HOW I GOT INTO IFM (INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE LA MODE)

Last winter, I was debating what I wanted my life after college graduation to look like. I considered applying to MBA programs, but after studying fashion abroad for six months, I realized that wasn’t what I truly wanted to spend the next few years doing.

One day, my mom asked if I had considered any grad schools in Paris, and I quickly realized that this was the dream I wanted to pursue. I love business, but even more, I love creative industries and fashion, so I applied to two schools: my dream program, IFM (Institut Français de la Mode), and Parsons in NYC.

I was accepted into IFM and waitlisted at Parsons (where I studied abroad). Go figure.

Here’s how the process went: I went to IFM’s website and applied directly to the Master’s in Science for International Fashion & Luxury Management. The application required two references and consisted mostly of short-answer questions. If you pass the first round, you advance to the interview round.

The interview takes the form of a Zoom call with a few individuals from the Admissions Committee. They ask you one question, for which you have five minutes to prepare a response with your camera off. At the end of the five minutes, you give your answer. My question was, “Fashion: A diktat or individual freedom?”

I used my five minutes to look up the dictionary definition of ‘diktat,’ wrote a few sentences in a Google Doc with my initial thoughts, and refined it with ChatGPT.

Then, I delivered my response as a persuasive speech, as if I were trying to convince the committee of my point. Enthusiasm and engagement help here. The rest of the interview focused on my resume, including questions about my work experience in the luxury industry, my favorite designers, and why Paris specifically appealed to me.

My advice to anyone applying would be to approach the interview with confidence. There are a few Quizlets and posts online about the questions that are asked during the interview, but I didn’t look anything up ahead of time and felt I performed better because I hadn’t overthought it. Beforehand, you can prepare a list of your favorite designers with one or two points about why you like them, and come up with an explanation for why you want to be in Paris. Other than that, I think most questions differ from person to person based on individual experiences. If it’s meant to be, it shall be!