To Be a Phoenix: Candidate’s Weekend at Olin College

While students normally don’t associate the college application process with the word ‘fun,’ I was privileged to have a unique college prep experience that I enjoyed to the fullest. Just a few weekends ago, I found myself feeling both excited and nervous as I made my way across the campus of Olin College, a small engineering college in suburban Massachusetts. The school’s mascot is a phoenix because they revamp their entire curriculum every few years to make sure it is up-to-date and cutting-edge, much like how a phoenix bursts into flames at the end of its life and is reborn from the ashes. Olin is unique in that it accepts students through two rounds of selections and eliminations: first, they choose students from the applicant pool at large to attend a Candidate’s Weekend, where they are introduced to the school and also evaluated on a more personal level, after which the final admissions decisions are made from the smaller group of applicants.

As I entered the building for the orientation, I didn’t really know what to expect — would I be scrutinized the minute I walked in the door by admissions officers? Could I find my way without drawing any negative attention to myself? Was I going to fit in or was I going to struggle to find someone to converse with? Thankfully, I soon found that my fears were unwarranted. Everyone there – the other high school seniors, the college students, and the faculty members – proved to be approachable, kind, and eager to share their stories and answer any questions. The welcoming environment made it easy for me to relax and feel at home.

Over the course of the next two days, we had a busy schedule with many activities planned for us. There were some that pertained to the various fields of engineering, but also many non-academic events that showed the balance the school maintained between its social and academic components. Most memorable were the performances by the conductor-less orchestra and the PowerChords, Olin’s a cappella group, the delicious (and healthy!) food in the cafeteria, and a fabulous show by the Olin Fire Arts Club.

While much of the weekend was planned to allow the candidates to get a feel for the college in a stress-free environment, even the parts during which we were evaluated were entertaining and enjoyable. The assessments related to engineering and innovative thinking. Each activity challenged teams of candidates to work together to come up with creative solutions to real-world problems in a short period of time. We were given sticky notes to write on while brainstorming, and if there is one thing I’m taking away from my experience, it is that colorful sticky notes are marvelous for organization and aesthetic pleasure. Derek Redfern, who plans to attend Olin College this fall after having taken a gap year, thought that the design project was the best part of the weekend because “it helps you decide if [the college is] right for you by introducing you to the kind of collaborative engineering projects you’d encounter there. It also helps you connect with the other candidates on your team.” Because Olin has such a unique approach to education, it is crucial for prospective students to be completely sure that they will thrive in such an environment. I personally found that I loved working with every member of my team throughout the entire process of brainstorming, designing, and presenting our ideas. 

My individual interview was probably the most challenging part of the weekend for me because my interview panel was made up of five people, including the Dean of Admissions. I was not used to being interviewed by more than one person at a time, surrounded by curious eyes and probing questions, and I felt under-prepared for such a situation. They asked many specific circumstantial questions pertaining to my ability to work with others under pressure. Afterwards, I thought I had done okay – it wasn’t my best interview, but it wasn’t my worst either; I had given it my best shot. Through it all, the interviewers were friendly and tried their best to put me at ease. I really appreciated that they seemed to have a genuine interest in finding out more about me and seeing if I was a good fit for Olin College.

While mingling in the dorm rooms at the end of the weekend with other candidates and students, I realized that I felt comfortable, at home, and happy. Although we had only known each other for a short amount of time, we were already so familiar with and accepting of each other. It was the first time I really connected with a college and could picture myself spending the next four years of my life there. It may be an unconventional way to introduce and assimilate students into the school environment, but this small engineering school stole my heart and those of many of the other candidates’ as well. I was extremely excited to receive my acceptance letter, and as I make my final decision in regards to where I will be headed in the fall, Olin is definitely at the top of my list.