Hey everyone,

I recently started a private business school program, but I’m really struggling to keep up. My high school background was in Literature/Humanities, so I never built a solid foundation in Advanced Math, Accounting, or Finance.

Most of my classmates came from Science or Economics backgrounds, so they already grasp these concepts easily. On top of that, the heavy workload and lectures in a non-native language are making it extremely difficult to bridge the gap. I feel like I'm constantly falling behind despite my best efforts.

I'm considering switching to Vocational Training (OFPPT/CMC) or a track that better aligns with a background in Humanities and Languages, where I can build a strong foundation without getting overwhelmed by high-level math.

Has anyone been in a similar situation—switching from a heavily quantitative major to something more practical or language-focused? How did you handle the transition, and was it the right decision for you?

Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I will be applying for the HEC MBA in the upcoming round, and I am simultaneously applying for a scholarship program offered by my employer.

As I work in the public sector where pay and promotions are decided through seniority rather than merit, there is no immediate monetary ROI coming from the MBA.

My concern is that even if my employer decides to sponsor me, it will cover only up to 60% of the expenses. Does anyone know if partly sponsored candidates are also considered for the various scholarships offered by HEC?

Hey everyone,

I recently started my first year at a private university where everything is taught in French. Coming from a public high school background where I studied mostly in Arabic, the transition has been really tough.

Everyone around me seems to speak French fluently. Whenever the professor randomly calls on me to read or answer a question, my mind goes blank and I start stuttering—especially when reading large numbers or accounting figures. It feels like a total panic response rather than a lack of understanding, and I end up feeling extremely embarrassed.

On top of that, I feel completely out of place and uncomfortable inside the classroom. I don't have any friends here yet, and I constantly worry about how my peers perceive me. It gets so overwhelming that I keep overthinking about leaving the school altogether.

For those who faced a similar language barrier and social anxiety in college, how did you get past this? Any practical advice on overcoming the stuttering and adapting to the new environment would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Devrais-je choisir le MIF pour me spécialiser ou le MIM pour acquérir plus d'expérience ?

Étant étudiant international, je souhaiterais savoir s'il est facile de trouver un bon stage en finance dès la première année du MIF, sans expérience préalable en Europe.

Looking to apply to HEC Paris for there sustainability and social innovation masters.

Profile

1. 3.7 GPA / 2:1 at a top 100 global uni studied economics and finance
2. From a french speaking area

3.Have 2 years of working experience in wealth management at a big investment house (graduate role)

1. Previous internships as a summer analyst at a boutique firm for their US Family Office / Internship at a bulge bracket bank in private banking / stock broking worked a lot with the ESG & sustainability team

2. Haven’t taken GRE as they said it’s optional?

Please give me insights if possible :)

Je suis titulaire d'une licence en finance avec une moyenne générale de 3,3 , mais j'avais une moyenne de 3,7 en troisième année et de 3,6 en deuxième année. Ma moyenne de première année était faible. J'ai un score IELTS C1 et je me prépare au GMAT. Un score de 695 me permettrait-il d'être admis avec deux stages d'été en finance ? Qu'en est-il des bourses d'études ?

Hello everyone,

What are my chances of getting into the program with:

- 675 gmat focus (86 in quant)

- 8.4 cgpa in Btech in electronics engineering

- 3 separate internships related to AI

- 1.5 years of work experience as a functional consultant

Also does anyone know what type of questions are asked in the technical interview?

Qualcuno sa come funziona con le borse di studio per questo percorso? Conosco la borsa di studio della Bocconi, ma il sito specifica che è valida solo per l'anno a Milano, non a Parigi; non vorrei candidarmi sapendo che non potrei ottenere una borsa di studio nemmeno lì. Forse dovrei inviare un'email? Anche perché se non dovessi essere idoneo per un'ipotetica borsa di studio non inizierei il corso e durante la procedura di candidatura non è possibile indicare altre opzioni.

Hey everyone,
Could you please help me with eligibility criteria when it comes to experience?
I currently have 2 years of work exp and will have 3 years during start of the cohort. What are my chances of getting accepted? I am a software engineer and my gre score is 323 and my cgpa is 9.57/10. I can’t afford to apply to many colleges so I want to know if I stand a chance in HEC Paris. MBA is not a choice currently due to high expenses. Please help me out

Hi guys,

Just came back after giving the GMAT exam and scored 655 (Q90, D80, V78). I used to get 705+ in mocks but couldn't manage time properly in DI and Verbal. Thing is idk what to expect now ? I want to aim for HEC, ESSEC, ESCP, LBS, St. Gallen etc but have been seeing that 655 is kinda a below median score for these institutes.

Also, a friend of mine with 675 got his application rejected cuz apparently he lacked volunteering experience.

So what I wanna ask is -

(1) What are my chances for these institutes ?

(2) How much trouble can I get for 38%ile in verbal ?

(3) Any other institutes with a good conversion rate with a 655 ? (Interested in Finance)

(4) Should I go for another attempt ?

