Overview
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering is a highly selective private four-year institution in Needham, Massachusetts. The school accepts 19.1% of applicants and enrolls 373 students.
Admission Statistics
- Acceptance Rate
- 19.1%
- Average SAT
- 1,525
- SAT Range (25th–75th)
- 1,490–1,560
- ACT Composite (avg)
- 35
- Total Enrollment
- 373
Your Chances by SAT Score
Your score is above the 75th percentile. You are a competitive applicant.
Your score falls within the middle 50% of admitted students.
Your score is below the 25th percentile. Other parts of your application will need to stand out.
Admission Guide
Olin's admissions process begins before you even submit your application through Candidates' Weekends, where prospective students work on design challenges and interact with current students and faculty. Your performance during this weekend visit carries weight in admissions decisions, making it essential to attend if invited.
The college expects you to understand its project-based learning model, where you'll design and build real solutions from day one rather than sitting through traditional lectures. Your essays should reference specific examples of how you've created, built, or solved problems outside of standard coursework. Admissions officers want to see evidence that you can handle ambiguous, open-ended challenges without clear instructions.
Don't position yourself as someone who simply excels at following directions or earning high grades. Olin students question assumptions, iterate on failures, and collaborate across disciplines. Your application should show times when you've taken intellectual risks, learned from mistakes, or approached problems from unexpected angles.
The Honor Code at Olin operates on trust and student governance, allowing take-home exams and collaborative work in ways that would be impossible at most engineering schools. Reference this culture of trust and responsibility in your essays, but avoid generic statements about "collaborative learning." Instead, describe specific instances where you've demonstrated integrity when no one was watching.
Many applicants focus too heavily on technical achievements while ignoring Olin's emphasis on considering the societal impact of engineering. The college requires courses in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences not as afterthoughts but as integral parts of your engineering education. Show how you think about the broader implications of technology and design.
Your supplemental essays should demonstrate familiarity with Olin's student-designed curriculum and the role students play in shaping their own education. The college gives students significant input in course creation and campus governance through the Honor Board and other student committees. Don't write about wanting to "attend a small school" when you could write about wanting to help build and improve an educational community.
What It Costs If You Get In
- Average Net Price
- $20,575/yr
- Tuition (in-state)
- $64,458
- Students Receiving Aid
- 13%
After You Graduate
- Graduation Rate (6-year)
- 92.2%
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $129,455/yr
- Freshman Retention Rate
- 98.7%
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Franklin W Olin College of Engineering require SAT or ACT scores for admission?
Olin requires either SAT or ACT scores as part of the application process. The school does not have a test-optional policy.
Can you transfer to Franklin W Olin College of Engineering from another college?
Olin rarely accepts transfer students due to its unique curriculum structure and small class sizes. The college primarily admits first-year students who complete the full four-year program.
What makes Franklin W Olin College of Engineering different from other engineering schools?
Olin offers a project-based curriculum where students work on real engineering problems from their first year. All admitted students receive a half-tuition scholarship that covers 50% of tuition costs.
Does Franklin W Olin College of Engineering offer Early Decision or Early Action?
Olin uses a unique two-phase admission process instead of traditional Early Decision or Early Action. Students apply by January and successful candidates are invited to Candidates' Weekends in the spring for final selection.