Chiara Farronato

I chose the Joint Degree program Bocconi-Université catholique de Louvain as any other international experience before: I wanted to travel, learn new languages and meet new people. But the Joint Degree gave me much more: strong knowledge in the economic disciplines, the opportunity to work as teaching assistant the following year and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be accepted for the PhD in economics at Stanford University. My first year at Bocconi provided me with the basic quantitative tools in statistics and mathematics. The second year core classes at Université catholique de Louvain offered a deep understanding of the three main branches of economics: microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. Professors were accessible and supportive, providing useful guidance for my future in the academic environment. Thanks to them, I was offered a position as teaching assistant in Louvain. This allowed me to experience teaching and research in a friendly environment, which ultimately lead me to apply for PhD programs abroad. Professors' support and my cv earned me a place in the economics department at Stanford University. Pressure and learning have never ended, but I feel that the knowledge and people met during my joint degree have given me the indispensable strengths for another successful experience."