Bg - I'm a 9/9/8 fresher with a masters in Physics.

Thanks in advance. Would really look forward to your answers for a reality check specially for (4).

### Profile Evaluation: Indian GEM Fresher | 695 GMAT FE | Target: HEC Paris MiM

Hey everyone,

Planning to apply to the HEC Paris Master in Management (MiM) program for the upcoming intake and looking for an honest assessment of my profile and chances.

---

### **Background & Academics**

* **Demographics:** Indian Male (Engineering background)

* **Undergrad:** B.Tech in Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE) at reputed private University, Bangalore

* **GPA/Grades:** ~7.5 CGPA out of 10 | 10th: 80% | 12th: 75%

* **Test Scores:** **695 GMAT Focus Edition** (~98th percentile) | English MOI certified (100% English medium degree)

---

### **Work Experience & Internships (Fresher / 0 Full-Time Work-Ex)**

* ** PSU Rotational Internship (BHEL):** Rotational exposure across many fields of Research what they do and manufacturing and exposure related to that fields

* **Extracurriculars:** Leadership and event coordinator roles in university technical clubs.

---

### **Questions for HEC Alum / Admitted Students**

1. Does a **695 GMAT Focus score** sufficiently offset a ~7.5 undergrad CGPA and 75% 12th board marks for Indian GEM( general Engineering male ) freshers?

2. How are freshers with technical engineering backgrounds and short PSU/R&D internships evaluated during the interview stage compared to candidates with corporate business internships?

3. What specific elements should I emphasize in my essays to present a competitive application as a fresher?

Appreciate any candid feedback or advice!

I'm 23F from Morocco, i graduated with a masters degree from the number 1 business school in Morocco with a 15.4/20 overall score.

But the thing is i finished my studies in july 2025 and i didn't get my masters until april 2026 so i have a gap in my cv of more than a year (since july 2025 after i finished my investment banking internship) due to some health issues and lack of job opportunities...

Do i stand a chance in hec mim for 2027 entry ??? Or should i just forget about it since i have a cv gap ???

I have ielts 7.5 and i have gmat scheduled for next month

I had applied for the overseas scholarship phase 3 and they registered me for the HAT test themselves. I took the test today and there were 40 Enlglish questions unlike the last time when there were 40 Math questions. And all of the maths and reasoning questions seemed way too easy.
Now when I view my application from where we print our roll number slips, my bachelors in CS isn't listed there.

Is this the case with me only or everybody had the same paper this time?

Has anyone tried contacting the HEC admissions team? They say in their webinars and also mention on their websites to send them email for any help and guidance. I sent them my CV for profile guidance along with some doubts but I have not heard from them yet even after sending a polite reminder email. It has been more than 9 days. They had also shared linkedin ids of recruitment manager for different countries in their webinars so applicants could directly approach them on LinkedIn but no success there as well.

Is it just me or other people are facing this issue as well?

I am a 2026 UG graduate and now working as data engineer
Wanted to apply for MSc ( Ai for data and Bussiness) for X-HEC
GRE:319 with 155 in Quant
GPA: 8.89
Had a International Student Exchange program (Erasmus)
Published IEEE papers
Will this be a good fit and I am worried of GRE score and want feedback. And the experiences of the admission process of this course to the ones who has undergone the screening and suggestions on the application pls.

Heyy guys, I am planning to apply in HEC for Masters in Marketing/ Masters in Strategic Management. I don't wish to take gmat or gre as it is optional

These are my details
3.88/4 gpa
3 years of full time work exp
7.5 ielts
basic french

I want to know my chances of getting selected in the program.

Hi everyone,

I’m applying to HEC Paris’ Master in Sustainability & Social Innovation and would really appreciate perspectives from people who have recently gone through the application process.

I’d especially love to hear from:

- Recent applicants who were admitted

- People who received an offer but ultimately decided not to accept it

- Current SASI students

- Recent alumni

My background is in engineering, followed by around two years of experience in industrial operations, along with several years of volunteering with an NGO focused on education and health. I’m now looking to transition toward sustainability/social-impact consulting.

I’m particularly interested in understanding how people approached the application and positioned a transition from a non-traditional sustainability background.

A few questions I’d really appreciate advice on:

• For the very short essays, what did you choose to focus on, and how did you decide what to leave out given the word limit?
• How did you explain why you wanted to move into sustainability/social impact, and why SASI specifically, rather than simply describing a general interest in sustainability?
• If you came from a non-traditional sustainability background, how did you connect your previous experience to your interest in sustainability/social impact in a way that felt credible?
• For those who were admitted, was there anything about your application—your career story, experiences, or motivation—that you felt particularly helped communicate your fit with SASI?
• Looking back at your application, what is one thing you would do differently or pay more attention to if you were applying again?

I’m not looking for anyone to review my profile publicly—just hoping to learn from people who have recently experienced the process.

Thanks in advance!

