Student review [#85913] for BSc Mathematics and Physics
at École Polytechnique Paris

I came to École Polytechnique expecting a top-tier university experience based on its reputation, but I’ve been thoroughly disappointed. The first-year courses are extremely easy and lack depth, and after the first semester, regular homework disappears entirely. Despite this, TD attendance is mandatory, yet the TAs typically solve only 3–5 problems out of 10 to 20, meaning that for people who understood the course moderately well they are completely useless.

The language education is also a major letdown. Each semester, students are automatically placed into a higher-level class regardless of their actual results. Worse still, new teachers receive no information whatsoever from the previous ones.

Sports are a mixed bag—some activities are decent, but others are outright terrible – led by instructors who barely speak English. They don’t provide explanations, just issue commands and leave it at that.

Overall, the program feels more like elementary school than a serious university. The mandatory TDs and lectures, the administration’s baffling decisions (like scheduling the same test in different time slots and then blaming the students when cheating inevitably occurs), and the overall atmosphere make it clear that students are not treated as adults here.