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Explaining the French Grandes Ecoles | 94 comments (94 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: thank you Alex-have a 4 ! (none / 0)
HEC (and which frankly I think is potentially harder than Maths Sup because you have to be good in a lot of general topics like economy, history, geography, philosophy & literature, two languages ... and all along while maintaining a decent level in Maths - ie. 13 hours a week of maths lessons ... often our oral exams in Analysis were on the Maths Sup program -not Maths Spé :)  ). And I know what I'm talking about, most of my friends were in Maths Sup at the time and seemed to be having a lot more fun than me).

he ended up going to X (after turning down Rue d'ULM!!!! (which is the top of the top of the top in Maths ... I believe they only take 23 students every year, the best in Maths)

As I said, my two points were bound to be made lower in the thread. Thank you Alex !!
True, prépa HEC is by far more difficult than Math Sup-Math Spé, at least when it comes to knowledge diversification. That's the reason why it used to be a one-year classe préparatoire, and was turned into two, as the knowledge to be acquired was just too broad.
Many people who do not want to lose the foreign language and economy, geography skills they acquired during secondary education opt for prépa HEC instead of Math Sup.
Just to mention by the way that the top classes préparatoires have been, for a long time now, and unless I am mistaken, Louis le Grand and Henri IV in Paris.

Outside Paris, doing really well historically are Pierre de Fermat in Toulouse and Lycée du Parc in Lyon. My references may require some up-date though.
The second quote addresses my concern on Rue d'Ulm (Centrale maths) being left out in Jérôme's  diary.
Now I can with peaceful mind return to the depths of lurkedom.

When through hell, just keep going. W. Churchill

by Agnes a Paris on Mon Mar 27th, 2006 at 03:07:19 AM EST
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Explaining the French Grandes Ecoles | 94 comments (94 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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