SESAME exam: what to expect, how to prepare ?

SESAME competition at EDC Paris Business School

The SESAME competitive entrance exam is open to baccalaureate holders applying to 14 different grandes écoles. In particular, it enables entry to Grande École Program of the EDC Paris Business School. Designed to meet the requirements of the most prestigious Grandes Écoles de Commerce et de Management, it is used to select from a huge diversity of profiles. In 2020, 10,500 students tried their luck. In 2021, it may be your turn to try your hand at this competition.

The SESAME exam: a precise timetable

To avoid missing the SESAME exam registration deadline, it's essential to be aware of the key moments in each of the different steps. To this end, you will find on our page dedicated to the Grande École Program a link to the competition calendar.

Whatever your choice of school, the SESAME competitive entrance exam remains the same. The registration process and test dates are the same for all candidates:

• Mid-October to early May 2020: registration and training (e.g. using the SESAME exam preparation tool, prepa-sesame.net)
• .January 20 to March 11, 2021: registration on Parcoursup.
• Up to April 6, 2021: payment of the SESAME exam registration fee and download of the invitation to the exams, then confirmation of registration. 
• April 7, 2021: written exams.
• April 16, 2021: if admitted to the written exams, invitation to the oral exams.
• April 17 to May 6, 2021: oral exams.
• May 27, 2021: admission results published on mySESAME.
• June 16, 2021: opening of the complementary phase.
• May 27 to July 16, 2021: choice of program at your Grande École.

SESAME exams

The written tests for the SESAME competition include :

• A 2-hour language test, which varies according to the program concerned and includes an 80-question MCQ.
• A 1-hour reasoning and skills test in 3 parts (general, numerical and verbal reasoning) in the form of a 15-question MCQ per part.
• A test of documentary analysis and knowledge of contemporary issues in the form of a 20-question MCQ on a set of documents and a 40-question MCQ on general knowledge.

Oral exams vary from school to school, and may include modern language tests and a motivational interview.

Preparing for the SESAME exam

If the SESAME competitive entrance exam is indispensable for access to the programs of certain grandes écoles, it's precisely because it is so demanding that it is reserved for the most deserving candidates. That's why only exemplary preparation will enable you to succeed.

For this, you can opt for a preparatory course for the SESAME exam, which will give you all the keys you need to fully understand what is expected of you. In particular, you'll find out how the exams are made up, and benefit from support to help you get to grips with them.

And don't neglect the importance of annals, which are perhaps the best training you can get. They're easy to find, and there are plenty of them to choose from: take advantage of them to test yourself under examination conditions, without any aids, and within the allotted time. And don't hesitate to use textbooks, especially at the beginning, to help you progress. The answer keys will also be invaluable in preparing for the SESAME exam.

And let's not forget the official competition training platform, designed to guide you through the learning process. You'll have every chance of finally getting the training you've been dreaming of!