Forum: General Forum (61 Comments)

MiM - My options and chances :S

  • Posted by - Thomas - on 16 January 2023 - 9:30am

    Hi there,

    first, you can ask your target school where their graduates work after their studies. If no one works in the US or Canada, then maybe it is not the best school for you? Most top schools also publish career reports on their website - there you can see where graduates work after graduation.

    From my experience, most employers don't know European schools. Also, many European schools don't have a network with US employers in the US (they may have a network with US firms in Europe though).

    Hence, my personal rule of thumb is: If you want to work in the US or Canada, study there (or find a European program that allows for a study period in North America - e.g., with a partner school).

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    Thomas Graf
    Author of the 2 MIM eBooks

  • Posted by - Sameer - on 14 January 2023 - 7:27am

    Hi Thomas,

    I am a 2021 passed out student from Technology background and a working professional with a work experience of 18 months. I got admits from Warwick and Edhec.I have also applied to ESSEC,HEC and ESCP and waiting for the mail. My aim to study in France and work in US or Canada afters my MIM.

    Can you please tell me is that possible or I am supposed to france only.
    And please tell me the Job opportunities after MIM as well. Or should I straight go to US for MEM.

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 19 September 2022 - 10:13am

    Hi there,

    here are some recommendations to tackle this question:
    (1) Contact the school and just ask them - most likely they will give you a useful answer.
    (2) Read the MIM Entry Requirements Survey and the answers from your favorite schools there.
    (3) Try to get in contact with alumni or current students from your favorite universities / MIM programs and ask them. How do you get in contact? Well, be creative... check social networks, ask the school to get you in contact, etc.

    Best regards,
    Thomas

    Thomas Graf
    Author of the 2 MIM eBooks

  • Posted by - Priya - on 16 September 2022 - 8:22pm

    I am a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Science. I have a few internships with startups but no full-time work experience.
    Bachelor's cgpa- 9.23/10
    X- 87.4%
    XII- 89.4%
    GRE- 316 (152V, 164Q, 4.0 AWA)
    Extracurriculars:
    I am a professional dancer with more than ten years of experience and have been volunteering for the past five years as a part of various NGOs. I have also organized various events, from volunteering events to weddings.
    I wish to do MiM, and my target schools are ESSEC and ESCP in France. Should I apply with my current GRE score in the first round or retake the exam and apply with a higher score in the later rounds?

    Thanks,
    Priya

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 19 September 2020 - 12:11pm

    Hi there,

    please check the survey The MIM - Entry Requirements for the Master in Management to see the admissions criteria of 53 business schools and their selection focus.

    You will see that the HEC is primarily focussed on your grade/GPA while others such as IE etc. take into account criteria such as extra curricular activities or internships as well. ESSEC, ESCP, and EDHEC are also included in this survey.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas Graf

    Founder of the MIM Compass
    Author of the MIM eBooks

  • Posted by - Abhignya Prattipati - on 19 September 2020 - 8:42am

    Hi Thomas
    Hope your doing well ! I need your help in figuring out the schools I can apply and land a position safely with my profile as follows :
    X - 96%
    XII - 97%
    Bachelor's in technology (B.tech) with 8.5 cgpa in computer science stream from a reputed college.
    GRE-306
    IELTS-7.5
    Also I'm currently pursuing Masters in Arts and have been involved in many curriculars like AIESEC, working forNGO organisations, Non profit teaching classes to many students, Served as captain for vollewyball and throw-ball in district levels so far
    It would really help me if you could please take some time and let me know my chances for MIM in ESSEC, ESCP, SKEMA, EDHEC and probably HEC ( if I'm not over ambitious).

    Thanks
    Abhignya

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 14 September 2020 - 3:18pm

    Hello,

    I recommend you to carefully read the survey The MIM - Entry requirements for the Master in Management. Here you find the criteria of 53 international business schools - this will help you assess, which schools may fit your profile better.

    The Imperial College is not included but other UK schools that you can use as a reference.

    The next step will be to get in contact with current or ex students of your favored program - e.g., via the Imperial College admissions manager.

    Best regards,
    Thomas

    Thomas Graf
    Author of the two MIM eBooks

  • Posted by - Riya - on 13 September 2020 - 7:55pm

    Hello Thomas,
    I am an Indian pursuing my undergraduation in IT . I have 8 CGPA till my 6th semesters and I have 4 management related internships from reputed MNC's.No prior work experience.I have also published one research paper.
    I am gonna appear for my GRE and hoping for a 320+ score.With all this Can I get into Imperial College of London,London Business School or London School of Economics for Maters in Management program.

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 17 June 2020 - 12:36pm

    Hello Shaheen,

    which country are you referring to?

