Déborah Plancel, student on the Bachelor in Business Programme
WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE JOINING THE BACHELOR PROGRAMME?
Before the Bachelor, I did a scientific Baccalaureate, where I was in a European English class.
WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN INTERESTS?
I love travelling, discovering new things. I am also a great music fan and gymnast.
I am also heavily involved in associations because I like discovering and developing new things and meeting people.
BEFORE JOINING THE PROGRAMME, WHAT WAS YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE BACHELOR?
Before joining the programme, I was attracted by the possibility of being able to choose to do whatever we want. As I didn’t have a precise professional goal in mind, I liked the fact that my ideas could evolve over the three years of the programme.
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THE BACHELOR?
I found out about the Bachelor when one of the School’s teachers, Guillaume de Saint Louvent, came to my High School to present both the School and its programmes.
WHY DID YOU WANT TO DO A BACHELOR? WHAT WERE YOUR OTHER OPTIONS?
I wanted to do a Bachelor because upon leaving High School, I was looking to find a programme with a professional element to it. I also wanted the opportunity to travel. I didn’t want to start a 5-year study programme without knowing if I would see it through to the end. The Bachelor was therefore the perfect compromise.
I was hesitating between doing the Bachelor and joining the Police, two extremes which both appealed to me.
HOW DID YOU OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMME/THE SCHOOL?
I found out more by sending emails to the School. They sent me brochures and this gave me the information I needed about the School.
The ‘Passerelle Bachelor’ selective entrance test
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THE ‘Passerelle Bachelor’?
I discovered the ‘Passerelle Bachelor’ via information on the Bachelor programme. I decided to find out more about it because this is the test you have to take if you want to join the programme.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS ENTRANCE TEST? DID YOU TAKE ANY OTHERS?
I chose this test because I was able to take it in Martinique and the test dates allowed me to revise for my baccalaureate without any stress. I also took the entrance test for the Martinique Business School.
HOW DID THE ENTRANCE TEST GO?
Because of the time difference, I took the test at night. This was perhaps the most difficult thing. However, when I arrived with the other participants to take the test, we were able to chat together about our different backgrounds. Everything went well and I left the exam happy to have had this new experience.
WERE YOU AT ALL WORRIED?
I wasn’t sure how I would cope with the time constraints and, as I’m generally a stressed person, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to perform on the day. Also, I wasn’t sure that I would be awake enough and would find the test too hard once I had the paper in front of me.
HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE TEST? THE WRITTEN EXAMS? THE ORALS?
To prepare for the written part, I studied some past papers. It was difficult to begin with, to stay within the time limits, but little by little I learnt to adapt. For the orals, we had preparation classes in our High School with Guillaume de Saint Louvent, who gave us advice in how to prepare for the exam and how to present. After that, I spent time practising how to apply what I had been taught.
The Bachelor
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROGRAMME
The Bachelor in Business is a general programme spread over three years. You learn about many things… marketing, management, communications, human resources etc. There is the option of choosing an international track where you have the opportunity of benefitting from experiences abroad. You also have a choice of various tracks over the years, with a specialisation in the third year, all of which enable you to mature and to gradually develop your professional project.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PROGRAMME?
I am very happy with the programme. It has met my expectations and has allowed me to fully exploit my potential.
IS THE BACHELOR HOW YOU IMAGINED IT?
The Bachelor is definitely an experience. I knew that there was going to be a professional side to it, but I didn’t think that it would be so evident in the programme on a daily basis.
Whether with the teachers, during the lessons or even within the various clubs and associations, everything has been designed to teach you something.
EACH YEAR, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CARRY OUT INTERNSHIPS OF VARYING LENGTHS, UNDERTAKE GROUP PROJECTS AND EVEN HEAD ABROAD… FOR EACH YEAR OF THE PROGRAMME, TELL US ABOUT AN EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE AND MAYBE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THE COMING YEAR/YEARS.
In the first year, I undertook an internship at Paprika Marketing. It was an internship which taught me a lot on both a personal and professional level. I discovered that I was able to easily get along with others in a working environment and that work itself can be a combination of many interesting things. I was involved in many diverse projects which allowed me to have an overview of this domain.
A MEMORABLE EVENT?
My most memorable event was this internship and everything that it taught me. The advice I received from the company director during my three months enabled me to mature and I learnt a lot about myself and what I was capable of.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE SCHOOL? WHAT HAS IT DONE FOR YOU?
What I like most about the School is the accessibility of the teachers and programme directors. Arriving at the School after the baccalaureate is not an easy thing for anyone and the guidance and support that you receive means that you never feel alone. I know that if I have a problem, there is someone I can turn to. I also know that whatever questions I may have, someone is there for me. Thanks to this support, I feel confident leaving my comfort zone for certain experiences without worrying about instantly succeeding.
And after the Bachelor...
AFTER THE BACHELOR, WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF?
After my Bachelor, I would like to continue with a Masters on a work-study track. My professional experiences have helped me to see that I enjoy being in a company and during these internships, I felt totally fulfilled. I would also like to continue with an international angle, as I love travelling so much!
BY THE END OF YOUR BACHELOR, HOW MANY WEEKS/MONTHS OF INTERNSHIPS DO YOU THINK YOU WILL HAVE DONE? HOW MUCH TIME WILL YOU HAVE SPENT ABROAD?
By the end of my Bachelor, I will have done a total of 13 months of internships, of which 9 will be abroad.
I will be leaving for my academic expatriation in the third year which, added to the internships, will give me a total of 15 months abroad.
BEING SATISFIED WITH THE EDUCATION THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED UP TO NOW, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THE BACHELOR WILL BE AN ASSET IN THE FUTURE?
The Bachelor will be an asset for my future because it has enabled me to understand that even if I didn’t have any precise plans at the start, I needed to take the time to find out what I really wanted to do. I have learnt to give the best of myself and to be tolerant.
As regards my fellow students, we all get on very well and I have met many new people who I really want to keep in contact with.
Thanks to my various trips as an ambassador, and for my internships, I can go anywhere and rapidly adapt to any environment.
All these combined experiences make the Bachelor a unique programme.
