Olin College of Engineering, a four-year undergraduate institution in Needham, Massachusetts, was founded in 1997 with a $460 million grant from the F.W. Olin Foundation and a mission to transform engineering education while preparing the next generation of leaders and innovators to do good in the world. In a remarkably short time span, the college has emerged as one of the top undergraduate engineering schools in the U.S., if not the world.
At Olin, we believe in preparing leaders who are not only prepared for the future but can shape it for the better. Our students consider the consequences of the solutions they design, create and put into the world, and the impacts of their contributions. They are working alongside faculty to design renewable energy systems, collaborate with community leaders on low-cost ways to monitor air quality, develop novel medical treatments, start businesses, and teach a new generation of college graduates in the Olin tradition.
Olin's ongoing resolution is to be the kind of engineering college that prioritizes radically forward-thinking project-based learning unencumbered by tradition. We have no departments or tenured faculty, allowing for true collaboration and integration of efforts. Having no academic departments frees faculty to create innovative learning experiences alongside one another.
Our approach to integrating traditional engineering skills with design and entrepreneurial thinking, reinforced through repeated, largescale practice in project-based and stakeholder-focused work, has become a widespread standard for engineering education.
At Olin, it's not just about what students know, but what they do with that knowledge. The curriculum is shaped to develop skills such as communication and teamwork and to provide depth of technical engineering expertise. Our curriculum is based on the idea that engineering starts with people—and ends with people. A fundamental part of our philosophy is that learning occurs through immersion in real-world applications and appreciating the social context of the work.
About
From the School
Contact & Visit
Campus Visits Contact
Address
1000 Olin Way
Needham, MA 02492
Needham, MA 02492
Phone
781-292-2300
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Campus Tours
Campus Tours
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On Campus Interview
Campus Interviews
No
Information Sessions
Available
Times
Faculty and Coach Visits
Dates/Times Available
Class Visits
Dates/Times Available
Varies
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office
Overnight Dorm Stays
Overnight Dorm Stays
Not Available
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Admissions
Overall
From The School
At Olin, we are looking for applicants who are bold, entrepreneurial risk-takers! We are a vibrant community of talented, curious, energetic students and faculty, and we look for students who share our passion for engineering.
When weighing applicants' applications, we certainly look for high achievers who have demonstrated course rigor, academic mastery and impressive test scores. But we also look for students with character and creativity.
If you're considering a future at Olin, we encourage you to challenge yourself as much as possible academically and to enroll in the most rigorous courses available at your high school. A strong calculus and physics foundation is essential to success at Olin and is therefore a requirement for admission.
Students applying to Olin will submit the Common Application or Coalition Application, including Olin-specific member questions and application fee, online through the Common Application website or Coalition Application website. Our application deadline is January 1, 2022. The application must be submitted by 11:59 PM in the applicant's local time zone on that date.
All applications are reviewed in January. We have a holistic review process that carefully evaluates each applicant's academic and personal qualities. In mid-February, applicants will be notified regarding if they are advancing to the second phase of the admission process, Candidates' Weekend.
We invite about 225-250 applicants to participate in Candidates' Weekends. This is an opportunity for both Olin to learn more about applicants, and for applicants to learn more about the Olin community, curriculum and culture. All applicants who reach the second phase of the process are required to participate in Candidates' Weekends, as the information gleaned provides the basis for final admission decisions.
Typically these weekends are held in late February and early March, and in 2022 will be held on campus, virtually, or a combination of both formats. After Candidates' Week, the Admission Committee meets again and makes the final admission decisions. Candidates are notified of their decision by late March.
Overview
Applicants: 907
Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average HS GPA: 3.90
GPA Breakdown
33%
3.75 - 3.99
20%
3.50 - 3.74
2%
3.25 - 3.49
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Learn MoreSAT & ACT Test Scores
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
(enrolled students)
730 - 780
SAT Math
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
(enrolled students)
760 - 800
ACT Composite Scores
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
34 - 35
Testing Policies
Yes
Yes
Deadlines
Regular — January 1
Other Admission Factors
Academic
Rigor of Secondary School Record
Academic GPA
Application Essay
Recommendation(s)
Non-Academic
Interview
Extracurricular Activities
Talent / Ability
Character / Personal Qualities
Level of applicant's interest
Selectivity Rating
Get a personalized plan for a competitive application from an admissions expert.
Learn MoreAcademics
Academics
Overall
From The School
Academic Programs
At Olin, students start engineering right away, with four classes in the first year that provide hands-on experiences in several areas of engineering and entrepreneurship too. These engineering classes are taken alongside the required Olin First Year Introduction (OFYI) course. We've shaped the curriculum so that every student learns about software, electronics and mechanical systems, and has several chances to work with students from other majors on interdisciplinary projects.
