Home>2021 Admissions: Over 15,000 applications through the French Parcoursup platform
16.04.2021
2021 Admissions: Over 15,000 applications through the French Parcoursup platform
For its first French undergraduate admissions campaign running entirely through the Parcoursup national platform, Sciences Po recorded 15,284 validated applications at the end of the first phase, which closed on 8 April 2021. This is double the number of applications recorded in 2020 for the French undergraduate entry procedures.
These applications concern the 12 Sciences Po programmes available on the Parcoursup platform. Applications also increased by 27% at the Master's level (French and international procedures). These figures confirm Sciences Po’s attractiveness to a wider range of high school and university students.
This year, high school students who have attended an Equal Opportunity Programme partner high school undergo the same admissions procedure as other French and international applicants, within a specific preparation framework. 10% of spots will be reserved for them in 2021, the objective being to increase this figure to 15% by doubling the number of partner high schools by 2023.
Qualitative assessment of applications, without using the algorithms
The Sciences Po teams and high school teachers are strongly mobilized to carry out a double evaluation of all applications. Around 800 evaluators (teachers, management and teaching staff) are hard at work analysing these applications.
Two of the four evaluations of the admission procedure, which are graded out of 20, are assessed by groups of two experienced evaluators, without using any algorithm. The first evaluation relies on the academic performance and record of the applicant, based on the marks obtained in high school, the applicant’s progress and the assessments of his teachers. The second evaluation is based on three personal essays written by the applicant: one on his personal background, activities and interests; another on his motivation and intellectual project for Sciences Po; and finally a personal essay on one out of five themes proposed. These demanding and comprehensive evaluations valorize a combination of academic excellence, extracurricular qualities and the candidate's project for his studies at Sciences Po.
The third evaluation, also graded out of 20 and based on the score obtained in the Baccalauréat exam, will this year include the continuous grades obtained in school since the early examinations of the Baccalauréat were not held.
The interview, fourth evaluation taking place in May
The fourth grade taken into account for admission to Sciences Po is that of the interview. The interview phase will be organized remotely in May and accessible only to candidates who have obtained in the three first evaluations a cumulative grade equal to or higher than the minimum (out of 60) defined by the jury. Invitations to the interviews will be sent out in early May to the applicants selected. Applicants who obtained a grade below the required score and are thus not selected for the interview will be notified of their non-admission via the Parcoursup portal at the end of May.
At the end of the entire interview phase, final admission proposals will be formulated on the basis of a final grade stemming from the four evaluations, which must meet or exceed the minimal admission grade set by the admissions jury.
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