- NEC intensive (G9–G12): online small group.
- Wharton / FBLA / DECA: team building, financial analysis, presentation.
Start with the business intro workshop.
Taught by gold-medal business coaches with in-class practice and training in public speaking, slide design, and business reports; coaches form and lead teams for the Diamond Challenge and NEC. The NEC intensive is a 26-week online small group.
How to start
Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.
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Contact a course advisorFrequently Asked Questions
When should Irvine students start business competitions?
The intensive serves grades 9 to 12 and assumes no prior economics course. The National Economics Challenge (NEC) groups students by background: the David Ricardo division for first-time entrants who have taken no more than one general economics course, and the Adam Smith division for AP, IB, honors, or college-level students. Schools in Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) schedule economics differently, so the division follows the courses a student has actually taken. Beginners start with the business intro workshop.
How do Irvine public high school students register for NEC?
Registration and proctoring both happen at the student's own school. NEC teams have three to four students and must be registered, formed, and proctored by a teacher at that school, so the first step is finding a teacher willing to act as advisor. The online preliminary gives each student 35 minutes, and the team score is the sum of its three highest individual scores. Our NEC intensive is a 26-week online small group led by a gold-medal coach.
What does the Wharton competition require of Irvine teams?
The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition takes teams of four to six from the same high school, never fewer than four, registered by a teacher acting as advisor. Judging rests on the logic and presentation of the investment strategy rather than returns, with deliverables including the trading notes analysis, the investment policy statement, and a final report.
How far can students go in these competitions?
Several EDUBUS teams have reached the California finals. In NEC, state champion teams advance to the national semifinal, and the top eight in each division go to the in-person national final. Classes also train public speaking, slide design, and written business reports, which is where the final rounds are decided.
How do FBLA and DECA differ from NEC?
NEC is a subject competition in economics, scored by team. Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and DECA cover a much wider set of business events built around case analysis and live presentation. All three can run in one school year; we set the team and the training focus by the student's direction.
What are results worth in a University of California application?
They evidence real ability beyond an AP Economics score. Activities and honors on the University of California (UC) application are self-reported, so advancing past the state level is a verifiable result worth listing. Contest requirements are in the competition library, and the wider plan for Irvine families in the college admissions services.