Majors and Degrees Offered
Olin offers B.S. degree programs in electrical and computer engineering (ECE), mechanical engineering (ME) and engineering (E) with concentrations in bioengineering, computing, design, robotics and a design your own path.
Faculty and Class Information
Student/Faculty
8:1
Total Faculty
58
with Terminal Degree
46
30
Men
28
Women
13
Minority
Most frequent class size
10 - 19
Most frequent lab / sub section size
2 - 9
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
80%
Graduate in 5 years
92%
Graduate in 6 years
94%
Majors
-
ENGINEERING.
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Engineering, General.
Mechanical Engineering.
Students Say
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts just graduated its sixteenth class in 2021, but it’s already taking the engineering world by storm with its rigorous hands-on program on the “bleeding edge of engineering education.” Olin stresses creating one’s own academic path to its 350 undergraduates: The curriculum weaves independent studies and co-curriculars seamlessly throughout four years of “learning skills through project-based learning in order to use engineering and design for the good of the world.” At the end of their time at Olin, students emerge as engineers with “fantastic and practical technical skill-sets” that they are able to wield in a variety of settings. Classes are “hard, but interesting and worthwhile,” and students are also able to take courses at nearby Babson, Wellesley, and Brandeis. Classes traditionally involve breaking into small groups, and “most problems dividing work in teams have to do with students getting too excited about the work and doing more than their fair share rather than shirking group duties,” says one student. Self-directed study is important here, and Olin encourages students to design their own semester-long project on a topic that interests them through the college’s Passionate Pursuits program. Professors are “extremely dedicated” to the work they are doing at Olin. “I have had professors come to campus at 10 p.m. because they heard that students were struggling with homework assignments, and stay until well after midnight,” says one. Uniqueness is everywhere: There is a tremendous amount of flexibility in the classroom, with almost no lectures; TAs are referred to as Course Assistants; and most semesters offer at least one new experimental course (“and the classes that aren’t new are better than they were last semester”). Faculty are “interested in how their teaching works,” and there is “constant improvement in the curriculum and learning styles.” At the end of the day, “Olin doesn’t create engineers—it prepares them.”
Degrees
Bachelor's
Career Services
On-Campus Job Interviews Available
Yes
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Classes
Internships
Regional Alumni
Opportunities at School
Experiential
Internship
Notable Faculty
Prominent Alumni
Kate Garrett
Co-founder and CEO of Ciel Medical, Inc.
Nate Smith
Founder and CTO of Lever
Dr. Sylvie Stacy
Corporate Medical Director of NaphCare, Inc.
Greg Marra
Director of Project Management at Facebook
Etosha Cave
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Opus 12
Jeff Satwicz
Co-founder and VP of Product Strategy and Innovation at BigBelly
Academic Rating
99/99
Careers
Graduation Rates
Graduate in 4 years
80%
Graduate in 5 years
92%
Graduate in 6 years
94%
Career Services
On-Campus Job Interviews Available
Yes
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Classes
Internships
Regional Alumni
Opportunities at School
Experiential
Internship
ROI & Outcomes
Students Say
Olin College of Engineering offers career planning in its Office of Post-Graduate Planning, which helps students “identify meaningful research, internship, scholarship, professional and graduate school opportunities.” Olin's forward-thinking initiatives, close student faculty relationships, and emphasis on “real-world problems and solutions” prepare students to enter the job market not just as valuable employees, but as potential innovators and entrepreneurs. According to PayScale.com, the median starting salary for Olin graduates is $81,900.
Tuition & Aid
Tuition & Aid
Overview
From The School
Tuition, Room, Board and Fees
Tuition: 55,612
Room: 10, 650
Board: 7334
Fees: 4,933 *includes a laptop fee of $2,656 required + charged in the first year only
Total Cost of Attendance Before Financial Aid $79,024
Financial Aid
Affordability Facts
Incoming Class: 2020-21
Olin Tuition Scholarship: $26,995 Awarded to 100% of enrolled students
Grants and Scholarships: ranged from $26,995 to $78,248
47% qualified for need-based assistance
Dates
Application Deadlines
Notification Date
Apr 1
Required Forms
FAFSA
Financial Aid Statistics
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$55,955
Average Undergraduate Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$54,404
Average Need-Based Loan
$3,026
Undergraduates who have borrowed through any loan program
49%
Average amount of loan debt per graduate
$21,212
Average amount of each freshman scholarship/grant package
$40,247
Financial aid provided to international students
Yes
Expenses per Academic Year
Tuition
$55,612
Required Fees
$730
Average Cost for Books and Supplies
$200
Tuition / Fees Vary by Year of Study
No
Board for Commuters
Transportation for Commuters
On-Campus Room and Board
$17,984
Comprehensive Fee
Available Aid
Financial Aid Methodology
Federal
Scholarships and Grants
Need-Based
Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
Need-Based Federal Pell
Need-Based SEOG
Non-Need-Based
Institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid is available
Federal Direct Student Loan Programs
Direct PLUS Loans
Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFEL)
Is Institutional Employment Available (other than Federal Work Study)
No
Direct Lender
No
Financial Aid Rating
96/99
Student Body
Student Body
Overall
From The School
In fall 2019, there were 386 students in the Olin community, including 347-degree students, 6 exchange students, and 39 cross-registered students. 53% were women, 35% were domestic students of color, and 10% were international students.