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

  • Posted by - Shaheen - on 17 June 2020 - 12:00pm

    Sorry sir .... But the book is not available in my country
    Anyway thanks for your time sir
    Regards
    Shaheen

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 17 June 2020 - 10:58am

    Hello,

    the ebook is perfectly available - but it requires an effort: You have to pay for it you have to read it and you have to make sense about of it.

    https://www.amazon.de/MIM-Master-Management-requirements-English-ebook/dp/B0156R8GF2

    Best wishes,
    Thomas Graf

    Founder of the MIM Compass
    Author of the MIM eBooks

    • Posted by - Shaheen - on 17 June 2020 - 11:58am

      Thanks got it
      Regards
      Shaheen

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 15 June 2020 - 10:25am

    Hi there,

    please check out the survey The MIM - Entry Requirements for the Master in Management to see the admissions criteria of 53 business schools and their selection focus.

    Particularly, you will find the criteria of ESAD and IE there. Regarding the other three schools in your list, please read the chapters "READ" and "TALK" in my eBook Business Masters - How you find the best Master in Management and MBA - there you find tips on how to analyze programs BEFORE you start to apply.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas Graf

    Founder of the MIM Compass
    Author of the MIM eBooks

    • Posted by - Shaheen P M - on 17 June 2020 - 3:37am

      Hi Thomas
      The book seems to be unavailable in Amazon right now. But could you give me short insight on my chances in these colleges?
      It would be really helpful if I did get an understanding of this. I would like to know if there are other colleges which I should be looking into and has a chance to get into.
      Thanks for taking your time for me
      Regards
      Shaheen

  • Posted by - Shaheen P M - on 15 June 2020 - 6:49am

    Hi Thomas
    I am a computer science undergraduate with a gpa of 6.9 from SRM institute. Graphs, maths and team management has always been my area of interest. Been the convener of the directorate of student affairs for 2 yrs. Did 4 months internship at cognizant after graduation. Got a scholarship for doing an internship in Taiwan medical university. I have published a paper in data mining and deep learning.
    I am yet to write my GMAT, but I am confident that I will score more than 650. I am interested in MiM. I would like to know if my profile is good enough for the colleges listed below

    1. Rotterdam school of management
    2. University College dublin
    3. Imperial College London
    4. Esade business school
    5. IE business school
      I am looking for a safe set of schools that I can be sure of to get into.
      If you feel like recommending colleges, please do recommend, Thanks.

    Regards
    Shaheen

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 12 May 2020 - 12:49pm

    Dear Ankit,

    no one knows 100% upfront how schools will decide. It may be depend on many factors such as the total number of quality applications, the schools selection policy and criteria etc. It may differ from year to year and from school to school.

    Therefore, my first recommendation is: Stop thinking about it.
    You have quit your job after 10 months - whether the schools like it or not - and you cannot change this anymore. Why worry? It's a fact and if a school has problems with this, it is not your target school. You will definitely find schools that don't care or even appreciate your 10 months work experience. And these are the schools you have to search for.

    This leads me to the next recommendation: Define your target schol profile!
    It is easy to say "I want to be at a top-20 school" or "Please suggest me schools" (something that many forum members here ask me). It is more tedious to pursue the MIM search strategy that I outline in detail in my eBook Business Masters. If you want to find the RIGHT program FOR YOU, however, I can only recommend you to follow this path and come up with schools that fit your profile (whether they are top-20 or not).

    My third recommendation: Make yourself familiar with MIM entry requirements
    In my Survey "The MIM Entry requirements" you find the entry requirements and selection criteria of 53 international schools. This provides you with a "taste" of the differences among schools on how they select their students.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas Graf

    Founder of the MIM Compass
    Author of the MIM eBooks

  • Posted by - ANKIT - on 11 May 2020 - 10:49pm

    Hi Thomas,
    I had been following your threads wherein you've been helping a lot of mim aspirants and that's commendable.
    I am planning for my mim for fall 2021.
    I have my bachelors in engineering (pune university,india) and currently work at oracle as a associate consultant.
    I had my doubts regarding the fact that I am going to leave my job only after working for 10 months due to family reasons and I'm planning to take my gmat in the meanwhile. Would this gap of almost a year hamper my chances for an mim entry at the top 20 b schools in Europe.

    My profile
    Academics 9.31/10 in undergrad
    Work experience: 10 months at oracle
    Extra curriculars: debate secretary at college, drama and quiz secretary for a year, organised intra college MUNs, volunteered for causes like teaching underprivileged kids, city cleanliness drive, also been a part of organising committee for technical and cultural fests at college, public speaker and a debater.

    I'm not sure if me taking quitting the job would hamper my chances to get into an mim program for any of the top 20 bschools in Europe. Also, if any part time job or community service would be enough to make up for this?

    Regards,
    Ankit

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 13 April 2020 - 8:56pm

    Hi there,

    please read my survey The MIM - Entry requirements for the Master in Management to learn what 53 programs all over Europe require.

