Following a short break to catch your breath after the first period, P2 beckons with deep dives into Machine Learning, Valuation and Microeconomics. At the end of the period, the Practical will get you hands-on in valuing real-life companies and analysing the intricacies of business acquisitions.
While you will stay with your home group for one of the Core Courses, you will be assigned a new group for P2, giving you the opportunity to form close bonds with other classmates and stretch your teambuilding skills even further.
"In your class, make sure to build the INSEAD culture."
Antoine Joris
BSc Business Administration
Belgian
"At INSEAD, the knowledge and skills that you acquire in one course get transferred and built upon in other courses as you progress through the curriculum.
In P2, we had a Valuation course that built on the principles we had learnt in Financial Accounting in P1. Each class consisted of some theory accompanied by practical exercises and cases on company valuation. This was very interesting as we used this approach to explore three methods of company valuation in depth.
During the 10-day Practical, the class got split into two groups. One group was doing Finance in the morning and Strategy in the afternoon, and vice versa for the other groups. In this setup, we analysed mergers and acquisitions (M&As) both from a financial a strategic point of view.
Both topics complemented each other and we got to know all about M&As: not only how to value potential companies to acquire, but also why, when and how it should be done, what the potential traps are during the post-merger integration and much more.
At the end of those 10 days, our final project was to research and analyse a real-life acquisition (and subsequent divestiture), followed up by a visit of the head of M&A of the company that we analysed, to whom we could ask all our questions. This was a great and unique learning experience.
My tip for future students: In your class, make sure to build the INSEAD culture: a culture of collaboration, friendship and working together. This way, everyone advances while forging really close bonds. We’ve only been together for four months, but I feel as though I’ve known my classmates and friends for years, which is awesome."
"To those who may not have a quantitative background: Do not be afraid!"
Louise Niepceron
BA International Relations
French, Irish
"Coming from a background of International Relations, I had no prior business or mathematical knowledge so Machine Learning was initially really challenging but also extremely insightful. The professor was so dedicated to help us learn, and classmates who had a background in Python acted as mentors for those who needed more help.
To those who may not have a quantitative background, I would say do not be afraid! There is so much help available and everyone rallies around to help you succeed. I completely didn’t expect this but Machine Learning actually turned out to be my favourite course this whole period!
In fact, the collaborative spirit amongst the class is so strong – I’ve never encountered this anywhere else before.
The career curriculum was also very useful in P2. For example, we got started with crack-the-case workshops for those who want to go into consulting, learnt how to network and write effective cover letters, and attended many interesting company presentations.
A lot of classmates have started to send out applications, with some attending interviews or even having secured a job already! Personally, I’m currently leaning towards consulting or luxury, and will start to apply for jobs in early P3. It’s very motivating to be surrounded by so many bright and ambitious people, and really opens your horizon to consider different options and opportunities."
"You get to learn how to work with people from different backgrounds and constantly step out of your comfort zone."
Maximilian Rieder
BAA Business Administration
Austrian, French, Canadian
"The P2 Practical was an intense 10-day sprint and at the end, we had the opportunity to discuss one of our cases with the Head of M&A at a leading MNC who had actually been involved with the deal, which was super interesting. We got behind-the-scenes insights into what goes into preparing an M&A and also the aftermath – how the stock market reacts and so on.
My favourite P2 experience was the group work we did for the Practical. The programme management team did a really good job in allocating our P2 groups, making sure that we get to meet some people whom we may not have had much interaction with previously.
This helps not only with networking but you also get to learn how to work with people from different backgrounds and constantly step out of your comfort zone.
My top tips for P2: Do your best to stay on track in Machine Learning and get all your queries addressed in each session because the pace is quite fast and a lot of material will be covered in those few weeks.
Also, pay extra attention during the Valuation Core Course and make sure you understand all the concepts, because you will need to apply this knowledge in the Practical."
"What really stands out is the feeling of community and togetherness."
Nicola Shi
BSc Computer Science
Chinese
"My personal highlight of P2 was securing an offer to join the international equity team in an investment bank in London after the summer.
I actually started the job search process in P0, which included researching target companies, getting organised with the timelines and working on my resume and cover letters.
During P1, I sent out my applications and did a few online assessment tests, while the actual job interviews took place in P2 with the final round just before Christmas. The Career Development Centre team gave me some great feedback and advice on presenting myself in a video interview and structuring my answers, and helped me with a mock interview.
I also reached out to the alumni network during my application process and incredibly, it turned out that one of my future colleagues is actually an MBA alum! A lot of classmates offered their help too in reading through my resume, conducting mock interviews and even taking the time to learn about the companies I was interested in, to better tailor their advice.
What really stands out in the MIM experience is the feeling of community and togetherness. The students and alumni are all so willing to support you which can’t necessarily be said for other business schools!
My advice for those who are interested in finance is to start early with your research and preparation, and tap into the alumni network to learn about the different types of companies and roles that are available.
With the job search out of the way now, I’m really looking forward to the coming months and making the most of the remaining three periods!"
