What is the difference between an admission on title and a parallel competition?

If you have a Bac +2 or Bac +3/4 and you wish to continue your studies in a business school, your integration will be carried out on competition. This competition can be an AST(admission on title) or a parallel competition :

• Admission on title is dedicated to the common competitions;
• the parallel competition includes the concours communs and the competitions offered by a business school.

What is an admission by title (AST)?

Admission on title is a competitive examination allowing students with a baccalaureate +2 or a baccalaureate +3 to access a grande école by presenting a file, without going through preparatory classes. It is a springboard set up to give students more chances to achieve their dreams.

Indeed, it was impossible to enter the grandes écoles de commerce without spending 2 years at the CPGE and taking the very selective competitive exam. Thus, a student can submit his or her file to the school in which he or she wishes to continue his or her studies, provided that he or she has a validated DUT, BTS, licence or master’s degree.

Selectors will go through the first step of paying special attention to letters of recommendation. After that, the applicant can take the next test (different from one school to another). This usually involves oral interviews to determine the student’s motivation. The main advantage ofAST is that the results are transparent.

What is the principle of admission by competition?

Admission by competitive examination is anadmission test open to all students with a required diploma who wish to continue their studies at a grande école. The diploma in question may be a bachelor’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree in the context of a parallel admission.

The competition in question consists of written tests on several subjects. These differ depending on the school and the level ofadmission. The school, itself, chooses the subjects and the exercise proposed. The latter can be an essay, a text analysis, a language test or a general knowledge test.

Once the student has passed the first test, called admission, he or she is then subjected to another test. This test consists of a mini oral interview, the subject and nature of which depend on the school that organizes it.

The entrance examis usually held at an examination center, while the oral exam is held at the school itself. For a student with a validated bachelor’s or master’s degree, and wishing to continue his or her studies in a grande école, the application file must be flawless.

What are the differences between an admission by title and an admission by competition?

There is a major difference between admission by title and admission by competition:

• Admission by competitive examination is considered to be the classic way to go through a prep school. It is an independent competition that allows you toenter a single school;
• Admission on the basis of qualifications is based on an examination of the candidate’s diploma, integrity, motivation and the irreproachability of his/her file. The written tests are common, but the oral exams are held at the school where the student has been admitted.

What are the advantages of admissions by title?

According to the figures, half of the students in a master’s class come from theadmission on title. The advantages of this type of competition are numerous:

• Students have a better chance of passing the competition thanks to the variety of tests ;
• The competitive entrance exam is unique and allows you toenter several management schools ;
• Depending on the preference and situation of the student, he can choose between single or multiple sessions;
• enrollment in the Grande École program is relatively simple;
• the student can prove his or her motivation through a letter of recommendation;
• the student can apply to several management schools;
• Admission is open to students who have not been trained in France.

Entering a Grande Ecole program in the 3rd or 4th year with admissions on title

The admissions on title were set up in order to maximize the chances of students toenter the 3rd or 4th year of a Grande Ecole. If the student is successful in his or her admission , he or she will be able to enter a management school thanks to the Ambitions + competitive entrance exam.

For those who enter the competition with a BTS/DUT, this process will allow them toenter a Grande École program.

Students with a bachelor’s degree will benefit from a refresher course to ensure that they have all the necessary skills for the master’s program. Those with a Bachelor’s degree will be able to enterdirectly into a specialization that will last 2 years.

The refresher course concerns all students, whatever their training (law, economics, marketing…). Successful parallel admissions or admission on the basis of academic qualifications will facilitate integration into the professional world, as each student benefits from a double skill set: the one acquired when obtaining his or her baccalaureate +2 and baccalaureate +3, and the diploma from the Grande École Program.

What are the competitive examinations for admission on title?

For students with a baccalaureate +2, baccalaureate +3 or students in full preparation, here are the competitive examinations to consider regarding the common competitions:

The Ambitions Competition

This is the key to one of the 4 major business and management schools in Paris, namely EBS, EDC, ESCE and IPAG. The student will have the choice of 7 sessions that take place between February and September. The competition is in two parts: written and oral.

The Gateway Competition

By taking part in this competition, which consists of three written tests and two oral exams, the student can enter several business schools.

Springboard 1 & 2 contest

This competitive entrance exam allows students toenter a business school without having to complete a year of preparatory classes. Only accessible to students with at least a baccalaureate +2, regardless of the field of study, the competition is carried out in 7 stages, including the written tests , the eligibility phase and the oral tests.

Read more

• ESCE, business school in Paris: bachelor, master
• Discover ESCE, business school in Lyon
• Master’s degree: definition, differences with a baccalaureate, job opportunities
• How to apply to a business school outside of Parcoursup?

Updated 17 April 2023