    You can also read my eBook Business Masters to learn how you can compare programs and find out what entry requirements they have.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas Graf

    Founder of the MIM Compass
    Author of the MIM eBooks

  • Posted by - Pia - on 29 February 2020 - 2:22pm

    Hello Thomas

    I have graduated from a mid ranked university in India in B.com(hons) with 82% in 2019. I have done one internship ,organized a fest ,participated in a sport.Hobbies include embroidery and taekwondo.I would be applying in Round 4 for September 2020 intake .

    I am pursuing my B1 level of french .I have secured a 700 Gmat Score and a 93 Toefl score.
    I am keen in applying to HEC Paris , ESCP,ESSEC,SKEMA ,Audencia ,INSEAD,etc

    Could you evaluate and tell me my chances of being selected in the above mentioned universities.

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 12 January 2020 - 10:28pm

    Hello,

    business schools differ a lot regarding their selection criteria, also so-called top business schools. Some place a lot of weight on just a few criteria (e.g., grades) while others take several criteria into account and evaluate the applicants rather on a holistic picture.

    To get a better understanding of what business schools want from their MIM applicants and to identify those less interested in grades alone, I recommend you to carefully read the survey The MIM - Entry requirements for the Master in Management. Here you find the criteria of 53 international business schools - this will help you assess, which schools may fit your profile optimally.

    Best regards,
    Thomas

    Thomas Graf
    Author of the two MIM eBooks

  • Posted by - Tanmay Umtol - on 12 January 2020 - 2:29pm

    Hi Thomas,
    First of All I would like to tell you thank you for taking your time and responding to everybody in this thread,you are doing a wonderful job!
    Secondly, Will I be able to join top colleges or even a good reputed college for MiM course even though my grades have been really low in my academic years(10th 55% and 12th 42%.I am aware of the fact that my grades are very low compared to others) But I am really passionate about being a manager and also leading and interacting with people!
    I am currently in my third of my bachelors and I have yet to appear for my GMAT test.
    I would be glad to get your views on this matter,again thanks a lot for doing such a wonderful job!

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 25 November 2019 - 3:46pm

    Hello,

    my recommended and applied approach is no about "suggesting a few colleges". Instead, it is about thinking thoroughly about your own career goals, educational needs, and resources to develop a target prfile of an ideal MIM program - and, as a next step, search for programs that come close to this target profile.

    In the eBook Business Masters - How you find the best Master in Management or MBA we provide a step-by-step procedure on finding out, which school and program best fits your criteria.

    By the way, I would recommend considering an MBA with your work experience at the beginning of your Master. The eBook mentioned above will also help you reflect whether an MBA or a MIM may be the better solution for you. And why the MIM is not the cheaper substitute for an MBA.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Author of the MIM eBook

  • Posted by - Nahnas Nasar - on 23 November 2019 - 7:49pm

    Hello
    I am an Btech IT graduate with 5.69 cgpa and 12 backlogs(including no. of attempts = 17). I have scored an overall 7.0 IELTS Score with individual 6.5. I had 95% in secondary education and 76% in Higher Secondary. And about work Experiance...1 yr as Entrepreneur in management field and 5 months in a technical field and has also completed a diploma course in Digital Marketing.
    I am aspiring for MiM programme abroad. English Speaking Countries would be preferred(Canada- 1st preferance). The main criteria I am looking for is post study visa. Please Kindly help me by suggesting a few colleges that would accept students with above profile.

    Hope you would reply.
    Thanking You.
    Nahnas

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 10 October 2019 - 10:44am

    Hello,

    your profile looks very good to me but this is just my gut feeling. You better have a look at the survey The MIM - Entry requirements for the Master in Management to see the admissions criteria that 53 international MIM programs apply to select their students.

    By the way: If you have 15 months work experience now then you may have about 2 years or more at the time of your study starts, right? Then an alternative could be to keep on working and gaining experience for another year and do an MBA then.

    To better understand the differences between the MIM and the MBA, please check my MIM-MBA-article.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Author of the MIM eBook

  • Posted by - shubham katariya - on 9 October 2019 - 5:27pm

    Hi Thomas ,

    I am plannig for MIM from some good colleges like ESCP,ESSEC,UCD basically top 10 or top 15 colleges.My profile is as below
    10th-89.6%
    12th-85.6%
    Grad-9.3CGPA
    In college i have published paper on my project and have won award for the project as well .I have also participated in paper presentation .

    Currenty i am working in TCS and the project i am working on is related to supply chain management.Although i am working in the software domain of the project but still i am gathering knowledge for the management side of the project.
    I have a work ex of 15 months as of now. I have not taken GRE yet but i am planning to do so till Dec.

