Future.XYZ

这几天非常的纠结，一个简单的选择或许就将决定今后五年、十年甚至整个职业生涯的发展方向。每次在这种时刻到来的时候我都会紧张到打嗝放屁连连做梦，最后仓促地做下一个选择，然后静静地等待命运之神的审判。

我甚至开始胡思乱想，把这一切问题丢给一个见面会上遇到的和蔼法国北部老头。当然，对方礼貌地回绝了我的搭讪并让我知道选择总得由自己做出。没错，我选了清华而不是浙大，是我自己改的表单。我会负责，只是对一个选择所能带来的影响没法全权负责。

我爱苏蓓蕾吗？或许并不。一所普通的法国技术类学校有什么好爱的，又不是X又不像浙大和北大这样有可爱之处。可我真的很喜欢法国的感觉，人的感觉。我没去过法国，没钱去试错，但仅以我见过的几个法国人来讲，这确实是一个有温度的民族。我爱杜克吗？我几乎对杜克一无所知，除了一个大花园。美国人并不是那么优秀，不咸不淡的让人感觉不得劲。但美国确实有很多美金，不趁着年轻捞一笔似乎就再也没机会了。

归根到底，现在的谜团或许就是：我有三年的青春，到底换取[平庸的技术+名校文凭+小城宅男+更多的薪资+四等公民]还是[精通法语+国内不认识法国吃香的文凭+游历山水+更少的薪资+二等公民]二者中的哪一个？我想这个问题只能回头看，向前看根本不可能看清。伟人伟大之处除了自身的努力，更多的似乎就是命运之神的垂青，“也要考虑历史的进程”。而凡人或许长久地庸人自扰，做出的选择连一个水花都激荡不出。

下面就是我给这个法国老头发的邮件，看起来似乎更多是牢骚吧！总之，放在这里，我估计自己也不会仔细去回看了。如果有机会有人来考古没准能看到这里。

Bonjour Prof. Higgins,

Je veux vous remercier encore une fois pour votre suggestion utile! C’est très gentil de votre aide. Malgré ma situation drôle, je veux vous consulter pour plus d’information.

Thanks a lot for your help, I wish I could consult you for something more about my dilemma and my future plans. Though I could write this email in French, I think it would be better for me to express my problems in English in order to be clearer. I don’t know if it’s proper to talk about personal affairs with a not-so-familiar person, but anyway, I guess I can trust you to some extent. And this email might be excessively long. If you don’t have time to deal with this, just tell me and it’s ok because it’s not of priority. Pardon d’avance pour vous déranger.

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Currently I’m a student at the 4th year of my BSc degree (Applied Physics, to mention that I’d like to apply physics methods into practice but do not want to learn theoretical physics), studying in Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. Last winter in 2016, I applied for graduate schools in both countries - as you’ve known, France and USA. I will further my studies in Electrical/Electronic Engineering subjects, mostly referring to signal processing and computer related electronics.

I learnt French for some years. My first French lesson was taught when I was 13 and I continued to get in touch with the language during my high school. After certain misfortune in my matriculation exam, I came to this university. And in my 2nd year at this university, I decided to pick up French just to give myself a second choice when it comes to moments like applying for schools or jobs, because I did make a wrong choice that pivoted my life and I really do not want that thing happens again. Therefore I planned to apply for some French schools as “backups” for my graduate studies (at least it was my first thought).

Then I learnt so much about the kind of “confusing” French higher education system and gradually understood the superiority of diplôme d’ingenieur. Actually it meets most of my needs and willingness. I do want to become a “generaliste” rather than a technical geek. I love liberal arts though I’m not proficient in those areas. I also want to know more about the history of the revolution of science and philosophy that happened hundreds years ago in Europe. I did not wrote those thoughts in my letter of motivation though, since they are rather naive and immature. Instead, I mostly mentioned my pursuit of knowledge as well as the probability of obtaining a job in France and the CDI after graduation. But still, I had many reasons of studying in France.

