Can you tell us more about yourself?
Hi. My name is Jean and I graduated with a Master of Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London in 2019. Currently, I am undergoing a summer internship at Morgan Stanley as an analyst. Over the years I have interned at various multinational companies. I interned at LVMH, researching stock investments and building investment cases on various companies; in the race strategy department for the Formula 1 team at McLaren Racing Ltd., developing AI tools to facilitate decision making; redesigning the ‘think tank’ at San Francisco Sephora Retail; and as an observer of all departments at Apple France Corporate Office.
What prompted you to apply for a MIF?
Even though I am highly interested in engineering, my last internship at LVMH opened my eyes to the world of finance. I realized that with proper training I could become quite adept at finance and investment. This is why I decided to do an internship at Morgan Stanley and start a MIF at HEC next year to get all the required knowledge in the field. Indeed HEC gives you a lot of knowledge through the 9 months Masters followed by a six months internship at a reputed company. So altogether, I will be able to have over 8 months of experience before starting a career in investment banking.
What did you find the most difficult in the application process?
As an undergraduate student applying to the Masters, one needs to combine studies, GMAT preparation, preparing the application as well as search for a summer internship to apply to. Combing all these were a difficult task for me as it was very challenging as well as time-consuming. Thanks to Dr. Hubert Silly and the coaches at the MBA Center, I was able to receive a lot of support for my GMAT preparation and the application process.
What is life like in HEC?
As of now, I would not be able to comment on that as I am starting classes in September. However, the reason I chose HEC is the quality of education at the college. The study program is intense and the quality of teaching is world-renowned. As a future student of the college, I hope to acquire all the necessary skills required in my chosen career path as an investment banker.
What would be your advice to someone applying for a MIF program?
I started my preparations in November 2018 to apply on January 19. This was a mistake as I started my preparations way too late for that. I should have started the preparations at least by June 2018. So the first advice I would like to give is to start your preparation on time. Give yourself enough time to be ready for the tests and application process.
Another piece of advice I would like to pass on is to open up your perspective. Originally, I had other plans and programs for life after my bachelor's. However, during the course of a conversation with Dr. Hubert Silly, I realized that I had a great interest in working in finance and investment banking. As such, I had to find a program to fit my interests. What I want to convey is that each of us must try to find out what we want to do in life and work out a plan accordingly. Families might be a good place to start a conversation if you are confused about your choices in life. However, talking to a professional like MBA Center would be a better option as they have the experience and expertise and understand the system better which will help you a lot when the time comes to choose the right program for you.