    So my query is could you please tell me what are my chances of getting into any of these top 15 schools primarily focussed on ESCP AND ESSEC.Also could you please let me know what GRE score should i aim for.
    Thanks in advance

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 17 September 2019 - 2:52pm

    Hi there,

    (1) In the survey the MIM - Entry requirements for the Master in Management you learn about the admissions criteria that 53 international MIM programs apply to select their students. This will give you a feeling of what will be expected.

    (2) I would carefully screen the University of Amsterdam Admissions page.

    (3) I would ask the school to bring you in contact with a current MIM student so that you can skype with him or her - ideally, it is a student from your country.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Author of the MIM eBook

  • Posted by - Brad patel - on 15 September 2019 - 9:10am

    Hello Thomas
    I am a a mechanical engineering graduate from India with a cgpa of 6.57. I have 1 year of working experience at masaood john bro international Dubai. I plan to do msc in business from university of Amsterdam. What are my chances of getting selected there and what gmat/gre score is required?

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 3 July 2019 - 8:36pm

    Officially, most schools don't have a formal cut-off criterion. Inoffically, most schools try to keep their classes kind of homogenous in the sense of work experience and age around 0-2 years after university graduation.

    I recommend asking directly your target schools' admission managers.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Author of the MIM eBook

  • Posted by - A future applicant - on 3 July 2019 - 5:26pm

    Hello,

    I would like to know if there's a cut off limit of work experience for MiM in Germany. Could two years of work experience be a hurdle in the process?

    Thanks and regards

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 12 June 2019 - 11:03am

    Dear Sara,

    thank you for reaching out. I recommend you to carefully read my eBook Business Masters - How you find the best Master in Management or MBA. By this you learn how to analyze MIM programs and which important sources of information you can use beyond just reading the schools' websites.

    Next, I recommend you to read the survey The MIM - Entry Requirements for the Master in Management where you learn about what international business school expect from MIM applicants.

    The Schulich School specifically is not included here but the Manitoba University, which is also from Canada and may be used as a reference.

    Best regards,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Author of the MIM eBook

  • Posted by - Sara - on 11 June 2019 - 9:58pm

    Hi,
    I am currently pursuing B.E in Computer Science. I have a cgpa of 7.7 till my 6th semester. I am yet to appear for my GRE and IELTS exams. I want to do Master in Management in Canada, particularly in Schulich School of Business. I have no prior Work Experience. What are the chances for me to get an admission there and also what GRE score is safe for this university? If this is a dream university for me, then can you please suggest a few universities which are reachable for me and which are course-based. Hope to hear from you soon.

    Regards,
    Sara

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 2 January 2019 - 9:56am

    Hi there,

    in short, a MIM is to start a career while the MBA is to to advance a career. Without several years of postgraduate work experience, the MBA is the wrong program for you.

    Whether you decide for a Master in Management (MIM) or specialized Master (e.g., in Digital Business etc.) is a question you should consider - and the answer depends on (1) your interest and (2) your career ambition AFTER the Master.

    There are several ways to analyze prograsm and schools, compare their value and career options and you should reflect much deeper your own goals and match them with programs offered.

    For this, please go carefully through my guide Business Masters - How you find the best Master in Management or MBA.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Author of the MIM eBook

  • Posted by - Komal - on 1 January 2019 - 1:29pm

    Hello. I want to know if the MiM programmes are apt for me or not. I've Bachelor's of 3 years in Marketing and a score of 7.79 CGPA. I had planned for MBA from India, but CAT didn't go well, therefore my last few months don't involve any office experience. I currently too don't work and have been employed with blogging, NIIT courses in finance (hence my inclination towards that) and content writing internships. I wish to apply this year itself by Aug. So, am I the right candidate or a REAL office experience is required? I really need some help!

  • Posted by - thomas.graf - on 27 December 2018 - 9:22pm

    Hi Ashu,

    please read my survey The MIM - Entry Requirements for the Master in Management and the respective HEC chapter.

    Best wishes,
    Thomas

    By Thomas Graf
    Author of the MIM eBook

  • Posted by - devesh776 - on 31 August 2013 - 2:09am

    Hi Thomas,

    First of all, great work with this website. You are helping a lot of people make some very important decisions. I applaud you.

    I am an engineering graduate from India and am interested in pursuing the MiM. All of the good MiM programs are concentrated in Europe and more specifically in France. After a lot of research (getting lost a number of times, asking a lot of people and contacting universities, lots of which do not reply) I have narrowed by preferences down to --

    1. HEC, Paris
    2. ESCP
    3. ESSEC

    As you can see, all these schools are in France as I want to work in Europe. Apart from being a bit inclined towards France, the facts that the economic conditions are very dim in Spain and the visa/work permit in U.K has become much more difficult for us Indians lately have restricted me to France. Kindly suggest me some more well recognized MiM programs in Europe based on my profile below. Also, kindly mention my chances (in the above mentioned schools + the one's you would suggest).

