Your Full Name : Yimin BAI
Your current job: Pickering Pacific, a Singapore-based boutique M&A advisory firm
Which school did you study in ? Centrale Paris
Can you introduce yourself and explain briefly your studies and your experience? Before
2006: studied in Shanghai until completing high school
September 2006: admitted to Class Preparatoire (MPSI) in Lycee Camille Guerin in Poitier by
government program
September 2008: admitted to Ecole Centrale Paris by concours (Promo 2011)
Spent two years in Ecole Centrale Paris campus, then did one gap year, then spent one year in NUS
for a double degree program with ECP
June 2012: finished all the studies with diplome d'ingenieur from ECP and master of mathematics
from NUS
July 2012 - now: work in Pickering Pacific, a Singapore-based boutique M&A advisory firm founded
by a French.
Why have you been to France to study ? At the beginning of my last year in high school, there was
a program between French and Chinese government. This program selects 50 Chinese students from
various high schools to study Class Preparatoire (MP) in France. Chinese students from shortlisted
high schools can subscribe and participate in a mathematics contest organized by the
French embassy. Top 50 ranked students are selected. After several months of intensive language
training, the 50 students are sent to different class prepas and follow exactly the same curriculum as
French students.
I participated in this program because I was curious about studying abroad and this was the only
program providing such opportunity at the time.
Can you describe your stay in France? In Poitier for Class Prepa: stay in dormitory for school
terms, stay in classmates' home for short school holidays
In Paris for ECP: stay in dormitory for school terms, rent apparts for internships
Friends are Chinese with similar profiles and classmates.
Can you tell us if studying in France helped you in your career ? Studying in a reputable French
school does help significantly to find a job within French companies or companies/departments where
French community forms. This is how I found my job. However, in local Singapore context, the
awareness for the prestige of French degrees is not fully there. Students from mainstream UK/US
universities or good local universities seem to be more recognized.
What have been the main challenges you had to face in France? How did you manage to face
them? What are the main positive impacts in this experience? Titre de Sejour! This is not really a
difficulty as we can always finally get it but this is a real hassle, especially when we need to renew
during the period that we move to another district for internships. This is time consuming and
sometimes requires extraordinary patience of the applicant. Anyway, no better way than being patient
and cooperative.
Gain great exposure to different people and culture, especially different ideology.
Learn to be independent and to organize myself well.
Obtain two prestigious degrees (master and master equivalent) within 5-6 years.
What about you school and the quality of the program? My prepa is not among the best in France
but is the best in Poitier and surrounded cities. The program was solid and professors were nice. But I
needed to work very hard because only a few top ranking students in my prepa can be admitted to the
best Grand Ecoles.
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I was happy to be admitted to ECP, one of the best engineering schools. I liked the flexibility in the
curriculum provided by ECP, especially the gap year and the double degree program with universities
worldwide. I also liked the leadership/management workshops and networking events which do help
in finding a job. The cons about the program was maybe we only had one year (Year 3) to study the
major. This looked a bit short, especially for students doing double degrees, it meant that we did very
few major related courses in ECP itself.
Do you have an advice for students who want to study in France? France is a great country with
long history, rich culture, nice food and high industrialization. However, think about the real motivation
for studying in France and make sure that you have a realistic view about France before departure.
Your Email Address; [email protected]
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Your Full Name : Yingting WANG
Your current job ? PhD student in NUS
Which school did you study in ? Centrale Paris
Can you introduce yourself and explain briefly your studies and your experience? I am
currently a PhD student in NUS. I participated in NUS-French Double Degree Programme (FDDP)
during my undergraduate, which gave me two unforgettable years in Paris.
Why have you been to France to study ? I felt like doing something adventurous and outside of my
usual comfort zone, and two years in a weird country (sorry France) sounded perfect.
Can you describe your stay in France? I stayed on campus with all the other students. It is in a
quiet, charming neighborhood next to a huge French-style park. The campus life is buzzing with
weekly crazy parties and all kinds of student clubs. I learnt dancing, baking, skiing. I even learnt to
cook--so I could save money for backpacking all around Europe.
Can you tell us if studying in France helped you in your career ? My PhD supervisor says that he
picked me because I am the only Chinese he met with a French accent (although I refuse to believe
it).
