“Business Informatics is the perfect major for someone who does not want to become a programmer, but still wants to be connected to the IT sphere.” An interview with student Vsevolod Aleksandrov
About admission
— Tell us a little about yourself.
— Hi everyone! My name is Vsevolod, I am from a small town in the Republic of Karelia. I am still figuring out who I want to be, I always try new things and do my best not to miss opportunities.
— What was important to you when choosing a university?
— In my final school year, I still could not decide which profession I wanted to pursue or where I would apply, but I knew for sure that I did not want to stay in my region and apply to the local Petrozavodsk State University. My heart was drawn to Moscow. I dreamed about the top universities in the country, such as HSE University, but my goal was to get a state-funded place. I did not know about the BVI (admission based on olympiads), so I focused entirely on the Unified State Exam. I chose to take Informatics and Advanced Mathematics because I enjoyed studying technical subjects. A path in IT seemed more promising, but I did not want to be directly involved in programming. In total, I scored 252 on the Unified State Exam and considered universities with lower admission scores: RTU MIREA, RANEPA, MISiS, ITMO, but I found many negative reviews about each of them. The risk of not getting a state-funded place was also too high.
— Which bachelor’s programs did you consider when applying?
— To be honest, I only made the final decision in July. Since I became determined to apply to HSE, I started looking for possible options. And I found a solution — targeted admission. In 2024 a new regulation was introduced, which made it possible to get a state-funded place through a targeted quota and view offers from employers on the open information portal “Rabota Rossii.” Admission was still competitive, and it was unclear how many people and from which employer were applying. The challenges were worth it: in the end, I passed the competition and got into the university of my dreams. The following factors influenced my choice of educational program: focus on business and IT, city of study, university prestige, and the availability of targeted places.
— Why do you think you made the right decision choosing the HSE Graduate School of Business?
— “Business Informatics” is the perfect major for someone who does not want to become a programmer, but wants to be connected to the IT sphere. I really enjoy studying business disciplines and analyzing business processes. The program provides a strong mathematical foundation and covers many areas of study. After graduation, you can go into entrepreneurship, development, analytics, economics, and so on.
About studying at the HSE Graduate School of Business
— Which subjects and courses did you like the most and why?
— After the first year, there is one subject that became my favorite: the project seminar “SWOT analysis,” which I absolutely loved. In the first year, we studied many mathematical disciplines and programming — this was quite difficult. SWOT analysis helped me switch focus because it did not require a lot of mental effort, but it was very useful and directly related to business. We also wrote a term paper for this subject and defended it during the summer session. I also enjoyed studying microeconomics, as the lectures and seminars were very interesting and closely connected to real life.
— What useful skills have you gained during your studies?
— For example, SWOT analysis helps to broadly analyze the market using various tools: PESTEL analysis, Porter's five forces, and key success factors, which was very useful in case championships. Also, thanks to microeconomics, I learned to better understand certain economic phenomena and I can apply this knowledge in real life.
— How would you assess the workload in your study program?
— The first months were quite challenging because I studied at a regular secondary school and did not have the background in olympiad-level mathematics and programming. There was a lot of material, and it was often difficult. I had to devote time to studying and attending consultations, which is another advantage of studying at HSE. In the first semester, I attended classes 5 times a week and often returned home only late in the evening. And I still had to complete a lot of homework. In the second semester, I already adapted to the workload and studying became easier. Programming is taught online, which also saves time, as it takes a long time to get from the dormitory in the Moscow region to the university.
About opportunities at the HSE Graduate School of Business
— Which opportunities at GSB and HSE in general have you already used?
— I became interested in case championships, as I had never heard of them before, and I completed training at the HSE Case Club. Participating and winning helps develop not only analytical and practical skills, but also teamwork skills, and it looks great on a resume.
I really love GSB for the career weeks, as they provide an opportunity not only to learn about internships and current development trends, but also to understand your value in the labor market. Also, all GSB students can take part in the Grand Ball, which allows you to try dancing and gain new skills. The Graduate School of Business regularly organizes such interesting events.
About extracurricular activities
— Which activities or clubs at HSE do you remember the most?
— During my studies in the first year, I started trying different student organizations. First, I was elected as a member of the GSB Student Council, then I joined the Business Informatics Student Activity organization, and I was also selected as a GSB Ambassador. In the Student Council, I try to do something useful for other students. For example, in the Education Quality Committee, we review course syllabi and write recommendation letters to program heads with possible improvements. In the Business Informatics Student Activity club, the work is more relaxed and allows you not only to enjoy events but also to help organize them. Being an ambassador is an outlet for me, where I develop my communication skills, share my experience with school students and their parents, and motivate them to apply to the Graduate School of Business.
— What do you do outside of studying?
— I participate in case championships, attend talks by interesting speakers, take part in events organized by my student organizations, sometimes take part in different experiments, run my own Telegram channel, and recently decided to participate in a startup development grant. Since I started working, balancing everything has become more difficult, and I have less energy for studying, but I feel that with all this workload and activity, I am living life to the fullest. This is what gives me strength when I start to feel tired.
About work experience
— Have you worked anywhere during your studies?
— Recently, I started working as a business analyst in a developing startup, and the knowledge I gained at HSE helps me to analyze different markets broadly, identify opportunities and threats for the business, and maintain communication with potential clients.
About future plans and advice for applicants to the HSE Graduate School of Business
— How do you see your further professional development?
— I plan to gain experience in a startup while trying to combine it with my studies. By the third year, I want to get an internship at a prestigious company as a business analyst or product manager. I have not yet thought about applying for a master’s program, but if I manage to get a state-funded place, it would be an excellent addition to my bachelor’s degree.
— What advice would you give to applicants to the HSE Graduate School of Business who are applying to your program?
— I advise you not to be afraid and not to focus only on studying. The Graduate School of Business is about opportunities, and they should not be missed. If you, like me, are still searching for yourself, try everything to the fullest. Make sure you have something to remember, because student years are the brightest time in life. And if you are thinking about applying to Business Informatics at the Graduate School of Business, do not hesitate—you will be making the right choice.