Alina Shchetnikova is in her first year of bachelor's degree and had been announced winner of the National Economics Olympiad among school students even twice. We asked Alina why she chose ICEF, what makes our learning environment special, and how to decide on a career track when you are a first-year student.
For me, the most decisive factor was the feedback that I heard from the alumni and the current students in my chosen fields of study. Another useful source I used were student chats. I recommend all applicants to use these channels to find more about ICEF – there’s a highly supportive environment at ICEF, students won’t fail to furnish you with useful information.
ICEF offers simply perfect blend of courses, believe me. Economics courses begin in Year 1, sparing students the drudgery of lengthy introduction and starting with the topics that are core. The curriculum is focused on finance and practice: you are expected to choose, from the available specializations, the one that fits you best and to go on with it by doing courses helping to obtain the hands-on skills.
There is just right amount of math-related courses. Contents requiring advanced mathematics skills are evenly distributed across curriculum, and there are courses to improve programming skills, Excel skills, and digital literacy. At ICEF, teachers know how to deliver the material in an engaging way. Believe me, even subjects that you fear most – in my case, Calculus – can become your favorites. I started to like Calculus thanks to teacher Piotr Lukyanchenko, and Calculus is now the reason why I welcome studying on Saturdays.
Also, there’s a wide array of courses that are optional and can be taken for a deeper dive into your chosen field or to explore the topics you are new to.
For me, ICEF is all essentials in one place
ICEF does have strict attendance requirements, but they aren’t without flexibility: if necessary, one can join other groups’ classes. Most of the lectures get uploaded for students’ convenience, especially when the time comes to study for exams, and there are books available as guidance.
When asked about how they feel about studying at ICEF, many of my fellow students responded, “Challenging, but interesting.” There’s no denying that in order to achieve good grades, and stay able to continue studying, students should invest their time. Strict standards have the reasons to be strict: every component of your overall grade is designed for you to gain the understanding of the subject, it isn’t there just because. This is a knowledge-centered programme. If there’s a gap in your performance, it means you have a knowledge gap, so once you fill it, your performance will improve. Many students find it highly stimulating – the deeper their knowledge of a subject, the more confident they feel about their overall performance.
One thing I appreciate at ICEF is international environment. Many of the faculty members are international academics who hold PhDs and for whom English is a native language. They are a valuable source of information about possible academic tracks to pursue. Immersion in the English-speaking environment is what you experience from your first year at ICEF. Studying begins with a crash course in English as a way to improve language skills and learn the terminology. Using English as the language of instruction and course materials does bring your speaking skills to a whole new level.
Many of the ICEF graduates land jobs or continue their education in many different countries.
In almost every major company, there will certainly be someone with a degree from ICEF, who might link you to a wider network while you are a student
Alumni are a great source of career advice and inspiration among the ongoing students. ICEF stays in touch with its alumni, grateful members of this large “family”.
My career choice started to shape after I joined my first case championship among school students. I want to work in consulting. It’s great that ICEF has its own Career Services team, composed of highly competent and supportive members, and offers student organisations – Keystone and HSE Case Club, to name a few. Here, it is easy to stay updated on possible career paths, internships, opportunities to join research or promote a business idea – ICEF Career Services’ database covers almost every pertinent career field. You can expect to be advised on steps to take and how to succeed.
