What is a "classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles" ?

A French specific two years undergraduate programme leading to a nation-wide competitive examination into a French "Grande ecole".

The programme includes high level courses in :

mathematics, physics, chimistry, computer and engineering sciences, as well as humanities (foreign languages and philosophy) in a scientific class;

mathematics, humanities, history, geography and economics in a management class;

a lot of humanities, history, geography in a arts class.

Glossary :

TIPE :  pratical initiation to research methodology and communication.

Grandes ecoles : France's leading schools in engineering, management...