Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Sunho Hwang and I am a South Korean student. I double majored in Maths and Computer Science during my Bachelors at École Polytechnique. I have a pretty diverse education, after having studied in 5 different countries and eventually graduated from the EJM high school in France with the French OIB Baccalaureate.
What program are you currently studying and in what institution?
I am currently in the X-HEC MSc Data Science for Business program. It is a two years Master program with the first year being at Ecole Polytechnique and the second at HEC Paris.
What made you choose this university/program?
Once I figured out what I wanted to study during my Masters, it was actually not hard at all to find the program I wanted. By the time I had started my applications, I was interested in pursuing a master’s degree in data science/analytics oriented towards industry. As the title of the degree suggests, this program was exactly what I was looking for! I also preferred it over other options as when looking through the courses, I had the impression that it had more of an emphasis on the technical aspects than what other Masters in Data Analytics offered. Of course, the opportunity to study at the best institution in sciences in France with the second year in the best business school is pretty cool as well!
What skills/knowledge gained during the Bachelor of Science have you been using in your current program?
Since my Masters is in Data Science, I am definitely using a lot of the skills I learnt as a Maths and CS major. While the courses are not as theoretical and in-depth, I think having a strong scientific knowledge is helping me out a lot during my graduate studies. Apart from that, since the schedule at the Bachelor was quite dense, it taught me how to organise myself well and do things efficiently, which is always helpful.
When you entered the Bachelor of Science, did you already know what you wanted to do after the program?
No, absolutely not. I think it basically took all three years of the Bachelor and trying different courses/projects to figure out what I wanted to do. I was quite sure that I wanted to pursue the double major in CS but had no idea what I would be doing after the program.
What memories do you have of your time spent at l'X and in the Bachelor program?
Unfortunately, half of my time spent as a Bachelor was consumed by Covid and all the lockdowns. Nevertheless, I still have some great memories with the close friends I made during the Bachelor. Whether it was all the stupid things we were doing in the first couple of weeks or the 10-hour coding session to finish that one CS project, it was really my friends who made the Bachelor experience unforgettable. I actually think many students feel the same way because we all live together on campus and get to spend so much time together.
What are your ambitions for the future?
As someone who plans to go back to South Korea in the future, my goal for now is to gain as much experience as possible in different countries, companies, sectors, etc. I think this aspect will be really important for me to make a meaningful impact when I return. So, for now I would like to possibly work in a multinational company to make that process a bit easier and be exposed to as many opportunities as possible. I have also secured an internship for next year so let’s see how it goes from there.
Any piece of advice to current Bachelor students when deciding about the pursuit of their studies?
I feel like so many of the Bachelors are less lost than I ever was and the great community they are building is really enabling them to access information they need to better guide themselves. In any case, for those who feel less confident, really try various things/subjects, you never know what is best for you until you try it. Go for projects or internships outside of your courses. Talk to professors if there’s a subject you want to know more about or is curious about. Overall, stay positive and try your best to not let all the courses consume your life!