the essential
After hard work, Pauline and Damien look back on their baccalaureate exams in 2023 and embark, optimistically, on ambitious paths full of promise.
This is the big day ! This Friday, June 14, is not like any other for high school students in France, as it kicks off the hostilities for the dreaded baccalaureate. Stress, fatigue or confidence, it’s the outcome of three years of work. This morning, the first test of the year will give way to written French for first grade classes. In the midst of revision, future baccalaureate graduates await the philosophy test which will take place on Tuesday June 18, those of specialties from Wednesday June 19 to Friday June 21, and of course, the grand oral, from June 24 to July 3. And after ? Pauline and Damien, two 2023 high school graduates, go back a year to tell the story.
A diploma simpler than before?
A graduate of the Georges-Leygues high school in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Damien is clear: “In my opinion, this baccalaureate was significantly simpler than in previous years.” With the introduction of continuous assessment in the final grade, the outcome of the results is changed. “I worked a lot during high school, but I was also lucky to have teachers who sometimes overgraded me.”
For her part, Pauline combined boarding life at the Bernard-Palissy high school, in Agen, specializing in math, physics, chemistry and Digital and Computer Science (NSI), Latin options and expert math, as well as the Bachibac section. “I had to work a lot,” she says. I made the mistake of stopping the NSI in favor of physics and it was complicated for me. The most difficult was the Bachibac test because we expected everything except what we got. Fortunately, our teacher had prepared us very well. Finally I got 19.”
Success and hope
Tuesday July 4, 2023 is liberation. What a relief when Pauline obtains 17.42, very good mention. “For Parcoursup, I applied for an information degree at the University of Pau,” says Pauline. “I knew that they mainly looked at the grades for scientific specialties so I gave everything, and I was directly accepted. Today, I can say that I worked so hard in high school, that university comes quite naturally. It’s even easier and everything is very interesting.”
For his part, Damien, with a score of 18.27, won the congratulations of the jury. Subsequently, he was accepted at Enseirb – Matmeca, an engineering school in Bordeaux, specializing in physics and computer science. “Even though the journey is challenging, I completed my 1D year and I am proud of how far we have come,” concludes Damien, full of hope in his voice.
The baccalaureate 10 years ago…
June 2014, Bernard-Palissy high school in Agen, Louise obtained her baccalaureate. At that point, there was no question of specialties. Three majors faced each other in French high school courses: Scientific (S), Literary (L), and Economic and Social (ES). “All the specialties like HLP (Humanity Literature and Philosophy) simply did not exist,” she recalls. “We were put under a lot of pressure and the most stressful thing was the quantity of subjects to revise.” Being in the L sector, Louise had between 30 and 50 texts to learn for the French test, for example.
With a mark of 16.52 and a very good distinction, Louise completed the three years of her English degree before embarking on a master’s degree in journalism at the ESJ in Paris. “I was already writing freelance for the Dépêche du Midi. Now, I am a journalist for them. I would like to continue in this direction, because it is what fits my profile the most. If the opportunity presents itself, I would like to try radio or television.”
