Olin College

Olin College offers degrees in electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering and engineering. Within the engineering program, students may concentrate in computing, design, biological engineering, materials science, or systems design, or they may design their own concentrations with the administration's approval.

Unlike many institutions, Olin College does not have separate academic departments. All faculty members hold five-year renewable contracts without offering tenure.[7]

Classes emphasize context and interdisciplinary connections. Freshmen take integrated course blocks that teach engineering, calculus, and physics by exploring the relationships among the three subjects. Arts, humanities, social sciences, and entrepreneurship courses take an interdisciplinary approach to subjects such as the self ("What Is I?"), history ("History of Technology"), and art ("Wired Ensemble" and "Seeing and Hearing").

Olin also emphasizes practically grounded education, connecting concepts to real-world challenges and projects. Beginning in their first year, students receive training in Olin's machine shop for project-based work. First-year students are required to take "Design Nature", in which they design and build mechanical toys based on biological systems (such as the click beetle's jumping mechanism). Classes often take a "do-learn" format, with the application of concepts being taught before the formal introduction of the underlying theory.

As part of its mission to redefine engineering education, Olin is continually undergoing curriculum reviews. The goal of these reviews is to ensure that the college maintains a culture of change and continuous improvement. Significant aspects of the curriculum — such as student assessment, course offerings, and student workload — are considered for detailed review yearly.

Olin's academic culture is heavily influenced by its honor code. Exams are usually not held for most courses but a project-based pattern is followed and students have to work on final projects instead. In general, the academic culture is highly informal, and some members of the upper administration teach classes.

Much of Olin College's curriculum is built around hands-on engineering and design projects. This project-based teaching begins in a student's first year and culminates in two senior "capstone" projects. In the engineering capstone,[8] student teams are hired by corporations, non-profit organizations, or entrepreneurial ventures for real-world engineering projects. In the Affordable Design and Entrepreneurship (ADE) capstone, students work on self-designed projects.[9]

Olin College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.[10]

Admissions to Olin College are highly selective, with, as of Fall 2022, 19% of applicants being admitted and the interquartile (middle 50%) of admitted students submitting scores under Olin College’s test-optional policy having SAT scores between 1500 and 1550 or ACT score of 35.[11]

Admissions Office considers a student's GPA to be a very important academic factor, with a very high emphasis on an applicant's letters of recommendation, application essays, the rigor of academic record, and high school rank. In terms of non-academic materials as of 2022, Olin ranks extracurricular activities, the interview, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities as 'very important' in making first-time, first-year admission decisions while ranking whether the applicant is a first-generation college applicant, legacy preferences, state and geographical residence as 'considered'. Volunteer work, racial/ethnic status, and work experience are marked as 'important'. The level of an applicant's interest is highly accounted for in the admission decisions.[11]

Olin College's admission process is non-conventional and follows a two-step process. Applicants first apply for admission through the Common App, and all applications are reviewed in January. A holistic review process then carefully evaluates each applicant’s academic and personal qualities to determine whether they will advance to the second phase of the admission process. About 225-250 applicants are invited to participate in the second phase, Candidates’ Weekends, for them 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.[18]

All accepted students receive the merit-based Olin Tuition Scholarship, which pays for half of the tuition and covers cross-registration of courses with Babson College, Wellesley College, and Brandeis University. Olin also shares clubs and intramural sports with those colleges. In addition to the Olin Scholarship, Olin follows need-blind admissions and provides need-based grants to meet each student's full demonstrated need.[19] Olin also allows students to receive funding and non-degree credit for "passionate pursuits," personal projects that the college recognizes as having academic value.

It used to provide full-tuition scholarships, but in 2009, responding to a significant decline in the college's endowment caused by the Great Recession, the trustees decided to reduce the merit scholarships to half-tuition for all students since the 2010-11 academic year.[20]

The Miller Academic Center at night

Olin College houses students in dorms and suites in either the West Hall or the East Hall. Olin students are required to live on campus unless an exception is made by the dean of student life due to personal circumstances (e.g., for married students or students with families nearby). In addition, the Office of Student Life picks student "resident resources" (R2s) to fill the role traditionally played by resident assistants (RAs) at other schools. Unlike most RAs, R2s are not directly responsible for enforcing dorm policies.

The Olin Honor Code has five clauses, titled "Integrity", "Respect for Others", "Passion for the Welfare of Olin College", "Openness to Change", and "Do Something".[21] The code and related policies can be amended by a majority of students at a meeting of at least half of the student body. If students voted to abolish the code, governing policies set by the Office of Student Life would take effect.

The honor board — consisting of students elected by their peers, with one faculty adviser — is the main disciplinary structure at the college. When a violation of the honor code is alleged, the board decides if sanctions are warranted and, if so, what kind of sanctions. Penalties must be approved by the dean of student life.

As of 2017, faculty and teachers are not required to sign the Honor Code as first years are supposed to during orientation.

Students can participate in clubs, community service projects, co-curricular activities with faculty and staff (which are noted on transcripts), and "passionate pursuits" (independent projects eligible for funding and/or non-degree credit).

The college has a variety of clubs and organizations that support the arts, including the Power Chords (an a cappella group), the Franklin W. Olin Players, a film club, and a conductorless orchestra.

Olin does not compete alone in the NCAA, and the regional NCAA conference — the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference[22] — has not given approval for students to compete with Babson's varsity teams. Olin students are, however, allowed to participate in club teams and non-NCAA sports at Babson, and the Babson women's rugby team includes several Olin members. Olin has two soccer teams that compete through a Boston athletic organization,[23] as well as an Ultimate team that competes in the BUDA league[24] and the Ultimate Players Association.[25] Additionally, students participate in Sunday morning football games, intramural sports, pick-up Ultimate games, the Student Martial Arts Club, a fencing club, and other athletic organizations.

Campus clubs form in an ad-hoc fashion whenever a group of students unite around a common interest and apply for recognition. Funding is managed by the Student Activities Organization.

Olin students compete in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling every year. In 2002, a team from Olin received the highest rating in the contest; in 2005, an Olin team received the highest rating and earned the INFORMS Prize. Some students compete in design projects at the Society of Automotive Engineers' Mini-Baja competition and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Human Powered Vehicle competition. Others are members of the Olin Automatons, a group dedicated to autonomous vehicle technology, which was originally formed to develop an autonomous vehicle for the DARPA Grand Challenge.

The college has no fraternities or sororities. An "underground" alumni group known as the Combs Society works to extend and adapt the Olin culture, brand, and mission.

In 2002, the Olin Partners and Virtual Olin Partners selected the phoenix as the school's mascot. The mascot, sometimes unofficially called Frank, represents Olin's willingness to reinvent itself, just as the phoenix is reborn from its ashes. In 2013, Olin underwent a rebranding, and the original school colors, blue and silver, are now seen together only in the school seal and on diplomas. Everywhere else, the school now uses gradients of bright colors.