<p>Basically I found out about Olin last year through my mom and I've been completely in love with it ever since. My dad works for IDEO and so I went to go visit Olin with him this year. It completely went beyond anything I could've ever dreamed! It's kind of silly (I know) to be so in love with a college when I'll only be a junior next year. But I can't imagine myself anywhere else! I've already read all the previous threads and I know people have asked a lot about the qualifications needed to get in, but I'll phrase this is a slightly different way:</p>
<p>Everything I know and love about Olin is AMAZING! yet everything seems so untouchable and impossible. When I went there this year all the students seemed to be just like me...it was a feeling I've never felt before in high school. All the students who get in seem perfectly well rounded. I have several passions and pursue them eagerly...I've lived in two other countries and speak 3 languages...I get great grades...but is that enough? Is there any advice anyone can give me? On the topic of being "well articulated"...that might be a weak point for me. I think quick but I can't always speak as quick. Is that a potential "downfall" in getting into Olin? Thanks guys! Anything helps.</p>
<p>From my experience at Candidate's Weekend, there were quite a few people who didn't have great public speaking skills and still were admitted. And I don't mean they couldn't give speeches, I mean they'd stare at their shoes while they talked. It seems to me the admissions committee can see past a little shyness or nervousness.</p>
<p>It is not silly to fall in love with Olin - it happens to everyone! But take it from someone who was not admitted - fall in love with other places, too. The only thing that made Olin's rejection bearable was the fact that I had a back-up school I loved for different reasons (unfortunately, I could not afford to go to that school, but my case was, I think, a rare one). If you apply to several schools that you're really excited about, almost all news would be good news - an acceptance means you still have that option open, but a rejection mean your decision is being made for you.</p>
<p>Don't try to do anything just to get into Olin - keep pursuing your passions and work really hard in school, that's all. The only thing that would hurt your record is if you don't take Calculus, but if your school just doesn't offer it, that requirement can be waived, too.</p>
<p>
[quote]
From my experience at Candidate's Weekend, there were quite a few people who didn't have great public speaking skills and still were admitted. And I don't mean they couldn't give speeches, I mean they'd stare at their shoes while they talked. It seems to me the admissions committee can see past a little shyness or nervousness.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Maybe a few people, but I thought that candidate's weekend was generally for the purpose of making sure you weren't "anti-social" so to speak. You were, after all, in a room with 75 kids you didn't know, and chances are if you don't step out and start introducing yourself and all there, you won't be the sort of leader Olin ultimately hopes to train. But I would say being inarticulate is not a thing that will keep you from Olin... I can be terribly inarticulate when just speaking in conversation, but I introduced myself to everyone I saw and spoke truthfully about how I felt about Olin, and hey, I'll be there next fall.</p>
<p>And another thing-- I never expected to get in. In some ways, I still don't believe it.</p>
<p>I'm just like the OP... I'll be a senior next year
Although I am totally in love with the school, I have backups in case (most likely) of rejection, which is what you should do too.
