HEC Paris vs EDHEC Business School vs Audencia Business School vs Excelia Business School vs ESSCA School of Management

Side-by-side comparison from 189 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Forward College (4.90)
HEC Paris: wins 0/7 categories
EDHEC Business School: wins 0/7 categories
Audencia Business School: wins 0/7 categories
Excelia Business School: wins 0/7 categories
ESSCA School of Management: wins 0/7 categories
Forward College: wins 7/7 categories
Ecole des Ponts Business School: wins 0/7 categories
Comparing
Paris, France
4.10
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31 reviews
×
Best programme: Computer Engineering
Best programme: Business Administration in Management
Best programme: MSc in International Management & Business
La Rochelle, France
4.10
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51 reviews
×
Best programme: Master of Science (MSc)
Best programme: International Business
Paris, France
4.90
Top
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16 reviews
×
Best programme: Politics and International Relations
Best programme: AI in Project Management
Category ratings
Facilities
4.18
4.24
3.92
4.01
3.86
4.47
Win
4.33
Location
3.92
3.78
4.06
4.22
4.33
5.00
Win
4.50
Professors
4.01
4.33
4.14
3.90
3.95
5.00
Win
4.80
Internationality
4.44
4.43
4.32
4.29
3.86
4.75
Win
4.60
Student life
4.34
4.15
3.99
4.26
4.24
4.73
Win
4.33
Value
4.34
4.07
4.19
3.95
3.77
4.63
Win
4.00
Accommodation
4.02
3.20
3.65
3.52
3.50
4.33
Win
3.00
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Strong academics and practical application from expert faculty
  • +Supportive community and engaging student body
  • +Excellent career preparation and global opportunities
  • +High-quality, practical teaching from experienced professors
  • +Strong industry connections and career support
  • +Valuable alumni network and networking opportunities
  • +Supportive learning environment with good teachers and diverse international community.
  • +Excellent facilities and well-designed courses catering to professionals.
  • +Ideal student city with good amenities and student-friendly scheduling.
  • +High-quality teaching and relevant, practical programs
  • +Strong student support and career development resources
  • +International environment and diverse student body
  • +Supportive and inclusive learning environment
  • +Practical and applied learning methods
  • +Vibrant student life and international opportunities
  • +Engaging learning environment with interactive methods
  • +Diverse and international student community
  • +Unique multi-city European study experience
  • +Strong career advancement and market-relevant skills.
  • +High-quality faculty and engaging curriculum.
  • +Welcoming community and supportive staff.
Cons
  • -Administrative and management issues, including disorganization and perceived arrogance.
  • -Poor teaching quality, with a lack of encouraging discussion and limited course selection.
  • -Limited career prospects and lack of international recognition.
  • -Steep tuition fees strain financial investment.
  • -Outdated facilities and lack of practical tool training.
  • -Unsupportive professors who dismiss constructive criticism.
  • -Limited opportunities for student interaction and networking.
  • -Superficial academic content and lack of depth in courses.
  • -Unprofessional training and limited internship/apprenticeship support.
  • -Unprepared and unhelpful professors.
  • -Irrelevant courses and outdated curriculum.
  • -Poor organization and administrative issues.
  • -Administrative & management issues cause frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and equipment are a concern.
  • -Lack of transparency and communication is prevalent.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor upkeep are prevalent.
  • -Lack of resources and support hinder academic progress.
Rating summary
What students say

This institution garners an exceptional rating for **Internationality** at 4.44. **Student Life** and **Value** also score highly, both around 4.34. Conversely, **Location** received the lowest score at 3.92, indicating it is the relative weakness among the surveyed aspects. Other areas like Facilities, Professors, and Accommodation fall within a strong range of 4.0 to 4.18.

An analysis of university ratings reveals a generally positive reception across key aspects. Internationality stands out as the strongest area, receiving the highest score. Conversely, accommodation was rated lowest among the surveyed categories. Facilities, professors, student life, and value all received solid marks, indicating a well-rounded student experience with areas for potential improvement.

This institution garners high marks in several key areas, with Internationality standing out as its strongest point. Professors and Value also received commendations. Areas for potential improvement include Accomodation, which presents as the weakest rated aspect, followed by Facilities. Student Life and Location are rated well, indicating a generally positive student experience.

This university demonstrates impressive strengths, particularly in **Internationality** (4.29), **Student Life** (4.26), and **Location** (4.22). Facilities and value also receive solid marks. The weakest area, while still respectable, is **Accomodation** (3.52). Overall, the institution offers a well-rounded experience with distinct advantages in fostering an international and engaging student community.

