Non-Profit Private
Accredited · New England Commission on Higher Education
Needham, Massachusetts
21.7% Acceptance Rate
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
21.7%Acceptance Rate
3.9Avg GPA
1540Avg SAT
35Avg ACT
$81,486Annual Cost
$129,455Grad Salary
13.5%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
21.7%
Avg GPA
3.9
Avg SAT
1540
Avg ACT
35
Selectivity
Highly Competitive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1480–1560
ACT Middle 50%
34–35
Need-Based Aid
13.5% receive Pell
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, founded in 1997, is a small, innovative engineering college in Needham, Massachusetts, known for its project-based curriculum and tuition-free education (through generous scholarships). Olin's unconventional approach emphasizes creativity, entrepreneurship, and interdisciplinary learning. All students receive a degree in engineering with concentrations in areas like robotics, bioengineering, or design. The college's hands-on pedagogy includes the signature 'SCOPE' program where seniors work on industry-sponsored projects.
Olin's 75-acre campus features modern maker spaces, design studios, and collaborative learning environments. With a student-faculty ratio of 8:1, Olin fosters close mentoring relationships. The college's partnership with Babson College and Wellesley College allows for cross-registration and joint programs. Olin's alumni are engineering innovators and entrepreneurs who lead in technology companies and startups worldwide. The college's experimental approach serves as a model for engineering education reform.
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate at Franklin W Olin College of Engineering is 21.7%, which puts it squarely in the 'reach for most, match for the well-prepared' category.
What Olin College of Engineering Admissions Looks For
- Sustained Involvement: Depth in 2–3 activities reads better than breadth across ten.
- Clear Intent: Interviews and supplements should show why this school specifically, not just any selective school.
- Consistent Academics: A steady record of A-level performance across core subjects is expected.
Selectivity at a Glance
Highly Competitive
Selectivity scale: Highly Competitive — 21.7% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Olin College of Engineering reviews the whole profile, not just grades — a well-crafted personal statement genuinely moves the needle here.
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.90 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.70 – 3.89
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.45
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Franklin W Olin College of Engineering is November 1 for Early Decision I applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 93 days left — Early Decision I
Early Decision I
November 1
Decision by: December 15
Early Decision II
January 2
Decision by: February 15
Regular Decision
January 15
Decision by: April 1
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Olin College of Engineering GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Olin College of Engineering is 3.9. That makes admissions here extremely selective. Most admitted students carry straight A's, with very little room for a B.
If your GPA sits between 3.60 and 3.9, a high SAT or ACT score is the most reliable way to compensate.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 4.10–4.30.Olin College of Engineering GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Extreme selectivity; requires elite academic standing.
Recommended Strategy: High Course Rigor (AP/IB/Honors) to validate the grade.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.90 – 4.00
Academic Target
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.70 – 3.89
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.50 – 3.69
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.49
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Test-optional; no SAT Essay/ACT Writing required or weighted.
- Two-stage admission: file review, then invitation-only Candidates' Weekends (late Feb/early March) before final decisions in mid-March.
- 2026-2027 cycle Common App deadline is December 15, 2026; reply-with-intent deadline is May 1.
- 92% six-year graduation rate; median post-enrollment income reported well above national median.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Olin College of Engineering
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Franklin W Olin College of Engineering's verified institutional data
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering (Olin College of Engineering) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Olin College of Engineering is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Olin College of Engineering Without SAT or ACT?
Olin College of Engineering considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering Average SAT Score: 1540
The average SAT score of admitted students at Franklin W Olin College of Engineering is 1540 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1540 — Extremely Competitive
This places Olin College of Engineering in the top tier nationally for SAT scores — well above the 75th percentile of all US test-takers.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1560 SAT or 35 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Franklin W Olin College of Engineering allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1480, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Olin College of Engineering. Retaking multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 775 | 760 | 790 |
| SAT Reading | 745 | 720 | 770 |
| SAT Composite | 1540 | 1480 | 1560 |
Below 1480, you're behind most admitted students; at 1560 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1550
Can I get into Franklin W Olin College of Engineering (Olin College of Engineering) with a 1550 SAT?
A 1550 SAT puts you ahead of most of Olin College of Engineering's admitted class — but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering (Olin College of Engineering) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Olin College of Engineering is 35.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 35 — Extremely Competitive
An average of 35 places Olin College of Engineering among the most ACT-competitive schools nationally.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 34 | 32 | 36 |
| ACT English | 35 | 34 | 35 |
| ACT Composite | 35 | 34 | 35 |
Can I get into Franklin W Olin College of Engineering with a 35 ACT?