What have been the main challenges you had to face in France? How did you manage to face
them? What are the main positive impacts in this experience? The language barrier in the first
three months, and the "second" culture shock in the last three months (the realization that I am still
different even when I considered myself comfortably settled and fitted in).
It changed me in many aspects--I think it was one of the most important decisions I ever made. It
brought me out of the routine (study-exam-study-exam...) into a world of so many different
possibilities. I think that is when I rediscovered my individuality
What about you school and the quality of the program?I had the opportunity to study at Ecole
Centrale Paris. It has a flexible and diverse curriculum from hard-core math to engineering to
management. The thing I appreciated the most is its close ties with industries (we had many site visits
as well as real projects with companies) and the strong alumni network.
Do you have an advice for students who want to study in France? Everyone will love you if you
cook fried rice and instant noodles.
Your Email Address : [email protected]
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Your Full Name Junzhe WANG
Your current job Investment Manager, ARDIAN
Which school did you study in ? Ecole Polytechnique
Can you introduce yourself and explain briefly your studies and your experience? I was born in
China, and went to Singapore for undergraduate studies in 2004. At the second year of my university
life, I was selected to be part of the French Double Degree Program between NUS (National
University of Singapore) and one of the Grandes Ecoles in France. After intensive training of
mathematics and physics courses, I was lucky to be enrolled in Ecole Polytechnique in 2007. I spent
two and half years in France, before I returned to Singapore for my last year of Master studies (also to
fulfill the fourth year requirement of Diplôme d'Ingénieur). I am now working at the Beijing office of
ARDIAN (formerly known as AXA Private Equity), a French firm headquartered in Paris.
Why have you been to France to study ? I was attracted to France for a very simple reason: the
language! After watching a French movie - "Paris, je t'aime", I said to myself that I must learn this
beautiful and romantic language. However, French course is one of the most popular courses in my
university, and I cannot register myself for French learning, unless I am enrolled into one of the
French programs (either the six-month Exchange Student Program, or the two-year French Double
Degree Program). That is how I made up my mind to start my adventures in France.
Can you describe your stay in France? (The city, your accommodations, your friends?) Ecole
Polytehcnique is in the south of Paris (RER B, Lozère), and that is where I spent most of my time in
France. I stayed on the campus, and the accommodations provided school are of very high quality. At
Ecole Polytechnique, each of the students has one sport preference, and our accommodations are
arranged by our chosen sports (i.e. students with the same sport choice are staying on the same
floor). I made my choice of "Cours d'Orientation", together alongside another 15 - 20 students with all
different nationalities. We became very close friends, because we spent a lot of time together: doing
sports, sharing dinners, discussing homework, travelling abroad, etc.
Can you tell us if studying in France helped you in your career ? During the time when I was
looking for an internship, Ecole Polytechnique is not only a "Green Pass" for many job interviews, but
also provides me a strong alumni network with insightful information for me to make the best choice. I
am now working in a French firm, and my school is very well recognized and appreciated by my
French employer. This is my first internship, as well as my first full-time job (for more than four years).
My French experience is definitely helpful for me to communicate efficiently with my colleagues, and it
also adds value to my career as a foreigner working at overseas branch but sharing the same French
culture.
What have been the main challenges you had to face in France? How did you manage to face
them? What are the main positive impacts in this experience? The biggest challenge is also the
language. Although we had several intensive French language immersion programs at Grenoble and
Villeneuve Sur Lot (a small city near Bordeaux), to have all the mathematics, physics, biology courses
in French is still challenging to all the international students. I believe the best way to tackle this
difficulty is to spend time with our French friends, from whom we can learn many French slangs as
well as local culture and traditions
What about you school and the quality of the program? Ecole Polytechnique has its reputation as
the best and the most prestigious Engineering School among the French population, and it is
renowned for its "Ingenieur Polytechnicien" degree in science and engineering. Among its alumni,
there are three Nobel Prize winners and three President of France. During the four years studies, it
offers a very diversified program at the students' choice. I studied in "Quantitative Economics and
Finance", which is a co-program organized by both Ecole Polytechnique and HEC. Through the
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courses, I learned not only solid mathematics skills, but also creative and entrepreneurial business
thinking, which are both critical for my future career developments.
Do you have an advice for students who want to study in France? To study knowledge is
important; however, to embrace the culture and to enrich life experience is more valuable to all the
students who want to study in France.
Your Email Address
[email protected]
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