    The following is my profile -
    Secondary - 85%
    Higher Secondary - 65%
    CGPA - 7.7/10

    Career History -

    Trisys Communications
    2013
    Intern
    Part of the team handling projects for small/medium cap companies. Understanding and translating client’s perspective into creating annual reports, corporate statements etc.

    Wipro Technologies Limited.
    2011 – 2013
    Project Engineer
    Worked as a member of a team providing support to clients handling and troubleshooting application related issues.
    • Project on Business Application Services, Shell Technologies.
    • Project on Application Development, Pitney Bowes.

    Vodafone.
    2010
    Intern
    Interned in the technical wing, handling on site calls and understanding the nuances of mobile telephony.

    Siemens Enterprise Communications Limited.
    2009
    Intern
    Interned in the commercial wing, offering client support by understanding their needs and providing solutions from the vast line of products.

    I have also been volunteering (teaching kids) for a couple of NGOs that work for kids in India and have decent extra-curricular/co-curricular records.

    My higher secondary results were compromised for a range of reasons personal to me. I am yet to appear for the GMAT, kindly specify the score that I should have to consider applying at the universities (enlisted by me + the ones you would suggest)

    1. What are my options outside EU? As much as I would like to head to Europe, it would be nice to have other options as well.

    2. Request you to kindly clarify how exactly the CEMS work as some of the affiliated universities also offer their own MiM programs.

    3. The Inforgraphics on your website mentions that only 40% of the programs require a GMAT score. How is getting into such a program going to affect my long term prospects compared to the programs that require the GMAT? Kindly mention a few programs that do not require the GMAT and how do these programs compare to the one's that require it.

    Sorry for this longer-than-usual post. I hope to hear from you soon.

    Thanks a lot.

    Devesh

    • Posted by - Ashu Chaudhari - on 17 September 2014 - 6:36pm

      Hello Thomas,

      Thank you so much for your advice . I have read your MIM eBOOK , very useful i must say. GOOD JOB and God bless you.

      Ashu

    • Posted by - Ashu Chaudhari - on 16 September 2014 - 7:34pm

      Hello Thomas

      First of all i would like to thank you for your efforts in guiding us the right directions . It will be greatly appreciated if you could help me in clearing some doubts.After completing my High school i was studying in Bachelors in Comuter application(3 yrs) but i left in 2nd year and joined other college to study Bachelors in Commerce (Economy) . MY score in Graduation is 2.3 grade (Germany scale).My GMAT score is 690

      1. Will it affect my application for getting admissions in Mim, the gap of 1.5 yr in high school passing till admission in different college or leaving one college and joining other .
      2. I hope to do mim from germany . How useful it can be , if you could point so information regarding this .

      Thank you
      Ashu Chaudhari

      • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 17 September 2014 - 2:39pm

        Dear Ashu,

        I don't see why the 1.5 years should create a problem. As for your other question "How useful to do an MIM in Germany?" - well think about it yourself and share your thoughts with me. Then I am happy to comment. Before that you should read my MIM eBook first as this will answer your question to some degree already - you will learn what you can get out of an MIM, what you should keep in mind when selecting a school, how you get the best fit with your own career goals - and all of this plays into your question regarding Germany.

        Best wishes
        Thomas

        By Thomas Graf
        Owner MIM Compass
        Author of the MIM eBook

    • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 2 June 2014 - 2:05pm

      Hi there,

      I recommend you to read my MIM ebook. It helps you to understand the requirements of Masters in Management and to assess the quality of business schools.

      Also, I recommend you to carefully read teh schools' admissions requirements. As for WHU and St Gallen, you can easily see that you need to have a bachelor degree in business administration (or a Master in any other area). Since you have a bachelor degree in technology, you are not eligible for these programs.

      Finally, please have a look at our search engine and the filter "Entry requirements". There you can specifically search for programs that do not require a first degree in business.

      Best wishes
      Thomas

      By Thomas Graf

    • Posted by - vikcie - on 31 May 2014 - 9:41pm

      HI thomas...!
      hope you are doing great..!

      i also want to pursue my dreams in management through MIM.
      i want to know that how good is the program Msc in management of WHU Otto Beishem Germany,
      i have scored 710 in GMAT but i have very low CGPA 6.7/10 in my bachelor graduated in Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology from a reputed government institute of our country.
      and what are my chances of getting a call from st. GAllen University..?

      Thanks alot and you are doing great in helping people achieving their dreams.
      hope to hear from you soon.

      regards
      Vivek

    • Posted by - MiM_Candidate - on 28 March 2014 - 3:04pm

      Hi Devesh,

      I was going through this thread as I too am an indian national hoping to get into some of the colleges you applied to. I was curious as to which all colleges did you get through to and what were the interviews like. I would be really grateful for any tips and help you could provide.

