The Student Room Group

Sciences po admissions interview

Scroll to see replies

Reply 40
Original post by EvaLuna93
ahahah same feeling with my fellow Italians (even though they're much nicer abroad) :biggrin: Why don't you switch to Menton as first choice? I would have loved to have you in my class!


Well, it's not that I don't like Germans, I come along quite good with them :biggrin: I prefer speaking 'foreign languages' while I am abroad.. or whatsoever :biggrin:

aaww, that is so sweet! i don't know, can I switch it that easily? would be nice - I applied for the English track, so I wouldn't even have to speak French in my oral exam :biggrin:
Reply 41
Original post by jaquemine
Well, it's not that I don't like Germans, I come along quite good with them :biggrin: I prefer speaking 'foreign languages' while I am abroad.. or whatsoever :biggrin:

aaww, that is so sweet! i don't know, can I switch it that easily? would be nice - I applied for the English track, so I wouldn't even have to speak French in my oral exam :biggrin:


I think you can, as long as you give them an explanation...why didn't you put Menton as 1st choice from the beginning? Maybe you can tell them you clicked the wrong box XD When are you having ur interview?
Reply 42
Original post by EvaLuna93
When are you having ur interview?


Aaaww.. passed the interview last Wednesday, was just a horrible mess!! Really ****ed it up, unfortunately.... they were just.. too nice! :biggrin: I was prepared for harsh questions and everything but they were friendly :?
anyways.. good experience though :smile:
Reply 43
Original post by jaquemine
Aaaww.. passed the interview last Wednesday, was just a horrible mess!! Really ****ed it up, unfortunately.... they were just.. too nice! :biggrin: I was prepared for harsh questions and everything but they were friendly :?
anyways.. good experience though :smile:


Don't worry,most of the people who ****ed up the interview actually got in :smile:
Reply 44
Original post by iyone
I wish there was a facebook group to meet the others. So far I have not been able to find one :/ but its nice to know at least one other person, going there next year.

haha I also made sure I really had my answer down pat for the " Why Sciences Po" question :smile:


Iyone: a group was made a day or two ago! If you want, you can PM me with your Facebook name and I can add you to the group. On that note, anyone else who is going to Sciences Po Reims next year as an undergrad can also PM me with their Facebook name and I can add them to the group :smile:
Reply 45
Original post by ZebraEagle
Iyone: a group was made a day or two ago! If you want, you can PM me with your Facebook name and I can add you to the group. On that note, anyone else who is going to Sciences Po Reims next year as an undergrad can also PM me with their Facebook name and I can add them to the group :smile:


Hey! I just saw the group on Facebook and requested to join :smile:
Reply 46
Original post by iyone
Hey! I just saw the group on Facebook and requested to join :smile:


I saw your comment! I commented right after :smile:
Add me on Facebook and I can add you to the Reims class of 2015 group! :smile:
Reply 47
Hey! :smile: Im really glad I found this page. I have my interview next week and I'm really nervous. Im not sure if I will be able to speak for 10 minutes on the article given to me. 10 minutes is way too long. Also, do they test your French speaking abilities in the interview? and how many people take the interview?
Reply 48
Original post by Zanayna
Hey! :smile: Im really glad I found this page. I have my interview next week and I'm really nervous. Im not sure if I will be able to speak for 10 minutes on the article given to me. 10 minutes is way too long. Also, do they test your French speaking abilities in the interview? and how many people take the interview?


hey, which campus did you apply for? I apply for Menton and LeHavre campus (haven't yet finished my application though). So you already had your interview?
Reply 49
Original post by BoraKim
hey, which campus did you apply for? I apply for Menton and LeHavre campus (haven't yet finished my application though). So you already had your interview?


I applied for the Le Havre and Reims campus. My interview is on the 16th! Im pretty nervous and I really doubt whether I would be able to speak for ten whole minutes! Thats my biggest worry
Reply 50
Original post by Zanayna
I applied for the Le Havre and Reims campus. My interview is on the 16th! Im pretty nervous and I really doubt whether I would be able to speak for ten whole minutes! Thats my biggest worry


Hey, how did your interview go? How long did it take for them to contact you about arranging one after you submitted your application? I submitted mine Tuesday and am worried about not making it to this step or not getting an interview in my city.

