Anaëlle Cochepin, 1st year engineering student

Anaëlle is a student in the first year of engineering studies and was recruited via the Economic and Social Sciences-BL competitive examination. She comes from a preparatory course for the BL at the Lycée Janson de Sailly in Paris.

To help you see more clearly the training offer proposed by ENSAE Paris, students share their experience.

1. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO ENROLL AT ENSAE PARIS?

At the end of my preparatory course, I wanted to go into economics and ENSAE was an excellent training program in this field. My decision was also encouraged by the life of the school because I really wanted to get involved in associations to develop myself outside the classroom. Finally, ENSAE opens many professional and academic opportunities thanks to the recognition of the diploma and the possibilities of doing double degrees.

2. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE ENSAE PARIS PROGRAM? IF SO, FOR WHAT REASONS?

I was afraid I would be bored in class after two years of preparatory school with very rich courses. However, the training at ENSAE is technical and demanding, which is very stimulating. We study the foundations of the disciplines.

3. WHAT IS A TYPICAL WEEK LIKE FOR AN ENSAE STUDENT?

A typical week at ENSAE is quite busy as we have about 24 hours of classes divided between tutorials and lectures. In addition, we have 2 hours of compulsory sports on Monday afternoons. The week is also often marked by activities organized by the school's associations such as conferences, BDE (Bureau des Elèves) and BDA (Bureau des Arts) parties... We also regularly have activity weekends such as sailing weekends, cultural weekends, sports weekends etc.

4. ARE YOU OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN PART OF A STUDENT ASSOCIATION AT SCHOOL? IF SO, WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE AND WHAT DID YOU GET OUT OF THIS EXPERIENCE?

I am currently the President of ENSAE Voile and am part of the BDA and Altef. These are very rewarding experiences because they allow me to share my passions and ideas with other students, to get in touch with students and to energize student life. It is also a great way to learn how to work in groups and organize projects.

5. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE THREE STRONG POINTS OF ENSAE PARIS?

The first strong point of ENSAE Paris is the recognition of the school's training in both the professional and academic worlds, as it is a rather unique training. The second strong point of the school is that it is part of the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, which allows it to benefit from the infrastructures, particularly sports, of the other schools and thus to stimulate student life. Finally, ENSAE offers a wide range of courses, since even if the first and second years are quite formatted, the possibilities of courses in third year are wide between the different specializations, the possibilities of doing double degrees, the external schooling...

6. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE STILL WONDERING ABOUT THEIR ORIENTATION AND ARE NOW IN THE BL PREPARATORY PROGRAM?

In my opinion, there is a very good complementarity between the literary skills of the BL preparatory program and the technical skills of ENSAE, which opens up particularly interesting opportunities, especially in sociology and economics. However, if you come from a BL background, you must have a strong interest in math in order to succeed at ENSAE Paris.