dead) about how their books affected them personally, fostering literary appreciation.
NCTE Student Writing Awards
Category: Writing
Eligibility: High school juniors nominated by their schools
Overview: Participants are judged on two submissions: themed writing and best writing, with recognition from the National Council of Teachers of English.
Arts and Performance
YoungArts National Arts Competition
Category: The Arts
Eligibility: Grades 10-12 or age 15-18
Overview: Submission guidelines vary by category including classical music, visual arts, photography, theater, film, and dance. Winners receive significant recognition and opportunities.
Congressional Art Competition
Category: The Arts
Eligibility: All high school students
Overview: Produce original 2-D works of art on given annual American themes. Winning pieces are displayed in the U.S. Capitol.
National High School Musical Theatre Awards
Category: The Arts
Eligibility: All high school students
Overview: The Jimmy Award is given to top high school performances by actors and actresses. Finalists at regional competitions are considered for the national award.
National Association for Music Education Competitions
Category: The Arts
Eligibility: Grades 9-12 (for High School competition)
Overview: Offers contests for traditional composers, electronic music composers, songwriters, and ensembles, with significant recognition in the music community.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge
Category: STEM
Eligibility: Ages 13-18
Overview: 600 teams compete to develop solutions to social, scientific, and societal issues, with emphasis on innovation and real-world impact.
Clean Tech Competition
Category: STEM
Eligibility: Teams of 1-3 members, aged 15-18
Overview: Teams identify environmental issues and formulate novel solutions, combining environmental awareness with innovation.
Davidson Fellows
Category: Interdisciplinary
Eligibility: 18 and under
Overview: Submit "significant work" in STEM or Humanities categories. One of the most prestigious awards for young innovators and researchers.
MIT THINK Scholars Program
Category: STEM/Innovation
Eligibility: Full-time high school students
Overview: STEM project proposals that can be completed in one semester on a $1,000 budget. Finalists receive faculty mentorship to complete their projects.
MIT Inspire (Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences)
Category: Humanities/Social Science
Eligibility: Under age 19, enrolled in high school
Overview: Present original research on topics of your choice. Top 100 in the world are invited to the final round at MIT.
How to Choose the Right Competition
When selecting competitions to participate in, consider:
- Your Interests and Strengths: Choose competitions that align with your academic interests and natural abilities
- Time Commitment: Some competitions require months of preparation, while others are more intensive short-term projects
- Team vs. Individual: Consider whether you prefer working independently or as part of a team
- Level of Competition: Start with local or regional competitions before aiming for national or international events
- Resources Available: Some competitions require significant financial investment or access to specialized equipment
Maximizing Your Competition Experience
To get the most out of competition participation:
- Start Early: Many competitions require advance registration and preparation
- Build a Team: For team competitions, recruit members with complementary skills
- Seek Mentorship: Find teachers, coaches, or professionals who can guide your preparation
- Document Your Journey: Keep records of your preparation, challenges overcome, and lessons learned
- Network: Use competitions as opportunities to meet like-minded students and professionals
- Reflect and Improve: After each competition, analyze what went well and what could be improved
Impact on College Applications
Competition participation can significantly strengthen your college application by:
- Demonstrating Passion: Shows deep interest in specific subjects or activities
- Providing Concrete Achievements: Awards and rankings offer measurable evidence of your abilities
- Showcasing Leadership: Many competitions involve leading teams or projects
- Highlighting Problem-Solving Skills: Competitions often require creative thinking and innovative solutions
- Building Character: The preparation and competition process develops resilience and determination
Remember, the goal isn't just to win—it's to grow, learn, and demonstrate your commitment to excellence. Choose competitions that genuinely interest you and align with your long-term goals.
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