Does anyone know what questions they would ask to test our knowledge of French, would it be about the article? I applied to the Dijon campus but haven't spoken French for quite a while so I'll need to really brush up on it.
Reply 51
Original post by Canadian16
Hey, how did your interview go? How long did it take for them to contact you about arranging one after you submitted your application? I submitted mine Tuesday and am worried about not making it to this step or not getting an interview in my city.

Does anyone know what questions they would ask to test our knowledge of French, would it be about the article? I applied to the Dijon campus but haven't spoken French for quite a while so I'll need to really brush up on it.


It was okay. Not too good, not too bad. Once I had submitted my application, they told me about the interview within 3-4 days, so you dont have to wait long!
The article they gave me was from The Economist. It was pretty tough, as the level of Economics was a notch higher than what we have studied in Grade 12 and I fumbled on some of the questions they asked me. Although I could answer most of the political questions they asked.
What level of French have you completed? I filled in A2 level in my form and they didnt test me on my French. Also, yes, they do ask questions from the article and what you understood from it. Be ready to be really grilled with all sorts of answers! Read your newspapers well! Read a bit about French politics (not too much, just enough to be able to say something about it for 30 seconds) and probably, the EU, be aware of the current affairs in your country and the relations your country has with France.
And mostly, be prepared to answer exhaustively about your own country! They asked a lot of political, economic, social questions!
All the best to you! :smile: I hope it goes well! :smile:
Reply 52
Original post by Zanayna
It was okay. Not too good, not too bad. Once I had submitted my application, they told me about the interview within 3-4 days, so you dont have to wait long!
The article they gave me was from The Economist. It was pretty tough, as the level of Economics was a notch higher than what we have studied in Grade 12 and I fumbled on some of the questions they asked me. Although I could answer most of the political questions they asked.
What level of French have you completed? I filled in A2 level in my form and they didnt test me on my French. Also, yes, they do ask questions from the article and what you understood from it. Be ready to be really grilled with all sorts of answers! Read your newspapers well! Read a bit about French politics (not too much, just enough to be able to say something about it for 30 seconds) and probably, the EU, be aware of the current affairs in your country and the relations your country has with France.
And mostly, be prepared to answer exhaustively about your own country! They asked a lot of political, economic, social questions!
All the best to you! :smile: I hope it goes well! :smile:

Hey guys! I'm also applying for Reims and Le Havre next year. Sciences po Reims accepted me for an interview 3 weeks ago and I still haven't received an email for the interview. I chose to go to Hong Kong at the beginning of March or to Bangkok in April.
Is it normal that they still haven't answered me even though I have sent an email to ask them about this?
Thanks for your help guys :smile:
Reply 53
Original post by Zanayna
It was okay. Not too good, not too bad. Once I had submitted my application, they told me about the interview within 3-4 days, so you dont have to wait long!
The article they gave me was from The Economist. It was pretty tough, as the level of Economics was a notch higher than what we have studied in Grade 12 and I fumbled on some of the questions they asked me. Although I could answer most of the political questions they asked.
What level of French have you completed? I filled in A2 level in my form and they didnt test me on my French. Also, yes, they do ask questions from the article and what you understood from it. Be ready to be really grilled with all sorts of answers! Read your newspapers well! Read a bit about French politics (not too much, just enough to be able to say something about it for 30 seconds) and probably, the EU, be aware of the current affairs in your country and the relations your country has with France.

And mostly, be prepared to answer exhaustively about your own country! They asked a lot of political, economic, social questions!
All the best to you! :smile: I hope it goes well! :smile:


I'm sure you did fine but good luck and keep us updated :smile:.

Thanks for the insight and advice. I hope they don't give me an article about economics though, I know nothing about it other than the basics to understand politics. I filled in A2 and said I will be tested for B1 in April but since I applied to Dijon with French intensive classes and you need to know at least A2 I'm pretty sure they'll test me somehow.