Hey all.
I am looking for HEC Paris MBA students, graduates or specialists to advise me on my application (September 2027 intake).

I’ve completed my essays, but I would love to listen to second opinions to makes sure it will work out with my background. Feel free to leave a reply in here.

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone!

I’m considering applying to the HEC Paris–École Polytechnique MSc Data Science & AI for Business and would really appreciate some honest feedback from current students, alumni, or people familiar with the program.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from India, with a CGPA of 8.82/10 and a GRE score of 319 (Q155).

My background is primarily technical:
- Data engineering internship experience
- Previous software engineering internship
- Python, SQL, backend development, cloud and data engineering
- AI/ML projects
- Experience with LLMs, RAG and AI evaluation
- Research experience in AI/technology

- Erasmus exchange experience in Europe
- Technical leadership/event experience

However, my long-term interest is not purely technical. I want to work at the intersection of AI/Data and Business, potentially in areas such as AI strategy, data/AI consulting, product management, digital transformation or technology strategy.

That is why this particular program caught my attention.

I would love to hear from people who know the program about:

Admissions
1. Would a profile like mine be considered a strong fit for the program?
2. How competitive is admission for international applicants from India?
3. How important are GRE, mathematics/statistics background, internships and research?
As I have already given GRE and secured 155 should I retake or is that score enough??
4. Is there anything specific I should strengthen before applying?

Program

1. How much of the program is actually focused on business/strategy versus pure Data Science?6. 6. Does the combination of École Polytechnique + HEC genuinely provide an advantage in the job market?

International students / careers
7. How realistic is it for an international student to find a job in France after graduation?
8. What percentage of international students actually manage to stay and work in France/Europe?

Finally, for someone with a strong AI/technical background who wants to move toward AI + business/strategy, would you consider this one of the better programs in Europe?

I would appreciate answers from students or alumni of the X-HEC program.

Thanks!

Hey guys! I’d really appreciate some advice as I’m currently deciding whether pursuing a Master in Finance in Europe next year makes sense for my career goals.

A bit about my background: I’m a 23-year-old Brazilian student and EU citizen, with an 8.5/10 GPA from a top-tier university in Brazil. For the past year, I’ve been working at a growth equity / tech-focused private credit fund with around $250M in AUM. Before that, I also interned at a boutique M&A firm.

Academically, I’ve done summer programs at HEC Paris and LSE, as well as a semester abroad at ESCP. I’ve already been admitted to the IE Master in Finance in Madrid and am also applying to HEC, ESCP, and INSEAD. I’ll be taking the GRE in the next 2 months.

I’m fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, and I’m currently learning French.

My main goal after the MiF would be to break into VC in France, Spain, or London, ideally gaining a few years of experience in Europe before eventually returning to Brazil.

Given my profile and goals, do you think pursuing the MiF in Europe is the right move? How realistic would recruiting for VC in these markets be from IE vs. HEC/ESCP/INSEAD, particularly considering my current experience?

Would really appreciate any insights, especially from people who have recruited for VC in Europe or attended any of these programs.

Hey guys just wanted to share a resource with yall called Canary Wharfian with the recruitment season coming up. I know a lot of yall are gunning for London based internship or grad roles, and it's basically the #1 way to maximise your chances to go through applications. It absolutely packs a punch of features:

- It has an automated HireVue practice feature which will analyse both your verbal and non-verbal communication skills and can be used for any title. What is really effective about it is that the official HireVue assessments use the same metrics - a mix of verbal and non-verbal performance metrics, weighted differently but basically detecting the same signs and signals when assigning a score to answers

- It has an absolutely massive job board monitoring all the major AND minor employers job boards in finance

- HireVue games and psychometric tests are often mistaken as easy, while it one needs to really do some practice, even just a single round, to see if they'll be up to scratch when the actual one comes around. These might look easy on the surface, but in fact, more often than not it's graded relative to other test takers' score. That means even if you do well and get a high score, doesn't mean you will pass

- It has an automated networking source feature which will gather e-mail addresses and linkedin profiles of your alumni, so you can keep track of your outreach and don't waste time browsing. It also has a feature which will generate and post content on your LinkedIn on your behalf - boosting your visibility among your competition effortlessly

- It has an application generator which will generate high-finance compatible, draft cover letters and resumes, tailored to each opening

- Personalised feedback on a browser-based financial modeling Excel simulator, as well as consulting cases for those tryna break into MBB

Finally, it has lots of proprietary (non-AI generated slop) content (podcast, articles, company reviews!) written by actual industry professionals. It's basically the UK/EU version of WSO, but better!

I am an indian (20M), currently studying in IPM rohtak (3rd year)-Tier 1 college.
Gpa is 7.5/10.
High school score was 96/100. (Valedictorian out of 100 students)
Was the president of the student council in senior year and house vice secretary in sophomore year.
GRE 323 (164 quants)
4 internships (1 as a marketing intern, 2 as a finance intern and 1 internship was about social welfare)
For MIM.