受験体験記18 広告・私費

Basic information

　Enrollment month: 2021/01
　Background: eCommerce, Advertising, entrepreneur
　Sponsored: N/A
　International experience: Taipei, Ann Arbor, New York, Tokyo, Singapore 
　Applied Schools: only HEC Paris
　Campus Visit to HEC： Planned to but was not able to travel due to COVID

Why MBA?

Prior to the MBA, I worked in eCommerce at Rakuten and at a digital marketing agency, servicing clients such as P&G. It provided me a background in the broad spectrum of marketing, but it gave me little exposure to other functions of a business. Even though I would not be pivoting my career significantly to a different field, I wanted to understand the various aspects of business such as corporate finance, operations management, and strategy. One can easily learn this online since information is so readily accessible these days, but I wanted to speak to professors and learn from my fellow MBA students to get an insider’s perspective. Separately, I also wanted time away from work to meet people of various backgrounds, whether it is culture or industry, and to have this rare opportunity to slow down to self-reflect on my next steps.

Why HEC?

Since I have a pan-Asian and American background, I looked towards Europe for my MBA. The top programs in Europe tend to lean more towards a specific industry such as Consulting and Finance. I came from a marketing background and HEC Paris is known for this. On a side note, even though I did not choose the marketing specialization, I have heard from other classmates how good the professors are in that specialization. In addition, the school’s 16-month program was just the right duration for me. I wanted time to reflect on my next move, network, and explore the country. I also did not want to be two years away from the workforce. More importantly, I also attended a very large undergraduate, so I wanted to be part of a smaller cohort to get to know my cohort better.

Application Schedule

2017-2019: GMAT Preparation. It was an on and off process that I found challenging.
2019 July: Requested manager for letter of recommendation and began an outline for essays
2019 July-November: Revised essay numerous times, requested people I trusted to provide me feedback.
2019 November: Submitted application, invited for interviews 1-2 weeks after.
2019 December: Admitted
2020 July: Notified school of deferral
2021 January: Enrolled at HEC Paris  

Prep schools, counselors, etc.

None

Impressions after enrollment

This is the most international environment I have been in, even more so than my time at University of Michigan. It truly is a melting pot of cultures and ideas. There will be clashes in ideas and communication, but these experiences will help you grow as a person especially in the professional field. 

Despite having no intention to go into this field, the class that I found most interesting was Corporate Finance by Denis Gromb. Like all top academic institutions, all the professors are quite accomplished, but some are more effective in teaching than others. He is one of the few professors that wrote his own cases to make the cases more conducive for learning. 

In terms of networking and job search, I would say that the Japanese in the cohort are in a more unique position since some will eventually return to their company. Even without sponsorship, the job market is quite different in Japan compared to the US or Europe. Hence, it can be difficult to read the pulse of the cohort from time to time. 

What I was surprised by is the sheer number of startups that were founded by HEC Paris alumni. The Fork, which is the equivalent of Tabelog, is founded by a HEC alumni and is the dominant player in France, Italy, Germany, and parts of Latin America. Moreover, Doctolib, an online hospital/clinic booking site was founded by a HEC alumni as well and this platform was instrumental in informing the government the registration for vaccination shots in France. This platform is something I hope Japan can adopt one day as well.

Message to the applicants

MBA program is what you make of it. HEC Paris has resources that may not be visible or tangible immediately. Do not wait to be handed classes or events. Create the opportunities yourselves whether it be networking, attending events, or speaking to professors outside classroom hours. This is one of the rare opportunities we can afford to go beyond our comfort zones. Finally, do not be surprised by the weight of the HEC name in France.