HEC Paris - Sep 2010 intake

I would try not to echo your application too much. Touching on a subject raised in your application is ok, but try not to repeat the content of your essays.

I just did my interviews with alumni in NYC, and my presentation was a guide to Ghanaian food. My interviewers thought it was entertaining. Last year I did a business topic for HEC and I thought it was too dry; I really wanted to show off my personality this time.

good luck with your interviews!

congrats to those who were accepted!

My profile
I am a 28 year old banker guy (derivatives product control) from NYC; last year I quit my job to volunteer in international development in Ghana.

3.66 GPA from the school of hard knocks, and a 660 GMAT.

Good afternoon everybody,

I received my invitation for the interview today....(sighs)

I offered them to do the interviews on-campus and my presentation will be realting a project I want to prepare during the MBA and that I mention on my application in almost every essay. But after reading these post I am not so sure about this idea now.

Could anybody who has been admitted share his/her experience about this issue: If the presentation should be related with your essays or with whatever other thing?

Thank you very much for your help

Since the point is to test your Presentation skills, you probably just need to ensure you prepare a clear and concise presentation. Also, you would probably want to choose a topic that you're passionate about. I agree with the previous poster in that you probably don't want to repeat something already discussed in your application. In fact, in the Interview description document, I think it explicitly says to avoid repeating things already mentioned in your application. My topic was a brand that I was passionate about; I didn't mention this brand anywhere in my application, in fact it's in a completely different industry than what I want to go into post-MBA.

Mate,

I assume you got from HEC the 'interview information sheet', which specifies:
'....You will be evaluated according to the structure of your presentation, its clarity, your preparation, the interest you generate and your level of professionalism....'
It is up to you to decide. If you're really engaged in your project, why not?
You will be evaluated, not the topic you choose.
I chose a topic related to my passion (motorbikes) and I intertwined it with some business info (how to sell in 5 hours 500 bikes worth 60 K€ each). Both interviewers appreciated but, again, I don't think there's a rule.

The first interviewer proposed to meet at starbucks. He read all my file in advance (including the presentation) and asked to give the presentation in the last ten minutes of the interview. Q&A was really cool, about my work experience in France (6 years) and my hobbies.
The second met me at his office. He basically had no clue on my application and asked me to start the interview with the presentation. As for Q&A, he put on the desk a HEC-headed paper with a list of questions and picked up a few.

A few months ago I was introduced to a former alumnus who gave me some insights on the interview process. If my memory is any good, he told me that interviewed applicants are assessed on 4 criteria. The presentation is just one of them and has for sub-criteria -see above.

Congratulations to the admitted folks.

I received yesterday an invitation for an Interview. they sent me a pre-acceptance email 4 days before the final date. lets see how it goes.

If you just received an interview invitation, what do you mean by pre-acceptance email?

Maxpeed,

Where are you located? Your background sounds really interesting.

If you end up getting into both schools that you've listed, which one will you pick?

i meant that my application has been 'pre-selected' and that i have been 'invited to the admission interviews'

When i said i got an email 4 days earlier than expected, i meant that the deadline for interview notification was the 19th Feb, and i got it on the 15th.

Ok, let's back up for a second. I think your statements will be confusing for future applicants who read this forum.

Instead of "pre-acceptance email," let's just call it a "pre-selection email." You were pre-selected to interview with admissions folks or alumni. Congrats, that's great news!

Next, there is no deadline for interview notification. HEC has clearly stated on their website that they have a rolling admissions policy and the only deadline they aim to meet is the deadline by which to provide applicants with a final decision. This means acceptance or rejection. Throughout this timeline and before the decision deadline, you will either receive a pre-selection email, or a rejection email. However, this can range from just days after you submit your app to weeks after.

If you submitted on or before Feb. 2, your final decision deadline is March 19. This means that you'll be notified of your final acceptance or rejection by March 19. If other applicants applied on or before Feb. 2 but haven't been notified one way or another, there's still plenty of time to hear back from admissions.

The Feb. 19 deadline you were referring to is the final decision deadline for the applications submitted by Jan. 5. These applicants have already been told whether they are pre-selected for interview or not, and are waiting for acceptance.

See calendar: https://www.mba.hec.edu/Admissions/Application-Process/Admissions-Calendar

Although a great percentage of interviewed candidates are accepted, it's not guaranteed. So to call it a pre-acceptance email would not be entirely accurate. Anyway, good luck and keep us posted!

Ciao EWO,

I arrived in France 6 years ago and I've been living and working in Paris for almost 5 years. I believe that this helped me a lot to go through the first 'screening'..Knowledge of French was helpful too, I guess.

Neither my choice nor the schools' has been made.
Anyway, countdown is on for HEC's admission committee to state on my fit with the program - tomorrow of friday.
I'll keep you posted, hoping that my fingers don't cross much tighter in the meantime;)

Best
mp

BTW, appreciate your blog.

If you just received an interview invitation, what do you mean by pre-acceptance email?[/quote]

i meant that my application has been 'pre-selected' and that i have been 'invited to the admission interviews'

When i said i got an email 4 days earlier than expected, i meant that the deadline for interview notification was the 19th Feb, and i got it on the 15th.[/quote]


Ok, let's back up for a second. I think your statements will be confusing for future applicants who read this forum.

Instead of "pre-acceptance email," let's just call it a "pre-selection email." You were pre-selected to interview with admissions folks or alumni. Congrats, that's great news!

Next, there is no deadline for interview notification. HEC has clearly stated on their website that they have a rolling admissions policy and the only deadline they aim to meet is the deadline by which to provide applicants with a final decision. This means acceptance or rejection. Throughout this timeline and before the decision deadline, you will either receive a pre-selection email, or a rejection email. However, this can range from just days after you submit your app to weeks after.

If you submitted on or before Feb. 2, your final decision deadline is March 19. This means that you'll be notified of your final acceptance or rejection by March 19. If other applicants applied on or before Feb. 2 but haven't been notified one way or another, there's still plenty of time to hear back from admissions.

The Feb. 19 deadline you were referring to is the final decision deadline for the applications submitted by Jan. 5. These applicants have already been told whether they are pre-selected for interview or not, and are waiting for acceptance.

See calendar: https://www.mba.hec.edu/Admissions/Application-Process/Admissions-Calendar

Although a great percentage of interviewed candidates are accepted, it's not guaranteed. So to call it a pre-acceptance email would not be entirely accurate. Anyway, good luck and keep us posted![/quote]


ah, yeah you are tight. I must have mixed up the dates or maybe i was drunk when i wrote the post
Thanks for the clarification.

Jury for final admissions is meeting today, I guess.
Did anyone already receive any news?
Thx
mp

I GOT IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good, compliments.
Got the email meanwhile. I'm in da house too.

Congrats to both of you. Look forward to seeing you in the Fall

Got an admit 3 hours back..