This week, I finally finished my applications to business schools in Paris!

Louvre December 2013. Paris is a wonderful city to studying in!

While there's really only one type of business graduate school (the MBA) in the States, there are many different options available for business graduate students in Paris (and in Europe).

I applied to HEC Paris and ESCP Europe for their Masters in Management programs, which is similar in curriculum to the MBA, but is different in that 1) while work experience is encouraged, it is not required (YAY!) 2) MIM is very common in Europe/Paris, as most top business school students complete a Masters degree immediately after their bachelors, while the MBA is more common in the States after students work for some time.*

But wait - I'm going to studying in Paris? Do I speak French?!?!? Oh la la! Well, the good news about many business school programs is that they are actually taught in English (it will explicitly say that on the website)! This is because business is very international, so students come from all over Europe and the world. Many of Paris programs will, however, require French fluency upon graduation AND they will offer you classes to accomplish that! Amazing right?!

The SAI**

I only submitted one application to a portal called the SAI (similar to the Common App), which allows you to complete one application for five schools (YAY!).

The SAI requires:

GRE or GMAT scores
Two academic letters of recommendation
One-page resume highlighting your academic background, achievements and work experience
Academic Transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended
English proficiency test scores if your native language is not English

I will be hearing back for interviews in just a few weeks! Then interviews in late February and decisions in March!!!!!

What if I don't get in?

Well good news is that there are several application sessions throughout the year, so even if I don't get in in March, I can still apply to other programs in April and even June!

Why Europe?

To this day, I'm still amazed by how few American students decide to study in Europe. And I don't mean just studying abroad! Not only is the cost significantly lower than American schools, but it's also a great way to get international experience, meet people from around the world, challenge yourself to become fluent in another language, and differentiate yourself in the workplace in the future (everyone has studied abroad, but how many have actually WORKED there?)

OKAY, that's it for now! I'll be back in a month or two to share with you my results! STAY TUNED! :D

until next time ;)

XOXO

*There are also one-year specialized masters, the MBA, as well as a whole series of different kinds of programs you can apply to! The options are limitless! Just do your research ahead of time.

**The SAI process is only for international students who have studied 3+ years at an undergraduate institution outside of France. French candidates must apply through EMAT or CAD.