Portraits of students in Angers
Read the testimonials and portraits of students from our Angers campus.
Portrait of a student in Angers :
Arthur, an engineering student
My name is Arthur and I’m a first-year engineering student in the Kirchhoff class.
Have you been thinking about studying engineering since high school?
At the risk of sounding a bit clichéd, I’ve always liked to understand my surroundings, to put together and take apart what I saw… I’ve been thinking about this type of study sinceYear 3, even though I’ve since gone down a biotechnology route.
How did you experience the integrated preparatory course?
After a year of medicine in the PACES, the amount of work wasn’t a problem for me. However, I was way behind in Maths and Physics, which my teachers helped me to make up in the space of a year. That’s one of the big advantages of this school: the teachers really follow up and listen to what you have to say. Even though I regret not having had the clubs in Paris, the international experience was superb.
What advice would you give about the preparatory course?
As the teachers have always said: if you follow the lessons well, you retain 90% of the content..
You have to be very regular in your work, but you mustn’t get bogged down in one subject (rotation). To repeat what I said earlier, teachers listen! So don’t hesitate to ask them questions in their offices; they don’t bite. I think living at home saves time, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of distance.
What is the day-to-day life of an ESEO engineering student?
It’s very different from the preparatory course: with the amount of knowledge you acquire, you have the impression of having little work to do, which gives you time to do lots of other things. Thanks to the project-based format of the courses, there’s always something to do, and it’s motivated by pleasure rather than homework.
Why did you decide to enrol at ESEO?
Of course, the international aspect is very attractive. But it was also the prospect of dual degrees that drew me to the school. What’s more, ESEO accepts and encourages streams such as STL, which I’m part of.
What is it like to study at ESEO (curriculum, internships, etc.)?
ESEO supervises us and helps us to find work placements, and the courses enable us to acquire multidisciplinary knowledge that is very useful for working life.
A word about student life: what is it like at ESEO and what activities have stood out for you?
Between projects and community life (whether through clubs, fairs or external events), there’s never a dull moment! It creates real links between students, and even with the administrative team. My most memorable activity was undoubtedly organising the school’s Gala, which taught me a lot about things outside the engineering sector. What’s more, Angers really is an exceptional city, so we go out with friends all the time.
How do you see your future after graduating?
I have to admit that I’m not really thinking about it yet… I’m taking it one day at a time, and at the moment it’s a question of choosing the right option.
Portrait of a student in Angers :
Gabrielle, an engineering student
My name is Gabrielle and I’m in my 2nd year of engineering at ESEO Angers, Josephson class
Have you been thinking about studying engineering since high school?
From the start of secondary school, I wanted to study medicine. At the end of my first PACES, I had the choice between trying my luck again or changing direction. My parents are engineers, so they suggested that I take an interest in engineering courses as a plan B. I turned to Erasmus. I turned to ESEO, which offers a biomedical option. When I visited the school, I felt much more at ease and in tune with the way things were taught than in medical school.
How did you experience the integrated preparatory course?
The first semester was pretty tough in maths after not doing any for a year (PACES). However, my teacher always encouraged me to persevere and the hard work paid off in the end. In general, I think the integrated preparatory course is the best way of acquiring a very solid scientific base, an efficient and personal way of working and strong friendships.
What advice would you give about the preparatory course?
- Be as active and attentive as possible in class, as half the work will be done.
- Prepare your papers well to avoid having to revise everything the day before a composition.
- Get involved in clubs and associations to stay motivated, thanks to the testimonials from the years above.
What is everyday life like for an ESEO student on the engineering cycle?
In the engineering cycle, many courses take the form of projects: a 1 to 4 hour course is preceded by slots with or without a teacher where the student has to carry out a project. At the end of each session, a deliverable (project progress report or project report) must be submitted to the teachers for assessment. Learning is active rather than passive, for example by completing projects over the years.
Why did you choose ESEO?
This school offers courses that meet the current and future needs of our companies, which I like, and the atmosphere at ESEO is attractive and stimulating.
What is it like to study at ESEO (curriculum, internships, etc.)?
