HEC Paris

What students think about HEC Paris

Roscoe Sun, MSc International Finance

After being schooled in the UK I went on to study the BSc in Philosophy & Economics at the London School of Economics. During my time there, I also completed a summer internship at Odysseus Capital, a Hong Kong based merchant boutique bank.

Ideal location

I chose to attend HEC Paris for numerous reasons. Firstly, prior to entering the industry, I wanted a firm grounding in all areas of finance. Subsequently, attending HEC Paris, one of Europe’s most reputable academic institutions provided an excellent opportunity to do so. Furthermore, having been born and brought up in London, the prospect of living in a neighbouring yet culturally differing city certainly appealed to me. Lastly, knowing that I wanted to work in London made the choice all the more pertinent due to HEC Paris’s proximity as well as its strong placement track record.

Career support from Faculty and Staff

Within the course there is a strong focus on acquiring pragmatic knowledge. For this reason, there is a wide variety of group-based case studies which stand as excellent preparation for interviews and real-life work. Further to this, there is plenty of careers support available on the course too; this is true both from careers advisors provided through the school as well as students from within the program itself. This year saw plenty of MIF students already boasting internship experience and full-time offers from top firms prior to finishing the program. Both sources of career advice proved invaluable in my job search and the exceptional placement record achieved this year is truly testament to the added value of the program.

Building a global network

Personally, it was the genuinely eclectic mix of people that has really impressed me. With a close social circle representing in excess of ten countries, not only is this an excellent global network but also a remarkable opportunity to meet new people and understand different cultures. Some of my personal highlights of the year include the MIF London study trip, playing in and winning the MBAT Rugby 7s tournament, a group trip to Serbia, another to the French Alps and a more recent one to Interlaken- a town for outdoor activities in Switzerland.

Going forward, I’m looking forward to starting as a full-time analyst at Greenhill and advancing my career there.

Isabella Lennhag, MSc Strategic Management

Prior to HEC Paris, I attended the Bachelor in Economics, Management and Finance program at Bocconi University in Milan. I also completed a six-month internship in Investment Banking at Credit Suisse in Zurich, and spent time in Shanghai. I attended an intensive Mandarin Chinese course at Jiao Tong University and worked part-time for a China-based strategy consulting firm, Gao Feng Advisory Company.

The main reasons why I chose HEC Paris were because of its reputation for being one of the best business schools in Europe as well as its large campus and student life. I was specifically attracted to the MSc in Strategic Management due to its strong exposure to the consulting industry. During the first semester of the program, there were weekly workshops run by the largest global strategy consulting firms. Additionally, classes in Business Strategy were taught by senior consultants from the Boston Consulting Group.

Diverse student body

The MSc in Strategic Management has a very diverse student body. Not only does it combine the French Grande Ecole students with international students from leading foreign universities, it also includes students with non-business degrees, most of which were engineering. This contributes greatly to in-class discussions as there are many different points of view on any given topic.

Flexibility of the program

Another benefit of the MSc in Strategic Management is the opportunity you have to tailor design your program in the second semester. There is a wide range of electives to choose from, from Big Data to Financial Valuation to Sustainability. The electives provide valuable in-depth learning through cases from current business challenges; most seminars are conducted by top executives and specialists from leading industry players.

In the last three months we were offered to choose between completing an industry specific certificate, together with final year students from other Masters and MBA programs at HEC, or working on a real-life consulting project. I was very happy to be accepted onto the Luxury Certificate program, which is highly selective. The Luxury Certificate mainly consists of conferences with senior executives from the industry, which again provides high-level exposure and relationship building opportunities.

Strong ties with the business world

The networking opportunities are immense and very valuable at HEC Paris. The school organises several career fairs, sometimes focusing on specific industries, and the MSc in Strategic Management program organises many conferences with influential guest speakers as well as company visits. One of the highlights of the program was our overseas study trip, where we could choose to visit Brazil or Dubai. The study trip focused on company visits and networking opportunities in these developing markets, as well as lectures to understand the local economy and the local business etiquette.

After graduating from HEC Paris, I will to work at the Boston Consulting Group in Geneva, Switzerland. My career goal is to pursue a career in strategy consulting and later specialize in the luxury goods industry.

Tyler Goin, MSc Sustainability and Social Innovation

What are some important stages of your development (education and training, first job, evolution of your career, etc.)?

I did my undergraduate studies at Harvard where I majored in an interdisciplinary degree focusing on economics and politics. After briefly working in the political world, I decided I wanted to get business training so I could develop business-based solutions to the issues I cared about. I am currently a student at HEC Paris. Next year I will work in finance, consulting, or technology.

Why did you choose HEC Paris?

HEC to me was a standard of excellence for business schools in Europe. The nice campus setting, the caliber of the students, the robust extracurricular life, and an academic offering I found fascinating compelled me to come to HEC. My experience at HEC offers me the chance to pursue an international career. While before I felt limited geographically to the U.S., a degree abroad validates your desire and ability to work internationally.

Looking back today, what have you gained from the HEC Master of Science (from a personal or professional perspective)?

In addition to the classroom experience which served as a powerful platform for discussions and debates, the study trip to Madagascar organised by the class was an experience of a lifetime. A group of 30 students, passionate about sustainability travelled through the length of the country to understand the environmental, social and economic needs of the country. The opportunity to meet with the local population and development organisations working on issues related to the environment, communities, energy, biodiversity and health provided a learning of a very different kind.

Courses, conferences, meetings, outings… What are the most significant memories of your year at HEC Paris?
The best parts of HEC for me were organizing our class study trip to Madagascar, the extraordinary people I met, playing on the rugby team, getting professional experience through our consulting missions, and fully immersing myself in student and academic life at HEC.

Did you choose to participate in one of the Certificate programs at HEC? What did you gain through this program?

I greatly enjoyed the Energy and Finance certificate. The intensive courses really familiarize students with their fields of future employment and give them a professional edge as they start their career.

Finally, what advice would you give to students who aspire to subscribe to HEC MSc?

As you explore your career options, it is important to find a subject you are both good at and passionate about. HEC allows you to explore these different avenues and gives students incredible access to the best businesses in Europe to facilitate this transition.

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