The Competition

Wondery

Every summer for the past seven decades, 50 high school seniors—one from every state—descend on Mobile, Alabama to take part in one of the country’s most lucrative scholarship competitions for teen girls.The Competition takes you behind the scenes of the Distinguished Young Women (DYW) program, and follows seven girls as they experience the highs and lows of competing for two weeks, away from home and under the most high-stress circumstances. Some girls enter for the money, some for prestige. All of them are used to being the best and the brightest. But only one will walk away with the top prize.Host Shima Oliaee (Dolly Parton’s America, Pink Card) was Nevada’s contestant in 2001. More than 20 years later, she returns to Alabama as a judge. What can two weeks with 50 of the country’s most ambitious teens tell us about girlhood in America?Follow The Competition on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Competition early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.

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  • 52 seconds
    Where to Find Episodes 2-6

    Binge all episodes of The Competition exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-competition/ now. 

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    6 January 2025, 8:00 am
  • 43 minutes 41 seconds
    49 Girls is a Lot | 1

    At the start of the competition, 50 teenage girls, one from each state, gather in Mobile, Alabama, to embark on two of the most intense weeks of their lives. Everybody wants the same thing: to walk away with a $40,000 cash prize and the title of Distinguished Young Woman of America. First impressions are everything and it feels like the first day of school. How will the reps from Tennessee, California, Montana and Colorado handle their new world?

    Listen to The Competition on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Competition early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-competition/ now.


    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    8 April 2024, 7:01 am
  • 2 minutes 57 seconds
    Introducing: The Competition

    Over six episodes, The Competition takes you behind the scenes of one of America’s most lucrative scholarship programs for high school senior girls. We follow seven girls as they experience the highs and lows of competing against the best and brightest, away from home and under the most high-stress circumstances. What can two weeks with 50 of the country’s most ambitious teens tell us about girlhood in America?

    Follow The Competition on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to The Competition early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.


    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    4 April 2024, 3:00 pm
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