Top international organisations like PwC, Harvard, and Uber are set to commence their annual worldwide competitions for high school students over the next few months.
For ambitious South African teens, this presents an opportunity to compete at a global level, gain valuable skills, and unlock their passions. Those looking to study at top universities abroad, can also leverage competition success to stand out from other applicants.
“Winning an international competition shows the world – and yourself – that you can apply your talent and knowledge outside of the classroom, and succeed in an international arena. Beyond the prizes you stand to win and the friends you can make, this can build out a student’s portfolio for university and job applications.
It can also be a lot of fun!” says Rebecca Pretorius, Country Manager at global mentorship company Crimson Education.
In terms of university admission at highly sought-after international establishments, competitions can demonstrate a student’s commitment to going above and beyond in their intended area of study – as well as their subject mastery;
“Admissions officers want to see proof of exceptional ambition, initiative and excellence in your field. The types of competitions you enter or programmes you attend tell a story about who you are, what you’re good at, and how you can succeed against other students globally,” says Pretorius.
In addition to international competitions, many of which offer virtual participation, students interested in traveling can invest their time in summer programmes, educational and university tours, and even international conferences. These can help students figure out and grow their areas of interest, decide where to study, expand their network, and interact with industry experts.
“Participation in competitions, conferences, and tours allows students to delve more deeply into the areas they’re most passionate about, meet like-minded peers, and expand their worldview. It’s also a good way for students to experience a level of competition and type of activity that they may not be exposed to at school. Succeeding in these activities also builds self-confidence and critical skills like teamwork, goal setting, time management, problem solving, and multidimensional thinking. It’s a win-win,” says Pretorius.
Pretorius highlights the following upcoming competitions and tours for high school students, run in partnership with Crimson Education:
- PwC Global Case Competition: This completely virtual competition gives students aged 13 to 18 an opportunity to step into the shoes of a CEO and tackle real-world business challenges in a team of three to four. Registration is now open and closes 13 November 2022.
- Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition: For aspiring editors, columnists, reporters, communications experts, social media managers, or in marketing heads, this writing competition challenges students to exercise their writing skills in a non-traditional environment. Registration opens in December 2022.
- Uber Global Hackathon: Set to kick off for a second round in April 2023, this international virtual hackathon opens doors for tech-savvy students to design, build, and present innovative solutions to one of the world’s industry leaders
“There are so many opportunities for local students to excel and participate globally. Putting in the effort to sign up and compete, whether you win or not, can set you on the path to success. At the very least, it’s a chance to do what you love, alongside other like-minded people – who could become lifelong connections,” says Pretorius.
This year, Crimson South Africa is raffling a spot on an upcoming 2023 Crimson Tour, valued at over R95 000, to new Crimson students who join between now and March. The winning student will be able to choose between the Harvard & Yale Model United Nations Delegation Tour; STEM Accelerators Tour in the United States, or the Global Leaders Tour in UK/Europe.
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