AFAM: Hello Mickael, please tell us a few words about yourself.
Mickael: Hello, my name is Mickael. I'm a master's student at MIT studying Financial Engineering. Prior to joining MIT, I studied at ENSAM in Cluny and at Georgia Tech, where I completed my dual degree in Mechanical Engineering. Currently, I am working for MIT Golub Center for Finance & Policy conducting a data science project to develop macroeconomics factors for financial securities analysis.
AFAM: You are a student at MIT. What was the most challenging part for you, first when you applied to MIT, and then when you arrived in Massachusetts?
Mickael: I think the most challenging part about applying to MIT was that I applied outside of the "parcours US" since I was already enrolled in the Georgia Tech dual degree program. As a result, I was not applying alongside others in the same program. Arriving in Massachusetts was not a huge adjustment for me, as I had already lived in Atlanta, and Massachusetts has a lifestyle closer to that of Europe. Nevertheless, one of the biggest differences is the weather, which is quite extreme in both winter and summer!
AFAM: What are your favorite classes? And what do you like the most about your educational journey?
Mickael: My favorite classes are the financial product-focused ones at MIT, as they provide a hands-on approach, which I think is very useful for a career in financial services. Another class that particularly sparked my interest is a statistics course that provides intuition behind Machine Learning models. What I appreciate most about my educational journey is that I have studied multiple topics along the way, spanning from Engineering to Operations Research and now Finance.
AFAM: You are a Sequoia #2 grant recipient. Can you tell us why it was important for you to receive financial support from AFAM?
Mickael: Studying in the US comes with a high cost of living. Receiving the Sequoia grant helped me cover my core degree expenses in Cambridge, which was a great support in kick-starting my academic journey at MIT.
AFAM: Do you enjoy living in the US? How do you like to spend your free time?
Mickael: Boston is a great city to live in and explore. I enjoy spending my free time walking through the city, as it is one of the most walkable cities in the US! MIT is located in front of Harvard bridge which allows us to have regular walks in downtown Boston. I particularly like walking in Boston Public Garden, Back Bay and the South End (at the end of the article you can see a picture of Boston Public Garden in the Fall and the frozen Charles River in January).
AFAM: Any advice you would like to give to students who are applying or would like to apply to American universities?
Mickael: I would definitely advise students to apply to the "parcours US" facilitated by ENSAM, as I have heard great things about it from students who completed the program and were accepted into great US universities. Additionally, I encourage students to use their years at ENSAM to work on projects closely related to the subject they want to study in the US, as this is something universities highly consider.
AFAM: Thank you for your time.
Boston Public Garden in the Fall
frozen Charles River in January
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