I mentioned that I SWOT-ed this situation but it did not yield meaningful results. Hereby I would list some key reasons of both countries and I would really like to know the opinion of a French professor. In China, people barely heard of Grand Ecole system and diplome d’ingenieur. They just treat it as an unknown-somewhat-Master-level diploma. Even if I tried to explain it to the others several times, they would not encourage me to go to France. So I got nearly nothing useful to help me decide… If you are interested in helping me to figure out this dilemma, I would thank you so, so much!

French schools: Supélec, Télécom Bretagne

In China, most of our chances of getting into one of the grands ecoles was going through “programs”. Indeed a few students can apply “sur titre” towards the schools, but most schools do not accept direct application of international students since we haven’t taken the “prepa” procedure. I was about to apply for Télécom ParisTech(ENST) because it had exchange relationship with my university several years ago, and the majors there comply with courses I’ve taken. But when I emailed the international bureau officer M.Naviner, he politely dejected me by telling me that they do not enroll students directly from China.

Then I participated in two programs: Institute Mines-Telecom and Nplusi and got through tests and interviews. Later in December I received several admissions from schools like TB, Mines St. Etienne, Mines Nantes, etc. Meanwhile in the program Nplusi I only applied for Supelec and got its admission, though with a much expensive tuition fee at 15,000 euros for two years. Later I consulted the representative and he frankly told me that I could not apply for bourses like “Bourse d’Eiffel” because “les candidats venant de Nplusi ne sont pas avantagé par rapport à d’autres étudiants.” I felt a little bit depressed when I saw this even though I know Supelec is a really esteemed Grand Ecole. It hampered me to make a full decision of going to France as I worried that we might be treated differently in the school.

Pros:

Great chance of intern and jobs, fully recognized diploma in francophone areas, high rank of combined CentraleSupelec, proficient French after being immersed in France, less fees and rents, short working hours, croissants du matins, meet people from Africa, Arab, Europe, Asia and many more, touring Europe during summer, less Chinese intriguing relationships, the culture and scenery.

Cons:

Difficulties in learning French and learning courses in French, less recognized diploma in China, too high requirements of math and physics, not as competitive as domestic students, few Chinese female students, not easy to work in Paris, less salary than the minimum amount of H1B in USA, not easy to get CDI, refugee issue and Parties of Right-wing tendency.

USA school: Duke

I did have a few other admissions but among them Duke is my preference. Located in a beautiful small forested town with hundred-or-so miles apart from the Atlantic Ocean, the town has a scenery which is as good as it in France. A not topmost but well-known private school’s prestige goes along with a rather not-so-limited course choice policy making it a great track to shift from a student to engineering job seekers. However, it also has drawbacks.

Pros:

Good reputation, unburdened course choice policy, higher Prof/Stu ratio, small scale classes, low apartment rents, good internship chances, do not have to work in a programming company, research chances.

Cons:

Dramatic tuition fees (about 75,000 dollars in total), too many Chinese and Indians, have to cooperate and compete with all sort of Chinese students, small town with less interns and jobs, might have to become a programmer in order to stay in USA, might never be able to speak French and go to Pyrénées, “trop pointu” in tech skills, not easy to get permanent residency visa (Trump H1B drama).

As for Telecom ParisTech that you’ve mentioned, I don’t know if you meant Telecom Lille 1. I understand that those Telecom schools, including ENST/ENSTB/Lille 1/SudParis/EURECOM, are all of really advanced level, but I wish to study in Paris since there are more chances. Actually I don’t have a clear perspective of school selection right now, as all those thoughts hover in my mind… I don’t like the narrow campus of ENST, yet the school is really great and has really selective admission policy. I know I’m far below the qualification of schools like X or ENS, but I did want to join a school which is selective and helpful, concerning more about its students.

Anyway, I will attach my dossiers in the enclosure FYI. Maybe you can help me to define my accurate level so that I can make the choice that suits me better.

Thanks again for your patience. Si vous avez besoin plus de informations, n’hésitez pas à me contacter.

Sincerely yours,

Jérôme