What do Bachelor of Science students during their first year? Let's find out!
Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Karel Moryoussef. I am 18 years old and I am a first-year student enrolled in the Bachelor Program at Ecole Polytechnique. I used to live in London and Singapore before moving back to Paris and taking my French baccalaureate. I am passionate about science and more specifically mathematics
Why did you choose Ecole Polytechnique's Bachelor of Science?
Firstly, Ecole Polytechnique is a highly recognised institution not only in France but worldwide. Furthermore, the Bachelor of Science allowed me to integrate an international program without being too far from home. Joining an international program was very important for me given the fact that I had lived most of my life abroad. In addition, being passionate about science and mathematics, the program offered by Ecole Polytechnique was perfect for me.
Could you tell us how the first year is going?
The first year is going great! It is mostly composed of studying but we always find time to have a bit of fun and take our mind off of all the mathematics, physics or computer science. As the semester comes to an end, I can’t wait for the second semester to start as we begin to specialise in our choice of double major.
Do you have a favorite course?
The analysis course (MAA102) is my favorite course. It teaches us to rigorously prove and understand some of the fundamental concepts of mathematical analysis. In addition, the linear algebra course (MAA101) is very interesting as it introduced us to a whole new way of doing mathematics and taught us very different mathematical notions from what we had learned in high school.
What would be a great memory of your first year in the Program that you would like to share with future students?
One of the best moments we've had so far was the Bachelor-giving, a big dinner organised in Ecole Polytechnique’s grand hall, where all of the three Bachelor Program classes were united together. In addition to the delicious dinner, multiple shows were prepared and performed by bachelor students from all different classes, singing, playing instruments etc… This was extremely entertaining and impressive. It was a great bonding moment between all three classes.
What are your ambitions for the future?
Firstly, I will be choosing the mathematics and computer science double major. I would then like to pursue a master’s degree in the UK or in the United States in computer science, more specifically machine learning, and be able to learn how mathematics can be used in these technologies.
Any piece of advice to future Bachelor students that you would like to share?
In my opinion, the most important thing is to have a good work-life balance. Spending all day working without any breaks won’t work in the long run. Organizing yourself is definitely extremely important for you not to get lost between all the different courses.