The qualifying round includes a brief introduction to the basics of media planning and allows judges to determine those most able to submit a competitive media plan. During this round of the competition, students (who are currently enrolled at a US college or university) may work either individually or as a team of two. Authors of the top 24 qualification round entries will be invited to participate in the 2021 Media Plan Case Competition. Of the 24 teams, six will be chosen to compete in Washington, D.C. for the National Excellence in Media Award and the Mia Guion Scholarship. This amounts to a total of $18,500 in scholarships to be awarded. Teams of two create a strategic media plan based on a hypothetical public policy issue. Students work with actual, real-world data from leading national research and ratings firms to create a media plan that effectively reaches their target audience. Semi-finalists should submit your Media Plan via the online form before 11:59 p.m. on March 12, 2021.