      Thanks

      Eeshan

      • Posted by - devesh776 - on 4 April 2014 - 4:38pm

        Hi Eshan,

        I was called for an interview by all the SAI schools and finally got an offer from all the schools except HEC. I accepted ESCP Europe.

        The interview lasted some 20-30 mins and the questions were standard for me. No surprises there.

        Firstly, I was asked to give an introduction about myself and then questions like -

        1. Why France? Why not UK, Spain, Germany etc?
        2. Why this particular course and why these particular college(s) (depending on which ones you apply to)
        3. Future Plans and how France and this course/college are gonna help you achieve them.
        4. What do you know about France? If you speak french? If you know anything about the culture?
        5. How are you gonna cope up in a new country where majority of them speak French (considering you don't speak French).
        6. What are your expectations from this course?
        7. If you go to France, which place would you visit first?

        I prepared a lot for the interviews and I suggest you do the same. I was lucky cause I have a friend in Paris and she helped me massively, so I could practice a lot with her as she was aware of the possible scenarios.

        Try to find some1 you can practice with face-to-face and try to remain calm and confident during the interview. I think your gestures etc are observed closely and can make a difference. I also think that the french in general (at least the kind of individuals who are gonna be taking your interview) are very particular about mannerisms and are extremely polite. Therefore, try to remain polite and formal at all times during the interview.

        Also, practice your introduction as it might shape the tone of the entire interview.

        I hope it helps,

        Good Luck (tu)

        Devesh

        • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 5 April 2014 - 12:14pm

          Excellent, thanks Devesh!

          Best wishes
          Thomas

    • Posted by - devesh776 - on 30 October 2013 - 8:21pm

      Hi Thomas,

      Hope you are doing great!

      I am glad to inform you that I have been invited for an interview by all 5 SAI member schools and am still waiting to hear from ESSEC (should hear from them in a week's time).

      Are there any tips that you would want to give, regarding the interview? SAI says its going to be a 30 minute long personal interview. 30 minutes is a lot of time isn't it? What are the possible questions (apart from the obvious ones related to motivation, desire to study in france etc) that they could ask?

      What are the traits that they will be looking for?

      Please tell me anything that you might think can help me for the interview.

      Thanks a lot. Hope to hear from you soon.

      Devesh

      • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 1 November 2013 - 4:14pm

        Hi Devesh,

        thank you for your question. The best way to find out about the actual questions at a specific school is by talking to the students and ex students. I would ask the admissions office to bring you in contact with them.

        In general, schools want to see how reflected a person is. They may ask you about your reasons for doing a Master, an also why you decided for that specific school and how you plan to finance it. They may be interested in your future goals.

        Beyond these personal questions, they may ask you about a general management related issue such as "Why do you think that some European countries have economic problems?" or "Do you think that leadership will increase in importance in the future? Why?". Here they are bot interested in yes or no nor right or wrong - they want to see, however, how you tackle such a question. They may also ask you to solve a little case study, similar to questions that consulting agencies ask - questions where you can demonstrate your logical thinking.

        My suggestion is: Reflect your personal situation well so that you can answer the first sort of questions. As for the second sort, there is not much to prepare since you don't know what they ask.

        best wishes
        Thomas

        by Thomas Graf

        • Posted by - momo225 - on 9 March 2014 - 12:00pm

          HI Thomas ; u said that HEC average GMAT score is 640 , did u get this information from HEC admission service? please , what are the avergae GMAT score of ESCP and EM Lyon.
          Here is my profile can you evaluate it?, I am targeting HEC , ESCP and EM lyon:

          1. Ecole d'ingénieure (Engineering school) ENSEA- ABIDJAN IVORY COAST ( top econ and statistics school in subsaharan africa , top school in my country and in West African Economic and Monetary Union).
            average expected GPA : 13/20 ( french system)(graduation date : july 2014).

          2. GRE : quant (168) verbal (155) ( ETS GRE-GMAT comparison tool give me an expected GMAT of 690).

          3. 23 yeard old.

          4. work experience : 3 months internship at National Ministry for Development planning ( but i also did a lot of other professionnal activies).

          5. -Ranked first nationwide during the recruitment test of Economic and Statistician Engineer of ENSEA-ABIDJAN ( under the supervision of CAPESA-ENSAE PARIS)
            -French Government Excellence Scholarship program for African student recipient.

          6. many extracurricular activities

          • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 9 March 2014 - 3:20pm

            Hi there,

            thank you for your question. The median GMAT score at HEC is 710. The MINIMUM score is around 640.

