HEC Paris Septmenber 2012 Intake

Question

Hi all, just got admitted to HEC Paris MBA program. Anybody else out there joining me?

Also any HEC MBA grads got any advice for an incoming students? Or any MBA grads got any advice in general?

Thanks!

Marrusia · Answer

Hi! I got my confirmation email today! I am in! :banana

I found you on facebook and sent you friend request. Maria

flyinghsu88 · Answer

Congrats! Can't wait for September!

EdmondWoo · Answer

Hi, guys!
I am in, too.
How could I add you on facebook?

Marrusia · Answer

Join the group HEC MBA Sept 2012 on facebook!

And if you know someone who is admitted - please add them to the group too, it would be nice to have a field for discussion before we actually meet in September.

flyinghsu88 · Answer

The school has created a Facebook group for our intake. You should be receiving an email from them about it. Add "HEC MBA Paris" as a friend and they will add you into the group.

Marrusia · Answer

Thanks! Was wondering why I cant find any groups of admitted applicants

will wait for the email then.

jc456 · Answer

Hi! I am an early admit as well! do not forget to join the LinkedIn September 2012 group!

jackolam · Answer

Guys, I've been here at this school for almost a year and about to graduate.

This is not a #1 bus school. You won't benefit at all if you are not French and intending to work in France. Academics here are a joke.
Worst courses; worst teachers. School requires 1hr travel from Paris including a 10 min hike up a hill.

Some teachers do not even have a PhD. Most of them do not speak English. I am not kidding. Program director was willing to add extra credit to a course because some students had trouble finding enough credits to graduate. 'nuff said.

jc456 · Answer

thanks for your input! could you kindly elaborate a bit more?
how have you found the opportunities opened?

given that HEC hs been for many years europes no.1 business school and with renowned proffessors like mr kapherer
your view seems very negative. we have heard that hec is best for french speaking countries but nontheless in all of europe it has a very strong name... London consulting firms like Bain are very well in contact with hec.

jackolam · Answer

Look, good students will always find good jobs regardless of where they graduated. As a financial scientist you should know good graduate placements does not necessarily mean it was because of the school. It's more likely due to the caliber of the student him/herself.

I am not sure what they've sent oyu so far. If you have received letters/emails from the school with glaring spelling mistakes, what does this mean?

Courses here are not academic. They do not bring the rigor and the depth of graduate level courses.

Which program did you apply for? I can possibly provide a better answer.

flyinghsu88 · Answer

This is why the MBA program is implementing a brand new curriculum this coming September focused on making the program better and more quant heavy.

jc456 · Answer

I understand your views...but as you said " graduate placements does not necessarily mean it was because of the school. It's more likely due to the caliber of the student him/herself"..dosent this apply everywhere? and isnt this something VERY positive for HEC if the students are so strong?

Personally, how much can a book teach you? it the environment that matters. My understanding is the HEC MBA has a pretty good environment. speaking with some other current students I was told that the MBA is very strong and employment depends as you said on the effort you make. And the new curriculum has been made in collaboration with Bain..Do you think this will boost the program? At least in my view, it will boost HEC with Bain!

HEC is French so you have access to companies like LVMH, Nestle, BNP Paribas...I should think employment stats for these companies are very high..and in my book, if you are looking at a European firm, BNP is a world banking leader and maybe the true "leader" of european banking after the crisis. (now we have to say 2 crisis..2008 and EU debt crisis)...

On the other hand, speaking with contacts in Bain and P&G I was told that the HEC MBA is extremely well known in the whole of europe (including London). In addition, one current student said: you will just as easily or difficulty find a job from HEC as you will from Berkley. You have good tools but then its up too you.

Its not Harvard (but only Harvard is Harvard) I just find your views very negative considered all the other infromation i have been given. Of course the concerns you have voiced and very helpful in understanding the problems with the MBA.

On another note, how did you find the French lessons? Can they help someone with an intermediate level of French learn?

jackolam · Answer

These are the things that you have to be here in order to understand how HEC functions and how we current students get frustrated.

I am sure the new curriculum would help the program. I had a Corp. Strat. class taught by leading professionals in Bain. While it was a 'cool' and 'chillax' course meaning that the instructor was interesting to listen to about his cases, you don't learn much.

Strong students make a strong hiring reputation obv. But strong students around you again has nothing to do with your own employment success. To this, I found the careers training not helpful at all. Most students here learn and adapt from interview trial and error which should have been at least reduced if you go to a school like HEC.

I am not sure if you are an EU citizen. But most students were not told that if they weren't, they cannot easily obtain a working visa in the UK. HEC again didn't really give a heads up.

French classes are ok. Again you cannot rely on those classes to become fluent. Because you won't live in Paris you won't have a lot of chances to speak the language rendering classes as the only opportunity. The classes aren't even that sufficient ( not enough class hours).

Just when you compare things across the board, keep in mind that hiring reputation and other perks are not unique to HEC. Other good schools like LBS, LSE, Ivy leagues have at least as good of a network. But would you not want a solid program to back it off? Having good network or do-it-yourself employment preparation are not valid excuse for program which inherently sucks.

jc456 · Answer

indeed you pointed out some good points.

I have been accepted by several schools this years (Cranfield, HEC, ESADE and Ross) and still think that HEC is maybe the best (or Ross but the cost effectively doubles).

I am an EU citizen and speak intermediate French so understandibly some issues other students have had I may not. Nonetheless, you are correct to pint out the VISA issues, for which however HEC is in no way responsible.

Thanks for the info I think you have really given us a picture of the drawbacks of this school.

One last thing..you said top students get hiring reputation... do you mean that students with high marks get "promoted" to recruiters more? This is a questions I pose to you in general (not justHEC specific)... If yes, then I assume I better work as hard as possible!

flyinghsu88 · Answer

professor kapherer is one of the reasons I applied to and accepted HEC's admit

are you in the facebook group for sept 2012 admits?

jc456 · Answer

KApherer is WORLD KNOWN for marketing. This is one of the reasons HEC is strong on marketing (and less on quant as noted above). 
Although his lessons were in French only. It is said that this may change with the new curiculum and non-French speaking students will have the opportunity to learn from him.

Yes I am in the group! Are you? What name?

shalinithukral · Answer

hi

i also got admitted to HEC sept intake...

Anybody else going?

jc456 · Answer

you should join the september 2012 linked in group!

shalinithukral · Answer

ok..will do...thanx

HEC Paris Septmenber 2012 Intake

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