For the engineering course: After two years of integrated preparatory classes, the course offers a three-year engineering cycle in which the first year includes courses common to all students. After a 3 to 5 month technical placement in France or abroad, second year students choose an option for the eighth semester. In the ninth semester, each student carries out an end-of-studies project with one or more companies. This is followed by a 6-month work placement in a company at the end of the engineering course.
A word about student life: what is it like at ESEO and what activities have stood out for you?
Student life plays a more or less central role, depending on the ESEO student. As early as the integrated preparatory course, students can get involved in the club or clubs that interest them. There’s something for everyone! This is the best opportunity to develop “soft skills” as quickly as possible, human skills such as communication, team management, creativity, cash management, etc
How do you see your future after you graduate?
With an engineering degree from ESEO in your pocket, there are many job opportunities and, above all, the projects on which students are likely to work are innovative.
Portrait of a student in Angers :
Valentin, an engineering student
My name is Valentin and I’m a first-year engineering student in the Kirchhoff promotion
Have you been thinking about studying engineering since high school?
I hadn’t thought about it because I wasn’t familiar with the engineering profession. I thought you had to be very inventive to design new products. I realised during an open day at ESEO that, in the end, the role of an engineer is very broad. One of my secondary school teachers advised me to go to an open day at ESEO because he thought I would enjoy the course and that it would be well suited to my future projects. I’m very happy that someone pointed me in the direction of engineering studies.
How did you experience the integrated preparatory course?
I had a very good experience of the integrated preparatory course at ESEO Angers. You have to get the idea out of your head that the preparatory course is inaccessible. If you want to get into an engineering school, I’d advise you to opt for an integrated preparatory course. It prepares you all the more for the engineering cycle, because the course is tailored to the programme that awaits you in the engineering cycle.
Even though it is important to be studious in class, the atmosphere in the ESEO integrated preparatory course is excellent, as there is no spirit of competition between students. On the contrary, there’s solidarity between us because there’s a place for everyone in the next year, and you just have to work hard to get there.
In the end, we all have very fond memories of the prep school!
What advice would you give us about the preparatory course?
I don’t think prep school is insurmountable, you just have to work regularly.
- Pay attention in class
- Work regularly in the evenings so as not to fall behind. It’s not overly complicated, but the pace is very fast (1 chapter/week).
What is daily life like for an ESEO student on the engineering cycle?
The engineering cycle is different from the preparatory course. The workload is distributed differently, and we are more likely to work independently. There are 24 of us in each class and we learn mainly through practical work. Our courses focus on electronics or computing.
Why did you decide to enrol at ESEO?
I came to ESEO because I’ve been passionate about electronics ever since I was a child. I came to the open days and immediately knew that ESEO was the school for me. Because of the extent of its community life, the campus, the equipment available, the projects and above all the atmosphere among the students.
What is it like to study at ESEO (curriculum, internships, etc.)?
It goes well! There is a 2-year preparatory cycle, then the first year of the engineering cycle is a common core. During this year, all the students (parallel admissions and integrated preparatory courses) are brought up to standard and learn the basics.
Then, in the second year of the engineering cycle, we have to choose an option and complete a 3 to 5 month technical placement (preferably abroad). In the final year of the engineering cycle, we continue with our option and do another placement. The placement lasts 6 months and the company must be carefully chosen, as it usually leads to a permanent contract.
A word about student life: what’s it like at ESEO and what activities have stood out for you?
The school has a very rich community life, with around thirty clubs. There’s something for everyone (automotive, humanitarian, business, music, etc.) It would take too long to list all the clubs. The best thing would be to come and visit the school to see for yourself!
There are many events organised by students throughout the year. Recurring events include: the welcome for new arrivals with a week full of activities, the gala, the BlueMoon (a student party for 3,000 people), the 4L trophy, the
French robotics cup, theme weeks throughout the year and so on.
Getting involved in the school’s community life is very rewarding. We learn how to manage a team and write reports. It also allows us to broaden our own network. We’re pretty free in terms of our activities and I think that community life is a strength at ESEO.
How do you see your future after graduation?
It’s difficult to plan ahead when you’re only in the first year of the engineering cycle. I think my ideas will be clearer after my technical placement. I know that I’d like to work in the renewable energy sector and I’ll look into this further when I have to choose my end-of-studies placement. One thing’s for sure: the years at ESEO go by very quickly.