            Your profile looks great and I am confident you will get admission at most of these schools. If you need further advice on how to analyze the programs and determine the best FOR YOU I want to recommend you my eBook "Roadmap to your Master in Business Degree".

            best wishes
            Thomas

            By Thomas Graf

            • Posted by - momo225 - on 9 March 2014 - 3:58pm

              Hec mim brochure sais that 710 is the median gmat score which means that half ot the candidates had a score less than 710. Where have u read that 710 is the mean?

    • Posted by - devesh776 - on 23 September 2013 - 4:20pm

      Hi Thomas,

      Hope you are doing great!

      I wrote the GMAT today. 670, Q44 V38. I am disappointed cause the quant score are the lowest I ever scored. In all my practice tests, my quant scores were hovering around 46-47 and sometimes reached 49. However, this is what it is now.

      My question to you is, again, what are my chances?

      I have sent my scores to the following schools -
      -HEC, Paris
      -ESCP, Paris
      -EMLyon
      -ESSEC
      -EDHEC

      I checked the HEC site and their average score is 700. So I don't have a lot of expectations there, but what about these other schools?

      Also, kindly give me some tips about writing a great SOP as I believe I can still make or break it in that stage. Correct me if I am wrong.

      Really appreciate your help and hope to hear from you soon.

      Regards,
      Devesh

      • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 24 September 2013 - 9:17am

        Dear Devesh,

        it is pretty normal that the actual GMAT score is lower than the preparatory test scores before. On one hand, some tests are easier than the actual test. On the other hand, being excited or nervous during the actual test, combined with a new test environment may inhibit people during the test. That's one of the reasons why sometimes re-doing the test increases the score.

        Overall, however, 670 is a great score - and if you should ever become NOT accepted at one of the schools mentioned before, then your GMAT score was NOT the reason. In other words: You can apply at all of these schools based on your records. Some may invite you for the interview, some not - you will not be able to change your records anyway - but I guarantee you that your GMAT will not kick you out at any of them. Again, for HEC a GMAT of 640 is sufficient.

        As for the application, just make sure that you follow the admission guidelines at the schools websites' and that you write the essays well. Make sure that you write in a very good English, that you present yourself as a person with clear goals (e.g., why you want to this program at that school and what you want to do afterwards), and be able to answer the question, why a school should take you and how you could be an enrichment for the class.

        Best wishes
        Thomas

        by Thomas Graf

        • Posted by - devesh776 - on 24 September 2013 - 10:42am

          Thomas,

          Thanks for the reply.

          Okay then, m gonna put the GMAT behind me now and focus on the applications.

          I shall get back to you lest I have any more doubts.

          Keep up the good work (:P)

          Devesh.

    • Posted by - taras - on 2 September 2013 - 10:07pm

      Hai Thomas,

      I would like to know how good are the Erasmus Mundus MIM programs of some European universities.Is it valued the same as the regular MIM program of any particular universitiy?Politecnico di milano have one such program and according to this program we are supposed to complete the course in 3 different countries in Europe with only 6 months of study at a particular university.Will that be a good idea to pursue such a program leaving out any chances of internships?Could you give me a little in-depth idea of such programs.Also there is an European Masters in management program of Aston,EMLyon and Luxemberg merged together.

      Hope to hear from you soon.

      Regards,
      Sarat

    • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 2 September 2013 - 6:52pm

      Hi Devesh,

      thank you for your question. You have a nice selection of schools - all of them grandes écoles, actually. I guess you have good chances at all of them. The hardest may be the HEC as they require top grades in your first degree. A CGP of 7.7 corresponds to a B+ if I am not wrong - so, you may be a bit lower than the HEC average here. On the other hand, you have a great cv with nice internships, which makes me confident that you have good chances hat HEC invites you for the interview.

      Have you done the GMAT or GRE already? HEC MIM students have a median GMAT of 710 (minimum 640). You can have a lower score and still become accepted (since 710 is the median). But you should achieve a minimum of 640 and ideally higher given that your CGPA may be below average in HEC standards.

      Let me also mention that the ESCP Europe also has campuses in Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK.

      As for further programs, you can basically choose any MIM program in the Financial Times Ranking. Some of them may - similar to the HEC - require a top GPA but - again - you have a great cv and should not exclude programs in advance.

      As for CEMS, this is indeed very individual. The basic idea is that each partner school offers its own Master in Management - and as a CEMS student you add another year at a member institution. In reality, there are also schools, however, that offer one CEMS MIM without a master before. The CEMS headquarter recommends everyone to contact them directly through our REQUEST INFO Button in our school contacts section.

      As for the GMAT requirement among MIM schools, I have an even more detailed result from the Global Master in Management Survey 2013 (to be published this month). 45 percent of the full-time MIM programs require the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). A closer look, however, reveals that only 14 percent require the GMAT and do not accept any alternative tests while the others also accept alternative tests. 17 percent require the GMAT or the GRE. 10 percent require the GMAT, GRE, or an on-campus test. 5 percent require the GMAT or an on-campus test.