I have a few more questions about the interview did you summarize the article and what did you speak about for the first 10 minutes?

@Tiphaine: I can't answer your question since I haven't received a reply myself yet but I would like to wish you good luck as well. If you sent an email though I am sure they'll get back to you asap as they responded to my inquiries within 24 hours, which was extremely quick considering the time difference. If you want I can send you the email of the person I was speaking to.
Reply 54
Original post by Canadian16
I'm sure you did fine but good luck and keep us updated :smile:.

Thanks for the insight and advice. I hope they don't give me an article about economics though, I know nothing about it other than the basics to understand politics. I filled in A2 and said I will be tested for B1 in April but since I applied to Dijon with French intensive classes and you need to know at least A2 I'm pretty sure they'll test me somehow.

I have a few more questions about the interview did you summarize the article and what did you speak about for the first 10 minutes?

@Tiphaine: I can't answer your question since I haven't received a reply myself yet but I would like to wish you good luck as well. If you sent an email though I am sure they'll get back to you asap as they responded to my inquiries within 24 hours, which was extremely quick considering the time difference. If you want I can send you the email of the person I was speaking to.


Thanks @Canadian16! Good luck to you too for your dossier!
From what I've read and learned from a friend who went to the interviews, you have to summarize AND analyze the article. So yeah, you have to talk about things that are linked to the article.
Concerning my email, I sent it during the weekend so obviously, I have to wait a little bit for their answer... And yeah sure! can you send me the email address please? Thanks a lot :smile:
Reply 55
Original post by Canadian16
I'm sure you did fine but good luck and keep us updated :smile:.

Thanks for the insight and advice. I hope they don't give me an article about economics though, I know nothing about it other than the basics to understand politics. I filled in A2 and said I will be tested for B1 in April but since I applied to Dijon with French intensive classes and you need to know at least A2 I'm pretty sure they'll test me somehow.

I have a few more questions about the interview did you summarize the article and what did you speak about for the first 10 minutes?

@Tiphaine: I can't answer your question since I haven't received a reply myself yet but I would like to wish you good luck as well. If you sent an email though I am sure they'll get back to you asap as they responded to my inquiries within 24 hours, which was extremely quick considering the time difference. If you want I can send you the email of the person I was speaking to.



Yes, I did summarize it. But as mentioned, they dont just want a summary My dad gave me a great way to work this out. And I think it went pretty well. My article was on The Rising Economies of Asia. Of course, I did give a summary for the first 6 minutes. After that, I highlighted some issues which were given in the article. For example, Asian economies rising as an alternative center of power, Challenge to US hegemony, Rise of a multipolar world.
This way, you can take out topics which the article highlights.
And they give you a really lengthy topic. You will be able to speak for 10 minutes, dont worry! Dont speak too fast. Introduce yourself and name the newspaper/magazine and the journalist too. This takes about 15 seconds. Also, make sure you maintain eye contact and make sure you are loud and clear! The first 10 minutes should be the least of your worries! :smile:
Hi, is anyone applying for the sciences po Nancy campus? My interview is next week and I'm not sure what to expect!
Reply 57
Original post by NZnostalgic
Hi, is anyone applying for the sciences po Nancy campus? My interview is next week and I'm not sure what to expect!


Read the threads above :smile:
All what we know has been mentioned
I found the existing information on the thread very useful :smile:
However, I'm wondering if all the campuses do the same thing. Also, I am applying for the German/English programme, and am not even sure what language the interview will be in!
Reply 59
Original post by NZnostalgic
I found the existing information on the thread very useful :smile:
However, I'm wondering if all the campuses do the same thing. Also, I am applying for the German/English programme, and am not even sure what language the interview will be in!


Yes, all the campuses do the same thing broadly. There isnt much of a difference. Since you applied for the German/English program, they must have accepted your application knowing your level of German (which you must have mentioned in your application). They will definitely test your German but if you cant speak too well, that shouldnt be that big a problem! All the best for your interview!

Quick Reply

Latest