<p>DS considering physics, computer science and ECE. Last few months cs seems to be winning out. However he really hasn’t been exposed to any engineering courses just cs and physics classes in high school. It’s hard to know what he really will or won’t like in the end! So olin would give him room to explore it seems?</p>
<p>PA-C - Your son could probably explore some while at Olin. But it is probably not the best plan. Olin offers only Engineering majors… so if physics or pure CS wins… then he’d have to transfer. Olin has a innovative and different course sequence, so it would not be so easy to transfer coursework. </p>
<p>Olin is a niche fit. I’d be leery of sending a kid that is still exploring. And you are right - it’s tough to make the call based on just hs classes. Good luck. And keep asking questions here and with your local hs resources.</p>
<p>That said, there are people who have gone into math graduate school and other non-engineering graduate programs out of Olin. </p>
<p>Olin distinguishes “wanting to be an engineer” and “wanting an engineering education”. </p>
<p>You don’t have to want to be an engineer to attend Olin, but you do have to want an engineering education.</p>
<p>Well said mathinokc. Several Oliners went to med school after graduation last year and one is at Olin working to improve Engineering Education. Olin teaches a way to think that employers and students value. Maybe this will help. [Play</a>, passion, purpose: Tony Wagner at TEDxNYED - YouTube](<a href=“Play, passion, purpose: Tony Wagner at TEDxNYED - YouTube”>Play, passion, purpose: Tony Wagner at TEDxNYED - YouTube) and [Creating</a> Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change The World now available!](<a href=“http://www.tonywagner.com/resources/creating-innovators]Creating”>http://www.tonywagner.com/resources/creating-innovators)</p>
<p>DS and I will be attending CW2. We are really looking forward to it!!! Thanks to parents of current students and alum for all your helpful advice. Please keep it coming!</p>
<p>Bringing this back on-topic. Is there any advice for my D attending and preparing for CW? Other than “be yourself” and such. Do the interviewers overcome differences in the level of outgoing-ness (or shyness) of candidates? Any general advice on preparing for or what to expect in the interviews?</p>
<p>I wish I could tell you something other than be yourself. When you meet the current students, you will see that some are quiet and others are bubbly. They all are genuine and interesting though. The interviewers are professionals, but they are human not scary. There are no stress interviews or trick questions. I think there is a FB group for the students going to CW. Your child might want to ask a current student this question. CW is about determining fit. The students should be trying to figure out if Olin is where they want to live and study for four years. The Olin admin will be trying to figure out if the student will fit into the Olin environment.</p>
<p>I recall a minor logistical glitch - DS didn’t create his nametag. He was sooooo busy senior year that I just tucked it into the Olin paperwork folder so he could kill time on the 4 hour plane ride. But he didn’t see it. </p>
<p>Based on feedback for DS and DH, my suggestion is for students to get involved and enjoy the experience. After CW, Olin zoomed to the top of DS’s list. Others may not feel the same way. That’s why CW is such a great idea.</p>
<p>Last year there were both individual and group interviews. The individual interview was you with alum, student, and professor. The questions are fairly standard interview questions.</p>
<p>In the group interview there is a group of candidates together. Some will talk more than others; that’s okay. Do make sure to speak up when it’s your turn. You’re not punished for being the one who takes a while to warm up in a group (says the mom of a very shy daughter who survived CW and is loving Olin).</p>
<p>As a current student, there is something that I can say for advice to give to your sons and daughters who are coming for CWs—although you might not want to give the advice in turn—don’t fall too much in love with Olin until the acceptance letter arrives, even though it might be hard. Because if somehow the letter is a rejection, it’s gonna be much harder. But you might follow a different school of thought. ;)</p>
<p>Something else that I tell parents (and high school students applying to college) that is extremely more important in the context of CW is that it is all about fit. “Being yourself” isn’t just about relaxing, feeling no pressure, and therefore acing the interviews. It is about portraying the ‘real you’ so that you and other people can honestly tell if you’re a fit. Sometimes trying too hard to prepare for such interviews cause people to create a facade of themselves, and if it so happens that this not-entirely-true image of you gets you accepted to a school, you’d better wish hard that you actually do fit in or you’d be in for four years of misfit-ness. In other words, maybe expect to convince a panel of a few people why you think you fit in here. :)</p>
<p>In any case, though, shyness and outgoingness should not be huge determining factors. Olin is a highly social school, but we don’t expect anyone to be great friends with everyone else. The interviewers do a good job of being fair (and yes, never punish a candidate for taking some time to warm up), but if someone is so shy that he or she is absolutely unable to hold a conversation at all, the interviewers probably won’t be able to help him or her overcome that too much, and for a good reason: he or she will likely have a horrible time at Olin, being ‘forced to socialize’… finally, the design challenge that is held before the interviews generally help candidates come out of their shells. I mean, you’d be with your team of four or five other people trying to design a solution to a seemingly-impossible problem with chaos happening everywhere and the only way you can get a decent prototype up and running is by communicating with your team and working together. Sounds like an excellent ice-breaker (not a hint for what the design challenge will be; disclaimer: I don’t know).</p>
<p>This is excellent advice all the way around…thank you for posting. There is nothing we parents can say that is as helpful as advice from current (or recent) Oliners!</p>
<p>My D will be attending weekend 2. I was really hoping to be coming with her, but I’m not sure that will happen now. <fingers crossed=""></fingers></p>
<p>I hope CW3 went well. Good luck to all!</p>
<p>Seems like CW3 had better weather than CW1 and CW2. Decisions should be posted within 2 weeks. Best wishes to all.</p>
<p>I’m the mom of a Junior, and I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be in your shoes this time next year. Good luck to everyone.<br>
PS</p>
<p>CW3 enjoyed a group with a large international representation, especially from South Korea. The weather was much better than predicted. The parents had informative sessions while the youth were in their design and interview sessions. The staff was friendly and helpful. We had an enjoyable time as parent and child.</p>
<p>The first design activity, which was not evaluated, challenged the youth to design a contraption to “save James Bond from a pursuing nemesis”. Look for Olin to post photos from that activity.</p>
<p>In my CW3 session hosted by the Dean of Admissions, I heard that admissions decisions will be available March 27th, 2013 on-line followed by hard copy mailings.</p>
<p>I recall the Dean of Admissions mentioning that approximately 125-135 Candidates would be offered admissions out of 240 who were invited. That makes sense since their yield rate has been approx. 55%. They have only 77 spots available since there are several admitted last season who took a gap year. Good luck to you all.</p>
<p>MWF -Those stats sound about like what we’ve heard in prior years. </p>
<p>Per Olin emails today:
- decisions will be mailed pn Friday March 22,
- they will be posted on the Olin portal for Candidates on Wednesday March 27.</p>