In what follows, I've tried to anticipate as many as possible of the questions that prospective students typically ask. If I've missed the question that is most important to you, please submit your question for this page by using the form at the bottom. I'll not only answer your question, but I'll add it to the list below so that other prospective students may benefit from your insight in the future.

What scholarship money is available to incoming undergraduate freshman, and what are the average requirements to receive such funding?
The Olin School of Business awards one full tuition scholarship to an incoming first-year student for undergraduate study leading to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. The Dean's Scholarship is awarded for four years of study as long as the student is making satisfactory progress toward the degree. The Dean's Scholarship recognizes applicants who demonstrate outstanding character, academic achievement, and promise for a career in business. High school seniors who possess outstanding academic records, have pursued very challenging courses of study in high school, and score in the upper ranges on the SAT I and/or ACT are encouraged to apply. Application materials are available through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The deadline for application is January 15th.

So, has the Olin School been in existence only since 1988?
Oh, no, Olin has been around much longer than that, just not with the name "John M. Olin" attached. Actually, the School was founded at Washington University 1917, as an undergraduate school of commerce and finance. We were accredited by the AACSB, the international accreditation agency for business schools, in 1921, as a charter member of the first group of accredited schools. Olin has held continuous accreditation ever since.

What is the origin of the name John M. Olin School of Business?
John M. Olin was the head of the Olin Corporation, a very large industrial company that was founded in the St. Louis area by Mr. Olin's father in 1892. The company today is a leading manufacturer of copper alloys, ammunition, chemicals, and other industrial products. John M. Olin headed the Olin Corporation for nearly half a century, and was a Trustee of Washington University for more than 40 years. The Olin School was named for Mr. Olin in October 1988.

Can I get credit for internships as a student at Olin?
For students interested in pursuing business careers, internships are among the most valuable experiences you can have; however, the faculty of the Olin School does not award academic credit just because you have an interesting internship experience. In order to earn academic credit for something involving an internship experience, students are required to complete an independent academic project related to their work experience, under the guidance of a member of Olin's faculty.

Does Washington University award transfer credit for college-level work students do while they are still in high school? (This question was submitted by one of our admitted students for next fall's entering class).
Yes, under certain circumstances. First, the course work has to be taken at a college or university, together with that institution's regular students. Credit will not be given for work that is done within a high school where all of the students are high school students. Second, the work has to be of a kind that is offered here at Washington University. Some institutions, especially community colleges, may offer course work that is essentially done in preparation for regular college-level work. Washington University would not grant transfer credit for such courses. Three, the work has to be over and above the requirements for your high school diploma, and not in any way a part of your high school requirements. There is a form that you will receive prior to coming to Washington University that needs to be completed in order to have these credits transferred.

When do I start taking business courses at Olin?
Right away. There are 12 specifically required survey courses in different business subjects that all students pursuing the undergraduate business degree (BSBA) take in common. The first 3 of these survey courses - The Managerial Environment, Microeconomics, and Principles of Financial Accounting - are taken in the first year of study at Olin.

If I start taking business courses right away, does this mean that I will not be able to pursue my interests in areas of study outside of the business curriculum?
Absolutely not. While there are 3 specifically required business courses taken in the first year, the average number of courses taken in an academic year is 10. Thus, most of what you study in your first year is taken outside of Olin. Some of this non-business course work is part of the general requirements for the BSBA degree, like English Composition and Calculus; but there is plenty of room for non-business electives of your own choosing.

What kinds of course work would be available to me in addition to business?
Almost everything imaginable for undergraduates to study is offered by one of the undergraduate programs at Washington University. The University is an incredibly diverse place for undergraduates, with five schools offering programs at the undergraduate level: Olin, Art, Architecture, Arts & Sciences, and Engineering and Applied Science. Course work in all schools is available to every undergraduate at Washington University.

What if I want to do a serious in-depth study of some subject outside of business? Do I have enough time for that?
Absolutely. In general, you are required to take at least 40% of your total course work towards the BSBA degree outside of Olin. Some of this work must be done in specific areas like English Composition and Calculus, and some must be in the form of "distribution requirements," which are courses chosen with Arts & Sciences categories; but if you are especially interested in history, or mathematics, or a foreign language, you are welcome to explore this area of study to your heart's content. In fact, you may declare a formal "second major" in an area of study outside of Olin altogether. That's right: at Olin you can be a business degree candidate and a history major, all at the same time!

Speaking of majors, when do I have to declare my major within Olin?
Strictly speaking, the correct answer to this question is "never," because declaring a formal major within the business curriculum is not a degree requirement. Olin does offer formal majors in a wide range of areas, however, and you are welcome to declare one or more than one formal major within Olin if you wish (see list of majors).

I assume that doing a "second major" in a non-business field would take an extra semester or even an extra year of study. Is that correct?
Not at all. With a bit of advance planning, it should be possible to complete business degree requirements and requirements for a "second major" in a non-business subject in the usual four-year time it takes to earn the undergraduate degree. This is because doing a "second major" doesn't require more course work beyond what's required for your Olin degree; it's just a way of organizing the non-business portion of your studies.