      Regarding the career impact of being at a GMAT school, we found that more MIM graduates find a job within 3 months of graduating if their school required the GMAT for the MIM program. Furthermore, they earn a higher salary if the GMAT was required. Doing a Master in Management at a school that requires the GMAt may make sense according to this data.

      Best wishes
      Thomas

      By Thomas Graf

      • Posted by - Daksh - on 23 December 2018 - 12:43pm

        What minimum cgpa one should maintain while targetting hec ( to be on safer side)

      • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 9 March 2014 - 7:08pm

        Hi there,

        710 median score is correct. Again: Around 640 minimum score, as told me by the HEC representative.

        Best wishes
        Thomas

      • Posted by - devesh776 - on 3 September 2013 - 12:08pm

        Thomas,

        One quick clarification.

        MiM is a program that does not necessarily require any prior work-experience.

        Do you still believe that my internships and work experiences are going to help me stand out?

        If so, how much of a difference is it going to make during the selection procedure and are you aware of any schools that put more emphasis on professional experience than others?

        Hope to hear from soon.

        Regards,
        Devesh

    • Posted by - tushar - on 2 September 2013 - 3:52am

      hi thomas,

      1. i am Indian with mechanical degree from reputed college with low cgpa 5.45/10 is mim is a good career path ?

      2.i am interested in management but with my degree in mechanical and low cg will i be able to find a job even if i perform well in mim course (probably in a not so reputed college )

      • Posted by - devesh776 - on 2 September 2013 - 9:33pm

        Thomas,

        Thanks a lot for your detailed reply. I appreciate it.

        No, I am yet to take the GMAT but I will take it very soon. I hope to score well and then start with the application procedures immediately.

        Your reply has motivated me to try harder, HEC would be a dream!

        I shall get back to you in case I have any more doubts.

        Thanks again.

        Devesh

        • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 3 September 2013 - 2:46pm

          Hi Devesh,

          thank you for your question. Yes, schools certainly emphasize prior work experience or internships differently and it is very difficult to assess this in advance. Here are some advises that may still help you though:

          • Read the admission requirements and eligibility criteria carefully and try to find some hints on work experience; if there is no hint this may be a sign that internships are not strongly taken into account; if there are some hints such as "work experience is welcome" or something you may have better chances.
          • Try to find information on the student demographics, either through the schools' websites or by asking the admissions departments: Check out the average work experience of the class and the range - then you have another indicator on how the school values work experience when it comes to the MIM application.

          In general, I am confident that internships (and through this, exposure to the business world) will never be a disadvantage (unless you have done something very awkward) but rather an advantage. The only question is how big this advantage is.

          Best wishes
          Thomas

          By Thomas Graf

        • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 3 September 2013 - 2:39pm

          Hi Sarat,

          thank you for your question. The potential advantages of such multi-campus programs are:

          • The international experience you can get by visiting several campusses
          • Double-degrees: they may be helpful if you want to work in a specific country where a specific degree in the language of that country is more renowned than the international title
          • A potentially greater exposure to firms

          I recommend you to screen these programs carefully along these three dimensions (international experience, double degree, and exposure to employers) and compare them. Depending on your preferences, you may decide, for example, that a program offers some nice advantages but that these advantages are not valuable or important for you and your career goals; or that another program matches exactly your needs. In any case, it is good to analyze them and with the dimensions above you have a structure now.

          Best wishes
          Thomas

          By Thomas Graf

      • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 2 September 2013 - 7:10pm

        Hi Tushar,

        thank you for your question.

        "1. i am Indian with mechanical degree from reputed college with low cgpa 5.45/10 is mim is a good career path ?"
        Well, this depends on what you are interested in and what you want to do. If you want to build up management knowledge then a Master in Management is a very good tool to do so. Of course, with your cgpa you may not become accepted at the very top end of the schools but still you can do a MIM. I recommend you to focus on the GMAT and achieve a minimum score of 600, ideally 640 or more.

        "2.i am interested in management but with my degree in mechanical and low cg will i be able to find a job even if i perform well in mim course (probably in a not so reputed college"
        My experience is that for your job entry your undergraduate score becomes less important. Hence, a Master in Management may provide you with a second choice to achieve a better academic grade.

        Ignoring your grade for a second, I recommend you to take some time and reflect your career goals. Where would you ideally like to work after your MIM? If you like to work in the IT industry in Italy, for example, you can start to investigate in Italian MIM programs and try to find out which employers recruit there. If you like to work in India you may talk to some firms and their HR departments if they have preferred schools.

        If you are uncertain about your career goals, I recommend (1) focussing on he GMAT to increase your chances and (2) screening MIM websites to become more familiar with the topic.

        best wishes
        Thomas

        By Thomas Graf