A 35 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Olin College of Engineering's admitted students — a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections — English, Math, Reading, and Science — each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section (Science, especially, at STEM-focused schools) stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at Olin College of Engineering.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Olin College of Engineering
Selective Strategy: Competitive Positioning
Olin College of Engineering rewards consistency. Being a top-quartile applicant here doesn't just help admission odds — it's usually what unlocks the strongest scholarship offers too.
Write the required 500-word essay as a values match, not a resume recap
Olin's required prompt asks how Olin's mission (using engineering to positively impact lives) aligns with your own values and how you'll use your education to change the world. Anchor it in one specific, personally-lived reason you care about a problem - generic "I love building things" engineering-school essays read as interchangeable to this committee.
Use the optional 250-word essay only if it adds something new
This prompt exists to surface anything missing from your file - extenuating circumstances, or a story that doesn't fit elsewhere. Skip it if you'd just be repeating your Common App essay in miniature; a thin optional essay signals you didn't understand its purpose.
Prepare specifically for Candidates' Weekend, since it's a second full admission round
Advancing past the initial file review doesn't mean you're in - you're invited to a Candidates' Weekend with a hands-on design project, an interview, and a group exercise, and admission decisions come after that weekend, not before. Practice genuine collaborative problem-solving (not solo brilliance) since the group exercise specifically evaluates how you work with others under time pressure.
Disclose any AI use honestly, and don't paste in generated text
Olin explicitly states that essays relying on tools like ChatGPT will read as inauthentic in voice and tone, and copy-pasted AI text is not permitted (grammar/spell-check tools are fine). Write a rough draft entirely yourself first; use AI only to catch typos afterward, not to generate content.
Expert Insight:
Applicants sometimes over-invest in test scores and under-invest in the Candidates' Weekend group exercise, assuming it's a formality after a strong file gets them the invite. It isn't - Olin has historically declined to admit strong-on-paper candidates who performed poorly in the collaborative design exercise, since the school's whole model is project-based teamwork.
Olin College of Engineering Profile
Full Name
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering (Olin College of Engineering)
City
Needham
State
Massachusetts
ZIP Code
02492-1200
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
Is a Olin College of Engineering Degree Worth It?
Olin College of Engineering offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes — the figures below are a starting point.
How much does a degree from Olin College of Engineering Cost?
The sticker price is $81,486/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
13.5% of students receive a Pell Grant and 22% take federal loans at Olin College of Engineering — file your FAFSA early and list Olin College of Engineering as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Olin College of Engineering Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $129,455 — about 219% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Franklin W Olin College of Engineering. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont, CA | 1514 | 34 |
| Pomona College | Claremont, CA | 1520 | 34 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | 1501 | 34 |
| Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT | 1513 | 34 |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | 1494 | 33 |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 1507 | 33 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | 1526 | 34 |
| University of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN | 1510 | 34 |
| Bowdoin College | Brunswick, ME | 1514 | 34 |
| Colby College | Waterville, ME | 1500 | 33 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Franklin W Olin College of Engineering. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey Mudd College | Claremont, CA | 1537 | 35 |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | 1534 | 34 |
| Washington University in St Louis | St. Louis, MO | 1530 | 34 |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 1533 | 34 |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | 1535 | 35 |
Degree Programs at Olin College of Engineering
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Olin College of Engineering Admissions
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering graduates typically earn around $129,455 a year, on the higher end depending on industry.
At about $81,486 a year, Franklin W Olin College of Engineering's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering's Pell Grant rate of 13.5% sits below the national average — merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 21.7%, Franklin W Olin College of Engineering's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Franklin W Olin College of Engineering average a 3.9 GPA.
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.6 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.5, Franklin W Olin College of Engineering becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Franklin W Olin College of Engineering — aim above 1540, ideally within the 1480–1560 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Franklin W Olin College of Engineering is November 1 for Early Decision I applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
Explore Other Options
Acceptance Rate of all Massachusetts Colleges
Average SAT Score of Massachusetts Colleges
Average ACT Score
Admissions deadlines of Colleges in Massachusetts
Bachelor Programs in Massachusetts
Test Optional Colleges in Massachusetts
SAT Score Wise Best Colleges
ACT Score Wise Best Colleges
Rolling Admissions Colleges in Massachusetts