Try not to fall too much in love with any school - After all you can be successful no matter where you go.</p>
<p>We must have been at different CWs, because I was really surprised at some of the shyness. It doesn't mean you're anti-social if you can speak well in crowds, and you're not anti-social just because you don't have an outgoing personality. The kid I was referring to actually did take the initative to introduce himself - he was just staring at his shoes the whole time. I think Olin sees through that kind of nervousness, because it can be changed after four years in a good environment. Some people act that way because of how they were treated in high school.</p>
<p>Yeah, the person I was thinking of went well beyond that kind of nervousness. He had some pretty obviously poor hygiene habits (I won't elaborate, but it wasn't a case of forgetting deoderant that day or anything else accidental). The problem with such bad hygiene is that it shows either that he didn't understand it made others uncomfortable (extremely bad at reading people) or worse, that he didn't really care enough to make a few small changes. Either way, it showed very low leadership potential. Shyness is absolutely preferable to that, don't worry! :)</p>
<p>There was a decent mix at CW of shy and outgoing people, in my opinion (and I was at the same one as mognoose and Vela). One boy in my interview group was incredibly nervous, but he still did well at the group interviews.</p>
<p>What Olin seems to want is passion, and it looks like that's what you have. They want you to bring that passion with you to Olin and embrace being the best you can be. I would definitely tell you to go for it, though as Vela said, with any college there is that risk of rejection. If you are on the inarticulate side, it's not going to kill you if they like you otherwise. Just try your best at the interviews and overall enjoy yourself at CW if you make it. Good luck :)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! this is all really helpful. I'm not really a shy person per se. I do well in social situations and I love meeting new people. I can also give pretty good structured speeches given just a little time to prepare. What I was refering to as not being "well articulated" is that I'm kind of weak in impromtu, well organized talks (debate-like speeches, etc.). It's definitely something I'm working on though.</p>
<p>Also, correct me if I'm wrong, since Olin implements innovation into their academic program I'm assuming they want students to do the same in their projects/class work. I won a first place award at the state science fair this year on an engineering project that re-designed pointe shoes (for ballet...since I love it) so they were more ergonomic, safer, comfortable, etc. Is this the type of thing Olin does? I have had my head in this project the entire year and I truly love it. Most of my judges suggested I should patent the design but I'm still not sure about that. I'm currently working on creating the final model. </p>
<p>Also, what type of work (I heard there's a lot of homework) do Olin students receive?</p>
<p>The best answers to your questions will come from current Olin students. It looks like you live fairly close to Olin. Visit campus in the fall, meet with a sophomore or junior. </p>
<p>Olin has had an open house in August over the last few years aimed at women interested in engineering. If you email the admissions folks, they'll let you know about any similar up-coming events.</p>
<p>The Women's Open House is going to be August 6th. I was told that registration begins at noon and the program will run from 1:00pm until about 4:00pm. I don't know if you have to register in advance, but I'm supposed to be there. You can look for me if you go- I'm Jessi. I'm a rising freshman, though, so it's sort of weird. I can tell you more about admissions than anything else.</p>
<p>Your pointe shoe design sounds awesome, and you should definitely patent it if that's possible! Not many high school students have already patented an invention, and it shows a lot of initiative if you go through that process and your design is good enough to be given a patent.</p>
<p>And yes, that type of innovation happens a lot at Olin. A lot of classes deal with things like user design and physics, and most inventions/research projects that are shown at the Expo (I can't remember if I'm naming the right event or not) blend humanities interests with scientific innovation.</p>
<p>I think you're looking at CW as a little bit too structured... it's not like an impromptu speech so much as it is like being called on to share your opinion on something in class (the group interview). And the solo interview is set up nicely, with three interviewers: a professor, a non-professor school adult (like a librarian) and a student. It's pretty comfortable. My interviewers were cracking jokes, smiling, laughing, and I ended up actually having a good time with it. Definitely talk about the pointe shoe project because it's exactly the kind of thing they like to see: you're tying your science ability into improving what you love. You're bringing the science to life. :)</p>
<p>I'm one of the students who toured you around the school when you visited. You impressed me than with your enthuasism and interest in the school, so I'm glad to hear that it has grown on you in the months past. You say you feel things are untouchable, yet you're already doing the "untouchable"! 3 langauges? I only speak one. A full research project on design that has results tieing together engineering with your passions, done during High School? That like breathes Olin right there. </p>
<p>As long as you continue on an academically rigerous path that makes you happy, and that combines an engineering interest with the motivation to learn and do something about it, (IE, what you're doing right now is fine), I would predict that you will have a very strong application to the admissions committee. </p>
<p>As for the homework - we do a lot, but it's fun work. It's group projects, hard open ended tasks that lead to creativity, and occasionaly the traditional problem sets to drill in information. It's hard work, but no harder than what any other top tier engineering school would expect.</p>
<p>limabean - good luck in your senior year, and make sure to show Olin that you're interested in them (go to open houses, ask questions, etc) - and, don't leave your application to the last night it's due, or else you'll end up tearing your hair out like I did 9 drafts in with 1 hour left to go trying to make it just right ;)</p>