Y1 Students from Belarus Elizaveta Shpakova and Maria Ivanova: “ICEF Provides the Best Economics Education of Today”
The first to give her feedback is Elizaveta Shpakova:
- Liza, what were your first months of college like? What there anything that came as a complete surprise?
My first months in ICEF have been truly exciting. Each course has its own design to adjust to. Boring, tedious coursework is certainly not about ICEF.
The learning environment is just excellent, with a co-working space for use solely by the ICEF students and the library that occupies several floors, some designated as quiet study spaces, others allowing round-the-clock access. In the classroom, the students are free to ask to clarify or repeat any part of the topic they have difficulty understanding.
This high level of comfort with learning is what I probably expected least of all.
- Why ICEF? What was your admission experience?
I was looking to do the best degree to get in economics, and ICEF is the college that has one. ICEF boasts highly qualified faculty, vibrant learning, and great career prospects. It provides the best economics education of today.
I qualified for the admission thanks to my high results in BCT (the Belarussian Centralized Testing, a counterpart of Russia’s Unified National Exam), which also granted me the maximum tuition discount of 75%. Applicants will find a detailed description of the admission procedure in their personal areas on ICEF’s webpage. Besides, I was free to ask all my questions to my admission advisor Natalia Kononova of ICEF.
If you hold the Belarussian Centralized Testing (BCT) Certificate in English, Russian, and Mathematics, your results in these exams can be recognized by HSE as qualifying for admission to the International Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Economics and Finance.
International applicants can be admitted to HSE programmes based on their results in international examinations, UNE, BCT, BCE, UNT, among other exams.
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- You mentioned your high BCT results. Can you say you entered ICEF with a level of training that felt different compared to that of your classmates?
Yes. The school curriculum of Belarus does differ from the one in Russia in that it covers less topics. For this reason, in the 11th grade I had to take some extra courses for a better understanding of the topics that I knew were crucial for admission, so now I have less difficulty understanding course materials.
- Is it hard for you to study in English?
I studied at a gymnasium that taught an advanced English course, so no. I came with sufficiently advanced English skills that saved me worry and confusion.
What is more, as you get more practice, it’s much easier to get the feel of the language. And the two-week English crash course we all took in the beginning did help a lot. Now, my every search for information is in English.
- You’ve been through your first round of exams. What are your impressions of sitting exams as a more mature student?
I believe that this first round is intended more for students to get a grasp on what exams are like in ICEF, to pool together and optimize knowledge construction in the brain as college students. After siting your first round you understand where you could have done better and what to give more focus to, this will save you worries about the winter round.
- How far have you assimilated into Moscow?
My assimilation went so easy I barely noticed it. The diversity of events I’ve been to, the rapid dive into the college life, the new acquaintances and my desire to start classes did their work.
- You live in the accommodation facility for HSE students. Are you comfortable there? How do you like your living conditions?
I live in Level Amurskaya, which is a residential complex offering student housing (Ed. Note: Available to ICEF students). There are six of us living in the two-room apartment. It is a nice, well-lit apartment. Level Amurskaya has one of its blocks allocated solely to students, so we are like one big family there. There are shops in my neighborhood, as well as copy center, laundry, and many other things needed in everyday life. I really like everything there. And I have my first-year accommodation fully covered by the grant I had received upon admission.
Now while your impressions are still fresh, what advice would you give to future applicants?
We all know our knowledge gaps and weaknesses. Get well-prepared, that’s the most important thing to do. Don’t leave things until later. Using the summertime to prepare for your freshman year will save you a lot of time and effort when you get to college.
My advice to applicants in Belarus is go as deep into material as you can and time permits when preparing for BCT. It will never be superfluous to set up a safety cushion. Have no fear. You can get it if you really want and that’s the main thing.
Over to Maria Ivanova:
What came as a total surprise? How fast did you adapt to your new college environment?
My first few months flew by so quickly. What came as a total surprise was the large amount of hours of self-study. I spend my weekends doing homework and projects. But overall, self-studying is a great method to enhance learning experience and manage your study schedule more effectively.
ICEF has everything to support self-directed learning. With a diversity of study materials and office hours, when you can meet with your professors to ask questions about the material presented in class, it’s a well-organized process. Self-study doesn’t mean you’re on your own. Quite the opposite. The teachers here won’t fail to answer all your questions or explain again. But it’s up to you to identify your gaps and weaknesses, you’ve got to fix them yourself.
Things like pace of learning, assimilation of material, and doing homework lie solely with the students. Many students see self-studying as a valuable way to learn.
As for studying in English, I have no difficulty whatsoever with it.
How did the exam season go for you?
I feel dubious about it, but one thing is for sure: I now know how to prepare for exams, manage time and approach the learning process.
Can you say you entered ICEF with a level of training that feels different compared to that of your classmates?
The difference between the levels of schooling in Russia and Belorussia is simply huge. The Russian curriculum and the Unified National Exam are designed in a way that facilitates assimilation of material in college. The better the school you go to, the higher the level of training you graduate with and the easier your college years.