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Undergraduate Admissions, Evaluation 3: The written pieces
Information Sessions: Undergraduate College
In October 2024: find out more about the Sciences Po Bachelor's degree, the geographical Minors and the international dual degrees during our webinars dedicated to applicants.
The written pieces represent the third evaluation of the application. They aim to better understand the candidate’s background, motivation, intellectual project for Sciences Po as well as his writing and thinking skills, thanks to a series of written productions, integrated into the application.
Please note:
- Candidates from the French secondary school system must write their written pieces in French, even if they apply for the Undergraduate College’s programmes in English or international dual degree programmes.
- Candidates from foreign secondary school systems (applying through the Sciences Po admissions website) have the choice of writing their written pieces in either French or English, depending on the language of the programme(s) they wish to enrol in at Sciences Po.
The Written Exercices
The written pieces consist of two exercises:
- Motivations and project for Sciences Po
- An essay on one of five proposed themes
Please note: The questions of the written pieces may differ for some of the dual degrees with French universities, present on the Parcoursup platform. These questions will be updated when registration on Parcoursup opens.
In this section, you should express clearly and thoughtfully your motivations for applying and your interest in the intellectual and educational project of Sciences Po. You must demonstrate a solid knowledge of our Bachelor’s degree curriculum, programmes and campuses.
You are expected to demonstrate your motivation for Sciences Po by answering three questions and to articulate a clear and considered answer for each of them:
- Where does your interest in the humanities and social sciences come from? How do the themes of instruction and teaching methods at the Sciences Po College match your academic ambitions? (2500 - 3000 characters including spaces)
- The Sciences Po College curriculum is offered on several campuses and via a variety of study programs. Specify the two program choices on which you would like to study and explain in detail your interest in each. (1500 - 2000 characters including spaces)
- Based on concrete examples drawn from your activities, experiences and/or personal interests, what commitments or projects would you like to pursue or develop in your academic career as a student at Sciences Po? How and why? (1500 - 2000 characters including spaces)
The subjects for the 2024 admissions campaign are the following:
- Your high school board is studying the possibility of using artificial intelligence for educational purposes. You are the students’ representative and you have to relay their position on the subject: please write your speech below.
- When you think about climate issues today, what gives you hope and why?
- One of your classmates defends the idea that an artist has total freedom of expression through his/her art. You engage in a discussion with him/her using concrete examples to illustrate your position. Write the dialogue indicating the names of the characters in capital letters at the beginning of each line.
- You have been chosen randomly to deliver a speech at the Paris Olympic or Paralympic games opening ceremony in 2024. Please write your speech below.
- A foundation organises a contest with a prize that would allow you to promote or to save a natural space of your choice. Please present a detailed project which indicates the place you have chosen, the actions you would like to undertake and the cost of the operation.
Please note : Sorbonne dual degree applicants must choose one of the three subjects below : artifical intelligence, artist freedom or olympic games.
This section of the application gives candidates a chance to demonstrate their critical thinking and writing skills through an essay responding to one of five subjects.
Guidelines for writing your essay:
Applicants should select and respond to one of the five questions proposed by Sciences Po within 3000-4000 characters (including spaces).
The text should be personal and written by you alone. A sincere and authentic response is expected of each candidate. The essay is not an academic exercise but a writing that focuses on your writing skills and personal reflection.
Calculation of your mark
At the end of Evaluation 3, each of two independent examiners awards the candidate, a mark out of 10. This double assessment of the written pieces is totalled to give a mark out of 20 for the third evaluation of the admissions procedure. Both examiners have an excellent knowledge of the foreign education system and the Sciences Po Undergraduate College.
How can I prepare for the written pieces?
Sciences Po considers each candidate as a unique combination of talents, interests and passions. Whatever your background, skills or previous experience, your writings allow you to highlight the solidity of your motivation and your career, as well as your writing and thinking skills.
It is very important, in order to prepare your exercice, that your writing be honest, sincere and that you have prepared them alone without any outside help. This could distort the exercise and penalize your grade.
Please note
Texts prepared with the help of a third party are recognisable and may have disciplinary consequences. In case of suspicion of plagiarism, essays may be given a mark of 0.
Please note that plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.
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