I took a few AP classes in high school and a college course during the summer. Do you accept this credit, and if so, how much of the credit can I expect to receive upon entering Olin?
Washington University does offer degree credits in many Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate subject areas. It is also possible for students to receive credits for college courses taken during the high school years if the courses meet Washington University's transfer requirements. Olin will accept a maximum of 30 pre-matriculation units.

I'm interested in international business. Can I participate in a study abroad experience in Olin's program?
Absolutely. We strongly encourage Olin students to participate in study abroad programs, and have those programs available in numerous places around the world (see Olin's international programs). The study abroad programs sponsored by the Olin School directly are only the tip of the iceberg of all the places around the world where it is possible to study. A much larger list of programs is administered by Washington University's Office of Overseas Programs; and Olin students are eligible to participate in any of the Overseas Programs Office's study abroad opportunities. In total approximately 1/3 of all Olin students participate in a study abroad program somewhere along the road to graduation.

Is studying a foreign language a degree requrement, or a requirement for studying abroad?
Olin undergraduates are strongly encouraged to include foreign language study in their overall program, but there is no foreign language requirement for graduation. Foreign language study may be a requirement for participation in certain study abroad programs in countries where the first language is not English. For example, some proficiency in French or German would be required to participate in Olin's programs in those countries. There is no language requirement for Olin's program in London, of course; and there also is no language requirement to participate in Olin's programs in Hong Kong, because English language proficiency is so common in that location.

Does studying abroad make it take longer than the usual four years to graduate?
Absolutely not. Olin's curriculum is designed to accommodate students' interest in study abroad programs, while completing all degree requirements in the usual four-year period. You need to understand, of course, that taking a semester or a year away from the Washington University campus will involve some trade-offs: you will not have as much time available to take course work in other areas of study offered at the University if you are abroad for a while. The choice as to what set of experiences is most valuable is left up to you.

Does the Olin School have a career resource center that helps students find internhips and full-time jobs?
The Weston Career Resource Center (WCRC) is the part of the Olin School that is dedicated to helping Olin students with all of their career planning and employment needs. The best way to think about the WCRC is not as some kind of "job jar" where they hand out good jobs at graduation; rather, you should think of the WCRC as a part of your overall education at Olin, and as a place with which to be involved throughout your time here. While it"s true that many employment-related activities focus primarily on juniors and seniors, there are many things students can do in the freshman and sophomore years to prepare themselves for this important activity (see WCRC).

Are Olin students successful in the job market?
Overwhelmingly so. In fact, average starting salaries have risen substantially in recent years. As of March 1, 2002, the average total compensation (first-year salary plus signing bonuses) of offers accepted by Olin BSBAs was over $50,000. This is the guaranteed compensation, and does not include "performance bonuses," which in some cases could raise students' first-year incomes as high as $85,000.

Is employment available only in the St. Louis area, or does Olin have a national network?
While it certainly is the case that Olin enjoys an outstanding reputation with the business community in St. Louis, Olin's employment network is decidedly national, rather than being exclusively local. Major national and international firms recruit at Olin, and can place you in offices in cities around the country. The interim employment report dated March 9, 2001, indicates that Olin seniors so far this year have received job offers from companies in St. Louis, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Kansas City.

Do top MBA programs recruit at Olin?
Olin undergraduates are very successful in gaining admission to leading graduate programs around the United States, whether in law, business, or other fields. Our students have gone on to pursue the MBA degree at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg (Northwestern,) Fuqua (Duke,) the University of Chicago, and other top programs, including Olin's own highly-regarded MBA program. Because all of the leading MBA programs require that students have several years of work experience prior to beginning graduate study, these schools do not really "recruit" on college campuses. In recent years, a number of the leading MBA programs have had representatives visit at Olin, but this is really more to raise awareness of their programs for the future than to recruit students actively right out of their undergraduate studies. Approximately 70% of Olin BSBA graduates do graduate study in some form within 5 years of completing their undergraduate degree.

Does Olin offer an early admission option in its own MBA program?
Yes, we do. This is called the "3+2" program, because students spend 3 years pursuing course work at the undergraduate level and then 2 years completing the MBA degree. At the end of 5 years, students will have earned both their undergraduate degree and the MBA. If you are interested in this option, you apply for admission to the MBA program during your junior undergraduate year.

Do a large number of students enroll in the "3+2" program?
No. To the contrary, only 5-6 students pursue this option each year out of an entering MBA class of 150-160 students. This is the case because the MBA job market places very high value on the work experience component of students' backgrounds when they recruit them. MBAs without several years of full-time work experience do not have as much success in the job market as do experienced MBAs.

Does Olin have any special programs for students interested in careers in accounting?
Yes. Our faculty recently developed a specialized master's program called the Master of Science in Business Administration with Concentration in Accounting (MSBA) for students wanting to meet the 150 hour education requirement for public accounting certification that exists in most of the United States. This program is like the '3+2' program leading to the MBA in the respect that students apply for admission to the MSBA during their third undergraduate year and begin doing graduate course work in their fourth year. The MSBA differs from the '3+2' leading to the MBA in several important respects: one, students concentrate specifically in the area of accounting in the MSBA, whereas the MBA program is more of a general management degree; two, students in the MSBA program are able to continue doing undergraduate course in areas of interest even after they enter the MSBA program, whereas students in the MBA program take only graduate course work.

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