CSIMA coordinates CBS participation in a series of intercollegiate stock pitch competitions throughout the fall semester, covering equities, credit, and long/short formats at schools including Darden, Cornell, UCLA Anderson, Chicago Booth, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, and UNC Kenan-Flagler.

These competitions are among the most effective recruiting preparation available. They force you to build a full investment thesis, defend it under pressure, and present alongside teams from across the country.

Team sizes, eligibility requirements, and formats vary by competition. Details and registration links for each are listed below. Keep an eye out for CSIMA communications at the start of fall semester for deadlines and sign-up information.

The Pershing Square Challenge is an annual competition open to CBS students enrolled in the Applied Security Analysis course. Over three months, roughly forty teams of first and second year students develop and present investment ideas, culminating in a final judged by leading investment professionals. Launched in 2008 by Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, it is one of the most prestigious student investment competitions in the country.

The CBS Heilbrunn Center page features videos from previous years' challenges — a valuable resource for anyone looking to study real student pitches and sharpen their own approach.