Four major organizations provide leadership opportunities for Olin students: the Council of Olin Representatives (CORe) is Olin's student government; the Student Activities Organization oversees clubs and the Student Activities Committee; the Honor Board administers the Honor Code; and SERV coordinates community service. Olin has 63 recognized student organizations providing dozens of additional leadership opportunities. In addition, Olin students may participate in organizations at Babson College, Brandeis University and Wellesley College.
Student Body Profile
Total Undergraduate Enrollment
382
Foreign Countries Represented
11
Demographics
19.94%
Asian
3.05%
Black
11.36%
Hispanic
41.83%
Caucasian
5.26%
Unknown
6.93%
International
52% female
48% male
85% are out of state
94% are full time
6% are part time
Students Say
Olin College hosts an “incredibly intelligent and very motivated” body of individuals that are “not your typical engineer.” Because of the nature of the student body, you can join any group of people at any time and know that they will be having an interesting discussion. “If one wants to have a conversation on middle eighteenth-century philosophy or if the Earth suddenly stopped would we go flying off into space, both are easily found in the dining hall,” says a student. With 80 or so new students flipping each year, some qualities of the student body are “easily changeable” (athleticism, for instance), but this remains a fun group in which “everybody has something that gets them so excited they could stay up all night working on it.”
Campus Life
Campus Life
Overview
From The School
Location
Olin is nestled on 70 acres in Needham, Massachusetts, a suburb 14 miles west of Boston. The nearby campuses of Babson College, Wellesley College and Brandeis University, together with the proximity of Boston and Cambridge, afford students easy access to one of the world's most bustling educational and technological hubs.
Campus Facilities & Equipment
From the design studios to the robotics labs, our facilities are as integral a part of the Olin community as the people who use them. We place great importance on communal spaces, which help create the optimum learning environment by encouraging team-based, hands-on learning.
The campus' five main buildings curve around a central green space that we call "the Oval," which provides a space for students and faculty to come together. This sense of community is heightened due to the fact that nearly all Olin students live on campus in one of two residence halls.
Each of the double rooms in West Hall has a private bath, air conditioning and cable. East Hall has 19 suites, each containing six single occupancy bedrooms, a small living room, two bathroom areas and a suite-sized micro-fridge. There are also 32 double occupancy bedrooms.
Off-Campus Opportunities
Olin has cross-registration agreements that allow students to register for courses at Babson College, Brandeis University and Wellesley College. We encourage students to Study Away and spend one semester of their junior year at another institution that can offer exposure to a different cultural or academic context.
Campus Life
Undergrads living on campus
100%
Help finding off-campus housing
No
93/99
First-Year Students living on campus
100%
Campus Environment
Suburban
99/99
Housing Options
Disabled Student
Dorms Coed
Students Say
There are “lots of things happening for such a small school.” For starters, people “work...a lot.” Students work all day every day and “all the rest of the time seems to get filled by working on random interests.” This quirky and innovative group makes time to go on a quick adventure and “explore the local forest, make a code that does something stupid, or eat chips and watch YouTube videos” in the “hotel-room-sized dorms.” For first-years and sophomores, lounge culture is really big in the dorms, and “if you ever want something to do, just explore the lounges and you will find something.” It’s easy for students to get to Boston, and “there are always students up for spontaneous fun things” like sudden dodgeball in the dining hall or a random dance party. There’s even a mailing list called Carpe Diem in which “people randomly send out info on fun things they are doing all the time so others can join.” A lot of the things students do in their spare time are the same things they do for school, because “what we’re doing in class is genuinely fun.”
Special Needs Admissions
College Entrance Tests Required
No
Interview Required
No
Special Need Services Offered
Student Activities
Registered Student Organizations
Number of Honor Societies
Number of Social Sororities
0
Number of Religious Organizations
Sports
Athletic Division
None
Student Services
Health
Sustainability
65/99
Campus Security Report
Campus Security Report
The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.
Please visit The Princeton Review’s page on campus safety for additional resources: http://www.princetonreview.com/safety
The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/
Other Information
Campus-wide Internet Network
Yes
% of Classrooms with Wireless Internet
100
Fee for Network Use
No
Partnerships with Technology Companies
Yes
Personal computer included in tuition for each student
Yes
Discounts Available with Hardware Vendors
Yes
Description
Dell
