Profile
FIRST NAME:VictoireNATIONALITY: Frenchçaise
RACE NAME : Licence en administration des affaires
UNIVERSITY NAME : IE University
TYPE OF BACCALAUREATE AND RESULT OBTAINED :Bac S, summa cum laude
NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL : Sainte-Marie de Neuilly ONE FUN DETAIL ABOUT YOU:In Madrid, I became a reggaeton fan, even though I hated it.
Why did you choose to study abroad?
Which course did you apply for abroad? Why did you choose this subject/curriculum for your Bachelor’s degree?
I applied to IE University in Madrid, Spain, to do a bachelor’s degree in business administration. I wanted to study business without going through the French prep school/business school curriculum. What attracted me to this course was that it covers a bit of everything, it’s very general: you study marketing, management, accounting and finance etc… The courses are quite advanced in all fields, which means you can leave the Bachelor with a complete profile and be able to envisage different types of Masters.
What other universities did you apply to, and why did you end up choosing this one?
I had also applied to Bocconi in Italy for a similar course, where I was accepted. I chose to go to IE because I knew people at both universities and what stood out was that the courses at IE were more “practical work” and group projects whereas at Bocconi the courses are much more theory-based. A second reason was that I already spoke a little Spanish and wanted to improve. As the courses were in English, this enabled me to become trilingual. And Madrid is a great city where the weather’s great almost every day!
What was the admissions process like for you?
How did you go about writing your IE application?
However, the IE admission process involves several stages: pre-admission is based on academic results, an essay to be written and a written test. For the essay, you have the choice between a fairly traditional piece of writing, while the other has to be more original, like a prezi or a video. Topics are suggested, but I seem to remember that you can also choose what to write about. Then there’s a written test to take. It’s not really a knowledge test, but more a test of logic and speed. Once you’ve been pre-admitted, there’s an interview by Skype or at one of the recruitment fairs organized by the school.
What readings/resources did you find useful to mention in your Statement, and could you recommend to a student interested in applying for the same course?
No reading is necessary. The subjects of the essays are very much based on personal experience, for example telling about something you’re proud of, but also on imagination and creation, such as describing the city of the future.
Did you have to go to an interview? If so, how did you prepare?
I had to pass an interview to be definitively admitted to IE. The interview is held in English, Spanish and French. The main purpose is to see how good your English is, as all courses are in English. Many IE students come from international schools abroad, unlike the French who come from the French system, and recruiters are perfectly aware that we’re at a disadvantage in this respect, so it’s not a problem if we don’t speak perfectly, as long as we make ourselves understood and we understand, we progress very quickly afterwards on the spot. As for Spanish, it’s a plus to speak a minimum of it, as you need a B2 level to be able to graduate, but otherwise it’s not a problem at all, as there are Spanish courses at the university. Apart from brushing up on your English and Spanish if you need to, there’s not much to do to prepare for the interview, as it’s more of a personality interview, with questions similar to those in essays, but also questions like “if you had to go to a desert island and take only one item with you, what would you take?” and “if you could have dinner with 3 people, who would you choose?”. There are also questions about why you chose IE, what you could bring to the university, and so on. Taking part in sports is also a big plus; if you’re good at it, you might even be able to get a scholarship!
Why did you choose this particular university?
Have you been influenced by the rankings? Do you think students should look at rankings to choose?
I was very influenced by the rankings: IE is ranked 1st in Spain and 7th in Europe, and the MBA is even better ranked than the university. The university is becoming more and more renowned in France and is very well known in Spain and Latin America. I think it’s important to look at the rankings when making your choice, because that’s also what employers base their decisions on.
Did the content of the curriculum at your particular university influence your choice of university?
The content of the curriculum had less influence on me than other factors such as country or ranking, but it was still important in my choice. What I liked about it was that it was very comprehensive, enabling me to study all aspects of business, such as finance, accounting, marketing, management, HR and many others!
What do you think of the campus and the city in which it’s located?
IE has two campuses: 1 in Segovia, a small town 1 hour from Madrid, and the other in Madrid. There is the option of doing the whole course in Madrid, or doing 2 years in Segovia and 2 years in Madrid (the Bachelor’s degree lasts 4 years). The Segovia campus is really beautiful and perfect for meeting people, as it’s small and everyone knows everyone else. The big negative is that there’s not much to do. The Madrid campus is located right in the heart of the city, in the Salamanca district, which is really ideal. I did my whole degree in Madrid and I really loved it, because the city is great with lots of activities. However, the campus is quite small, with only one cafeteria and not much space. It’s currently being expanded with the construction of a tower.
What are the 3 things you like best about your university and the 3 things you’d like to improve?
The 3 things I like most about my university are the group projects, the courses and the fact that it’s very cosmopolitan. The 3 things I’d like to improve are the clubs, because apart from soccer, rugby and basketball there aren’t many, the campus, which I don’t think is very big or friendly, even if this is due to its location in the middle of the city, and the library, which is very small.
Do you have any international friends (French or otherwise) at your university?
Are there many international students at your university? How easy do you find it to integrate and make friends at your university as a foreigner? There are so many different nationalities and that’s what I liked about it. About 50% are Spanish, a lot of Europeans (especially French, Germans and Italians), a lot of Moroccans, and a lot of Latin Americans (from Colombia and Venezuela). In my class, out of 40 people, there were about 15 Spaniards, and about 4 people of each nationality. People are very open-minded and it’s very easy to integrate. The French tend to stick together at first, but as time goes by, you open up more and more. 
What was your student residence like in 1st year (comfort, cleanliness, proximity to campus…)?
The food was very good. The majority of dishes were cooked at the residence, with very few frozen foods. There were also vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. dishes available if required. There was no possibility of cooking for oneself.
How far from the university are the halls of residence? Where do 2nd and 3rd year students live?
There aren’t many residences close to the campus, as it’s a fairly residential area, but all parts of the city are well served by metro (the metro/bus pass costs just 20 euros a month), so all journeys are fairly quick. In general, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students live in shared flats in the Salamanca district or other surrounding areas.
What’s the food like in your residence and in others? Is it possible to cook for yourself?
The food was very good. The majority of dishes were cooked at the residence, with very few frozen foods. There were also vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. dishes available if required. There was no possibility of cooking for oneself.
What was the process like to get a place in a residence? Which student residences would you recommend to French or international students at your university?
The admission process was very simple, I did everything by internet from France, and by email. For future IE students I would recommend my residence, Palacio de Barradas, or RESA, another residence closer to the school, more expensive, but with a majority of IE students.
Could you describe your experience at your university?
How many hours of lessons do you have each week?
About 20 hours of lessons a week.
How much work?
Lots of time-consuming group projects, but not much personal work apart from exams.
Do you have exams once or several times a year?
The years are divided into semesters, with different courses in each semester. Every semester there is a midterms session (roughly in October and March) and a finals session at the end of each semester (in December and May).
Are you involved in any student associations at IE University?
I’m a Fellow, which means I’ve been awarded a scholarship based on my results: I’ve done tutoring in maths and I’m in charge of touring the campus and being one of IE’s spokespeople at open days.
Is there anything about the university system in the country where you’re studying that you’d like to improve?
None at all!
Do you have any other comments or advice for students interested in applying to your university or other foreign universities?
Studying abroad is an extraordinary experience that enables you to become independent faster, discover new cultures and be more open-minded. In a world increasingly marked by globalization, I think that having studied abroad and speaking several languages is a real asset.
