Access to major schools suffers from strong geographical inequalities which have hardly faded over the years.
“Students from Île-de-France remain over-represented.
In business schools, they make up 34% of the workforce while they only represent 16% of baccalaureate graduates,” indicates Julien Grenet, professor at the Paris School of Economics (PSE) and co-author of a report for the Institute of public policies.
“When you look at the path of third-year students ten years later, Parisians are two to three times more likely to join a major school,” he illustrates.
The inequality of opportunities is all the more striking when you move up the rankings.
The most selective courses – HEC, Essec or ESCP – are almost all from the Ile-de-France region.
If it is not the only explanation, the financial dimension weighs heavily in these disparities in access.
In a context of inflation, student insecurity and the housing crisis in big cities – the same ones that host major schools – moving is not easy.
Neither can you take a loan from the bank.
By adding tuition fees (a bachelor's degree costs 7,000 to 15,000 euros per year on average), the equation becomes impossible for many families.
Local nuggets
The increase in bachelor's degrees has not reduced tuition fees, although the course remains slightly less expensive than a Grande école program (PGE).
But its success invites certain establishments to relocate the course to medium-sized cities, to reach students who would not otherwise join it.
For the financial reasons mentioned, but also because a post-baccalaureate program is, by definition, aimed at a young audience.
“The question arose whether to stay in Martinique or leave immediately for mainland France.
But 18 is young!
“, remembers Mathew.
Moving away from family and friends without knowing many people in Paris and without a well-rounded CV to find internships is complicated.
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However, in Martinique, there is the EGC Business School.
A network of schools which has chosen, for years, to establish itself in areas where there is little education on offer.
Its 20 campuses are thus located in intermediate-sized towns – Brive (Corrèze), Le Mans (Sarthe), Chalon-sur-Saône (Saône-et-Loire), etc.
– in Guyana or, therefore, in Martinique.
80 students they welcome were educated in these same territories.
If all goes well, they will obtain a bachelor's degree approved by the State, often the only one accessible without having to leave the family cocoon.
“After three years at EGC Martinique, I felt much better prepared to go to mainland France,” assures Mathew.
He then launched an attack on the capital and completed a master's degree in luxury management.
Two years ago, he returned to his native island.
“Everything came together very well.
I came back feeling like I could apply anywhere.
» Mathew today works for Habitation Clément, a large agricultural estate where the eponymous rum is distilled.
He manages a team of 20 people as assistant sales and spirit tourism manager.
Multiply campuses
For ten years, Kedge Business School, whose historic campuses are located in Bordeaux (Gironde) and Marseille (Bouches du Rhône), has opened what it calls “associated campuses”.
Located in medium-sized towns in the south of France, these are specifically dedicated to the bachelor's degree.
The program, identical to that of Kedge Business School, delivering the same degree of license, is offered in Avignon (Vaucluse), Bastia (Haute-Corse) and Bayonne (Pyrénées Atlantiques).
They will be joined next September by Mont-de-Marsan (Landes).
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“We work together with chambers of commerce and industry to bring our academic excellence to these communities,” explains Alexandre de Navailles, general director of Kedge Business School.
Cities have everything to gain from keeping their youth at home for a while longer.
Local companies too, which can take them on as an internship, apprenticeship or hire them.
“Our campuses are located in places full of ETIs (mid-sized companies) having a hard time recruiting,” emphasizes Alexandre de Navailles.
For students especially, the offer is tempting.
“Accommodation in Bordeaux now costs almost as much as in Paris.
In Marseille, it is also very complicated,” indicates the general director of Kedge Business School.
As for parents, in addition to saving themselves significant costs, there is something reassuring about keeping their new high school graduates in the home.
“Some people start a bachelor’s degree at 17,” he recalls.
If we don't have to leave right away, why rush?
Find all the articles in our special Bachelor supplement:
Parisien Étudiant’s Bachelors rankings: our 2024 ranking
Bachelor: “The program responds to a concrete need among students.
They want to get straight to the heart of the matter”
Bachelor: three tips to stand out from the crowd and get a place
“My goal was to become operational quickly”: they became (ultra) specialized from the bachelor’s degree
Bachelor: no need to leave your region to study, schools are increasing their campuses
Banking, marketing, sales... which sectors are hiring at bachelor level?
(future)
The BBA: one more year to plan ahead, and a standard in Anglo-Saxon countries (to come)
Double degree, internships... during a bachelor's degree, go abroad!
(future)
Bachelor: scholarship, small job, work-study... how to finance your course?
(future)