With ICDC just over a month away, preparation is key to your success. As high school students, schedules are busy, and it may seem hard to find time to prepare for competition, but preparation is what builds champions. As an ICDC glass winner myself, here are several key preparation techniques I used to earn the coveted DECA Glass.
Space Out Studying
Like many, I fall victim to procrastination. Continuously putting off studying for an exam, presentation or key performance indicators will not benefit you in the competition. One way I succeed is through spacing out my studying. I suggest studying for 20-30 minutes three to four times a week, leading up to the competition. This way, you can set aside any distractions, including the potential for doom scrolling, and fully engage with whatever content you are studying.
It’s important to note that you should start studying about 6 weeks before your competition. This way, you can identify your weaknesses and focus on them.
Exam
If your goal is to win DECA glass, the importance of the exam portion of your score cannot be underestimated. In most role-play events and some prepared events, your exam carries 50% of your total score. That being said, the exam should be at the top of your studying list.
I recommend doing 10 questions a day leading up to the competition. This way, you can familiarize yourself with the questions, as repeated questions are extremely common on DECA exams. Once you get closer to the competition date, about two to three weeks, aim to do one full-length timed exam per week. This way, you can feel the full time constraint.
With any exam, any questions you get incorrect or guessed on, highlight them and find out why you got them wrong. Understanding the why is critical if you want not only to improve your test score but also to deepen your knowledge of the industry.
Role-Plays
Preparing for a role-play can feel a bit weird at first. Objectively, you’re preparing for a prompt you don’t even have yet. However, once you break down the role-play into these three pieces, you’re set up for success.
- Performance Indicators: This is what your judge is grading you on. A good rule of thumb is to define or explain the performance indicator at a general level, explain why it’s important to your industry, and connect it to your specific case study.
- Industry Trends: Going into any role-play event, you should have a good knowledge of industry trends, consumer behavior, or any major shake-up. Doing so allows you to relate the case study to current topics. A good resource for doing so is to read articles published in DECA+ or by reputable news agencies, such as the Associated Press.
- Soft Skills and Conceptual Plans: Any judge will be watching for soft skills like eye contact, stuttering, and handshakes. One way to improve these skills is by practicing your role-play with a parent, friend, or advisor. This forces you to use your soft skills and receive immediate feedback on how you can improve. Conceptual plans allow you to have a “toolbox” of plans or ideas you have used in previous roleplays that can be applied to your event. Consider using industry-specific acronyms. For example, my partner used a B.O.O.K. acronym, or brand offer, optimize and keep when it came to customer acquisitions.
Prepared Events
In the prepared events realm, feedback means everything. If you received feedback from your association conference, be sure to read it, reflect on it and make changes. When doing a prepared event, practice and repetition are what make you a glass contender. Take time to meet with your group, record yourself and watch it back to see where you can improve.
Present to your advisor or other CTE teachers to receive feedback on your presentation. Similar to role-plays, content within your presentation can only get you so far; be sure to also focus on soft skills. When competing in a prepared event, practice your presentation at least twice per week leading up to the competition.
Ultimately, preparing for competition not only improves your confidence but also improves your professionalism. So if you plan to Go The Extra and aim for DECA glass, take the time to prepare now.