This institution demonstrates considerable strengths in its **location**, scoring an impressive 4.33, and in **student life** at 4.24. Ratings for professors and internationality are also solid. The weakest area appears to be **accommodation**, receiving a score of 3.5. Overall, the university presents a generally positive picture with room for improvement in specific aspects.

This university garners excellent reviews, particularly excelling in its **professors and location**, both achieving perfect scores. Student life and internationality also stand out with scores above 4.7. Areas with slightly lower, though still strong, ratings include **facilities and accommodation**. Overall, the university presents a well-rounded positive student experience with high marks across most aspects.

This university garners exceptional scores in academic and social aspects, with Professors receiving a near-perfect 4.8 and Internationality a strong 4.6. Facilities and Student Life are also well-regarded at 4.33. Location and Value are solid at 4.5 and 4 respectively. However, Accomodation stands out as a weaker area, scoring a significantly lower 3.

Reviews summary
Highlights

~74% of 31 reviews are positive, highlighting excellent professors, strong community, and a balance of academics with practical and global opportunities. A small percentage (~6.5%) expressed disappointment with program organization or teaching quality.

~98% of reviews are positive, highlighting outstanding teaching quality, practical courses, and strong corporate/alumni networks for career development. One review expressed concerns about high tuition fees relative to investment.

University reviews are highly positive (~94%), highlighting a great learning environment, good facilities, and an international student community. A small portion (~6%) expressed disappointment with practical training and professor availability.

~94% of 52 reviews are positive, highlighting excellent teaching, professors, and career preparation. A small percentage of negative feedback mentions superficial course coverage and a lack of practical value.

With a 3.91/5 average, ~74% of 22 reviews are positive, praising helpful staff, enjoyable campus life, and practical teaching. Two negative reviews (9.1%) cited unprepared professors and irrelevant courses.

Students highly praise the interactive learning, international community, and opportunities for academic and personal growth. There are no negative reviews.

With 100% positive sentiment, student reviews highlight strong career advancement and valuable skills gained. Frequent themes include high-quality courses, competent professors, and practical relevance. Some students desired stronger post-graduation support and a more engaged alumni network.

Rating distribution
5★
35%
39%
33%
31%
27%
94%
40%
4★
45%
52%
61%
57%
50%
6%
60%
3★
13%
9%
0%
8%
14%
0%
0%
2★
3%
2%
6%
4%
5%
0%
0%
1★
3%
0%
0%
2%
5%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked
Diversity and quality of fellow students

Very international and interesting place to be and opens a lot of opportunities, however the administration is very french and facilities are subpar (gym, classrooms) meaning the academic affairs is pretty much useless and lastly we are graded on a curve which can create a toxic environment because of the competition. With that being said the pros outweighs the cons by far.

Enriching Experience

I absolutely love everything about EDHEC, beginning from the pedagogy to the atmosphere it provides to the students (especially international) on campus. The extracurricular activities like sports, associations are very helpful. Also, the career service provided is top-notch. Therefore, I would call it an enriching experience so far.

Focus on multicultural business management

I have been quite satisfied by the quality of teaching at Audencia. The lecturers and professors are knowledgeable and place an emphasis on professionalism and leveraging culture in business dealings.

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Well-rounded programme

Overall, I had a positive experience at ESSCA. The programme is well organized and provides a solid foundation in business and management. The courses were generally of good quality and covered a broad range of topics, helping students develop both academic knowledge and practical skills. One of the aspects I appreciated most was the international exchange during the third year. ESSCA has a good network of partner universities, and the opportunity to study abroad was a valuable part of the programme. Student life is also a real strength of the school. The associative environment is active and offers many opportunities to get involved outside the classroom, meet new people, and gain additional experience. Like any programme, some courses were more engaging than others, but overall I found the experience enriching and would recommend it to students looking for a business school with a strong international dimension and a good balance between academics and extracurricular activities.

Great modern university approach

I am currently a 3rd year student at Forward College and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to other students. The interactive approach of Forward where questions, debate, and discussion were encouraged enhanced my learning so much and I feel like I genuinely enjoyed every class. Having the experience of living in 3 different cultures, surrounded by people from all over the world made this experience even more special and helped me develop and grow in so many ways. Another aspect I have loved are the professors. Speaking with friends at other university I am so grateful to have teachers that actually know us, are excited to teach and interact with us, and will always take the time to help you.

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