College Fed Challenge—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the College Fed Challenge?
The College Fed Challenge is a team competition for undergraduate students that simulates the role of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). Teams analyze economic and financial conditions and formulate a monetary policy recommendation, which they present to a panel of judges.
How many students can be on a team?
Each team can have up to five undergraduate students. Teams can also have alternates, but only five students can participate in the video submission, presentation, and Q&A session.
Can graduate students participate?
No, traditional graduate students are not eligible to participate in the competition. However, students enrolled in dual-degree programs (e.g. 4+1 programs) are eligible to participate prior to conferral of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent by the participating college or university.
How long is the video presentation?
Teams submit a 15-minute video presentation that includes their analysis and policy recommendation.
What should the presentation cover?
The presentation should include an analysis of current economic conditions, an assessment of the economic outlook, and a monetary policy recommendation with supporting rationale.
What sources should teams use for economic data?
Teams should use official sources such as Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Federal Reserve Beige Book, and other Fed publications.
How should teams prepare for the Q&A session?
Teams should anticipate questions about their assumptions and methodology, be prepared to defend their policy recommendation, practice responding to challenging questions, and ensure all team members can field questions.
What economic indicators should teams focus on?
Examples of key indicators include GDP and its components, employment and unemployment data, inflation measures (CPI, PCE), and financial market conditions.
How are teams evaluated?
Judges assess the presentation quality and organization, quality of economic analysis, the appropriateness of the policy recommendation, and the ability to answer questions effectively, as well as teamwork and professionalism. See National College Fed Challenge Rubric and Scoring Sheet (PDF).
Does the Federal Reserve cover travel and lodging costs for the finalists?
No, teams that advance to national finals are financially responsible for their travel and lodging.
How do I start a College Fed Challenge team?
For more information about how to start a College Fed Challenge team, see Create a New Team (For Students and Teachers).
Is there a monetary prize for winning College Fed Challenge?
No, there is no monetary prize for winning College Fed Challenge.
Can judges provide feedback to teams?
Due to the high number of team presentations and limited judge resources available for the competition, judges are unable to provide individual written feedback to participating teams.
Can teams use AI at any point of the competition?
By entering the competition, teams certify that all presentations are the original work of the team. A presentation that is written in whole or in part by artificial intelligence (AI) is not considered original student author work. Any presentations or responses with AI-generated content may be disqualified.