Build Your Edge Before the Bell
“Read first. Argue second. Trade third. That sequence — not its reverse — is what makes a SIC entry stand up to the rubric.”
The SIC participant kit is deliberately compact. A short reading list, a small set of vetted simulators, the valuation frameworks our judges actually use, and a growing archive of past cases. Read what you need, skip what you don’t — and arrive at the Regional Stage knowing what a defensible thesis looks like.
What to Read Before the Season Starts
A short, curated list. We don’t recommend reading everything — we recommend reading one or two of these well, then writing your own one-page summary. The students who arrive at Regional Stage having done that consistently produce the strongest rubric scores.
Where to Practice Without Real Money
Use the official simulation account and task instructions supplied through Bloom after registration and payment. The other platforms listed below are optional practice resources and do not determine SIC scores.
SIC Trading Simulator
The official simulation environment is accessed through the organiser’s Bloom instructions. Both Junior and Senior have simulated trading in S16; use the correct account and current trading rules.
Investopedia Stock Simulator
Long-running free simulator, good for pre-season practice. Useful for learning order types, position sizing mechanics, and the discipline of weekly reconciliation. Not used for any official SIC scoring.
MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange
Class-friendly virtual exchange. Useful if you want to run a practice league with classmates before applying. Not used for any official SIC scoring.
The Methods Our Judges Actually Use
These are the four valuation and research frameworks SIC mentors and judges expect Senior Division strategy reports to engage with — at least one, ideally two. The point is not to perform a textbook DCF; it is to show you understand which framework fits the thesis you are defending.
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)
The foundational intrinsic-value framework. Project free cash flows, discount them back at the cost of capital, compare the implied value to the market price. The mechanics are simple; the inputs (growth rates, discount rate, terminal value) are where the argument lives.
Comparable Company Analysis
Triangulate value by comparing the target against a peer set — EV/EBITDA, P/E, P/S, EV/Sales multiples. The skill is in choosing the right peer set and adjusting for structural differences. Often paired with DCF as a cross-check.
Scenario & Sensitivity Analysis
Build base, bull and bear cases and show which assumptions drive them. This is preparation advice; official report scoring follows the Bloom task card.
ESG Materiality Analysis
Identify the environmental, social, and governance factors that materially affect the company’s long-term cash flows or cost of capital. Then incorporate them as inputs — not appendices. The SASB framework is the most common starting point.
What Strong Past Entries Actually Look Like
Featured Cohort entries from prior seasons are archived in the SIC Hall of Fame with each participant’s permission. They are the most useful reference document you can read before submitting your own — not as templates to copy, but as evidence of what passes the rubric.
Browse past Featured Cohort entries
The full archive of Featured Cohort submissions (with permitted publication) lives in the Hall of Fame. Each entry includes the original submission, the rubric scorecard, and a brief note from the judging desk on what distinguished it.
View the Hall of Fame →Webinars, Office Hours, Omaha
SIC runs three structured live-session formats across each season. All are bilingual where possible; recordings are available to active participants through the program desk.
About SIC Resources
Do I need to read every book on the reading list?
No. These books are preparation suggestions. Read the sources most relevant to your learning needs; the S16 handbook does not make this reading list or a weekly thesis log a scored requirement.
Are the simulators the same as the official SIC platform?
Use the official account specified in Bloom for scored trading. The other simulators listed here are for optional practice; their results do not count toward SIC assessment.
Do I need to know all four research frameworks before applying?
Use frameworks suited to the assigned task and your current knowledge. Junior is assessed on simulated trading; Senior adds a team report worth 90% of its Preliminary Stage total.
Where can I see past entries before I apply?
The Hall of Fame archive (see §04) holds Featured Cohort submissions from prior seasons that participants gave permission to publish. The current published archive grows each season; SIC does not publish entries from participants who did not give permission.
Do I have to attend the Omaha Dialogue Summit?
Junior does not advance to the Global Stage or Omaha under the S16 pathway. Eligible Senior teams may progress; check the separate organiser notice for selection and participation conditions.
Registration closes 29 November 2026.
11 September–29 November 2026 · S16 registration
SIC guidance is available through WhatsApp & WeChat. Scan the code to discuss division selection and preparation, then complete registration through Webloom.
Complete official S16 registration and payment through Webloom. The QR code connects you to an advisor for guidance; a chat inquiry does not complete registration.
