Frequently Asked Questions
Who can participate in the competition?
Students in two-year+ graduate degrees can participate in the competition. As the winning team receives the opportunity to interview for entry-level positions at KPMGe, the ideal candidate is a returning student (e.g., MGA1) for a summer internship or graduating student for a full-time opportunity (e.g., MGA2). In previous years, we have had students from the Munk School’s MGA and MPP programs, Rotman’s MBA program, the iSchool’s Master of Information, etc.
What is the case and how is it developed?
The case is developed by members of KPMG’s management consultancy, including members of the Healthcare and Lifesciences Practice, Strategy and Operations, and others. This year, the case is focused on the intersection between healthcare and emerging technologies. The case will be distributed to students in the form of a written document at the beginning of the competition.
What is the schedule of the competition?
The schedule for the competition is as follows:
Case released: Monday, Feb 3
The case is released, teams are formed and KPMG mentors are assigned at the beginning of the week. Over the course of the week, students are responsible for meeting in their teams and working on their presentation, including a 15-minute presentation and PowerPoint. Mentors are consultants from KPMG that will help students refine their presentations and be ready for competition day.
Networking Panel Event: Tuesday, February 4th from 6:00pm-9:30pm
Students convene at KPMG’s downtown office for a panel and networking event. From approximately 6:00pm to 7:30pm, panelists with subject-matter expertise will discuss the case topic with a KPMG moderator followed by a Q&A period.
After the panel, students are invited to a networking event, including a reception with beverages and food, where they have an opportunity to meet their mentors, judges and KPMG employees.
Case Competition: Saturday, Feb 8, 8:45am – 1:00pm*
Teams are given maximum 15 minutes to present their pitches in private breakout rooms with the judges.
There is a 5-10 minute Q&A period where judges may ask their questions to the team. Judges then score the teams and pick finalists which then present in the main room.
The exact time of the competition is subject to minor changes depending on the number of teams. Students should ensure they are available during the morning to early afternoon of Saturday.
How much of a time commitment is the competition? What if I am working or have class during the week?
Similar to a group project during school, students are responsible for managing their own schedule for their teamwork on the case. As the presentation is 15 minutes, students will have adequate time throughout the week to meet with their group and mentor and delegate work.
The only events that are fixed and require mandatory attendance are the Networking Panel and Case Competition. If you are not available during either of these events, you cannot participate in the competition.
How are the teams formed? Are we responsible for forming our own teams?
Nope, you apply solo! After the application period closes, CCI will form teams of about 4 students. Our goal is to provide students an opportunity to meet peers from different schools and maximize creative thinking and problem-solving by grouping students from multi-disciplinary backgrounds and diverse expertise.
What is the prize for the winners of the competition?
The prize is a $200 Visa prepaid gift card for each member of the 1st place team, $100 Visa prepaid gift card for each member of the 2nd place team, and $50 Visa prepaid gift card for the 3rd place team. Each member of the 1st place team will also be invited to a first-round interview to a internship or full-time (depending on their year of graduation) consulting opportunity at KPMG.