How to pass business school entrance exams?
Passing a business school entrance exam doesn't just come down to grades: preparation plays out on several fronts, before the exams as much as during them. From the application file to the oral interview, via revision, every step counts towards the final decision. That's what this article sets out, step by step.
In brief
Passing a business school entrance exam is prepared on several fronts: motivation demonstrated in advance, a carefully put-together application file, methodical revision for the written exams, and a well-prepared oral interview.
Among these steps, at Excelia Business School, the individual interview before a panel generally carries more weight in the final decision than the school record's grades alone: it's therefore the one that deserves the most thorough preparation.
How can you stand out even before the exams?
Business schools begin preparing their admissions as early as October, well before the written exams start: this is already the time to show your motivation, whatever path you choose among the different ways of getting into a business school.
Take part in student fairs, come along to our open days, and present your project to students, teaching staff or administration: a face you've already met is remembered far better than a name lost in a pile of application files.
How can you put together a strong application file?
Your school record gives a first snapshot of your level, but it's your CV and your cover letter that will really set you apart: schools are looking above all for a profile capable of looking beyond the grades on a report card.
A clear, readable CV and a letter that tells a genuine story catch a selection panel's attention far more than a list of recited qualities. If you're applying through Parcoursup, our guide to writing a Parcoursup cover letter sets out the method, opening line included.
How can you revise effectively for the written exams?
Giving yourself regular breaks is essential for staying focused during revision: a brain used without interruption ends up saturated, which harms memorisation. There are many ways of organising these breaks, and none is better than the others. The key is to adopt one and stick to it, to give a regular rhythm to your revision days.
- The Pomodoro method is a good example. Created in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, it alternates 25 minutes of focus with 5 minutes of break. After four cycles, you take a longer break of 15 to 20 minutes.
Once you've chosen your method, practise on the substance: entrance exam platforms provide resources to help you prepare for the written exams, from practical fact sheets to past papers, as well as preparation days or courses.
How can you succeed at the oral interview?
More than just the grades in your file, it's also your profile that interests business schools: the individual interview before a panel is one of the tests that carries the most weight in the final decision.
Prepare by exploring three areas in depth: your background, your career project, and your ability to discuss current affairs knowledgeably. Also find out about the school interviewing you, as a panel quickly tells a learnt-by-heart answer apart from a considered conviction.
Depending on the entrance exam or the school, the oral exams may also include an interview in a foreign language, most often English. If this applies to you, practise presenting your project directly in that language: a candidate who mentally translates their answer loses spontaneity, and a panel notices this straight away.
Every candidate arrives with a different profile and file, and no general method can decide for you what to focus your preparation on: our appointment booking with an advisor lets you talk about it directly with Excelia Business School.
While you wait for that conversation, you can already explore the programmes that interest you.
Frequently asked questions
- How can you show your motivation before sitting a business school entrance exam?
Schools start preparing their admissions as early as autumn: take part in fairs and open days, and present your project to students, teaching staff or administration. A face that's already recognised is remembered better than an anonymous application file.
- Which revision method should you choose to prepare for an entrance exam's written tests?
It doesn't matter which method you choose: what matters is adopting one and sticking to it to revise regularly. The Pomodoro method, for example, alternates 25 minutes of focus with 5 minutes of break, with a longer break of 15 to 20 minutes after four cycles. You can adapt this rhythm to your own concentration span.
- What matters most during a business school entrance exam interview?
Beyond the grades in your file, it's your profile that interests the panel: the individual interview is one of the tests that carries the most weight in the final decision. It's therefore best to prepare for it at least as much as for the written exams.
- How can you train for a business school entrance exam's written tests?
Entrance exam platforms provide practical fact sheets, past papers and sometimes preparation days or courses. Sign up early to make the most of them before the exams.
- Do you need to prepare differently for an interview in a foreign language?
Depending on the entrance exam or the school, an interview in a foreign language, most often English, may be part of the oral exams. It's best to practise presenting your project directly in that language: mental translation shows in speech and slows your answer down.
