Babson College F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business

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School Says - General Information
At the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College, we have a rich tradition of cultivating entrepreneurial thinking. While some of our graduates pursue start-up ventures, more of our graduates use their entrepreneurial training to succeed in the corporate environment. Here, entrepreneurship is a state of mind.

Babson features four unique programs that prepare students to become superior managers and meet the needs of progressive organizations.

Our Two-Year MBA program emphasizes the practical application of business ideas.

The One-Year MBA Program is an accelerated, full-time MBA program for students with an undergraduate business degree.

The Evening MBA program offers the flexibility and convenience to working professionals.

The Fast Track MBA is a part-time program combining classroom instruction with Web-based, distance learning.

School Says - Student Body
Students who started the Two-Year MBA class in 2009 are, on average, 28 years old and have about five years of work experience. The average GMAT score is 625, and women make up 32% of the class. Students come from diverse industries and represent 24 countries. International students compose 35% of the class. International students participate in an intensive Pre-MBA program, which includes familiarization with the campus and resources, basic introductions to economics, marketing, and the case method, recreational and social events.

School Says - Academics
All programs emphasize the global aspects of business and the value of the entrepreneurial spirit.

Our Two-Year MBA program features BabsonÂ's innovative modular approach and emphasizes the practical application of business ideas.

The accelerated One-Year MBA Program is for students with an undergraduate business degree. The One-Year program allows qualified students to earn an MBA in just 12 months, including an initial summer semester featuring Babson's innovative modular curriculum.

The Babson Evening MBA features the same modular learning approach used in our full-time programs.

The Fast Track MBA is a part-time program combining traditional classroom instruction with Web-based learning. Students earn a degree in just 24 months. Students attend classes on-campus during intensive, two-day sessions approximately every six weeks. Convenience and flexibility make Fast Track the perfect choice for those balancing work and long-term career goals. Fast Track is offered in Wellesley, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco, California.

School Says - Admissions
Students are admitted to the program based on a careful evaluation of academic records, professional qualifications, GMAT scores, and personal attributes. Interviews are required for admission to full-time MBA programs. International students must submit TOEFL results and official English translations of all academic documents. All candidates should have strong mathematics, computer, economics, and business writing skills.

Application deadlines for the Two-Year program are November 15, January 15, March 15, and April 15. Application deadlines and decision dates for all programs may be found at http://mba.babson.edu/admissions/applynow_timetable.aspx

For more information, contact:
Office of Graduate Admission
F. W. Olin Graduate School of Business
Babson Park, MA 02457
Telephone: 781-239-4317
800-488-4512 (toll-free within the U.S.)
Fax: 781-239-4194
E-mail: mbaadmission@babson.edu
Website: mba.babson.edu

School Says - Campus Life
Babson students have access to an extensive business collection through Horn Library, as well as professional staff to help them find the information they need.

Within Horn Library students may access a variety of electronic resources, such as Bloomberg, Reuters, Bridge, Compustat, and Morningstar, for economics, financial information, marketing, accounting, entrepreneurship, etc. Financial resources are showcased in the Stephen D. Cutler Investment Management Center in the library. Group study rooms linked to Babson's computer network provide space for team meetings and individual study.

Students Say - Academics
Boston's Babson College was ranked number one for entrepreneurship in the annual Princeton Review/Entrepreneur magazine MBA ranking in both 2008 and 2009. Students concur, saying "entrepreneurship is everywhere" and "innovation is the status quo." Geared toward students who are "highly inquisitive" and "obsessed with finding opportunities," this unique MBA program takes a distinctly "holistic approach to business." In the core curriculum, each class "is part of a one-year program that integrates each and every reading, case study, and problem set." In fact, "Professors will frequently reference cases and discussions from other courses, so you can tell that they've worked hard at making cross-curriculum learning work." At the same time, creative thinking is the focus and "every professor teaches with an entrepreneurial angle," no matter what the topic. A student adds, "Whether you are continuing on in a corporate job or starting your own company, entrepreneurial thought and action is taught at all levels, providing us with a unique business perspective." "The workload, especially in the first year, is extreme." Fortunately, "The professors genuinely care about what you learn and getting to know and assist you in your endeavors." With so much focus on entrepreneurship, students appreciate that "there isn't pressure to choose a concentration." "Students take what they are interested in." Babson strives to stay cutting edge, and every year, there are "new course offerings tailored to emerging business trends, such as social networking." "Professors bring new, innovate ideas to our classes. They are up on the latest news, from financial disasters to the newest innovative product or technology solution." In addition to classroom experiences, "The out-of-class opportunities are limitless and the experiential learning [opportunities] are the keys to success here." "Babson's student consulting projects are held in such high regard in the Boston [area]," and offer extensive real-world experience. Learning to work with a diverse set of colleagues is another cornerstone of the Babson experience. Throughout the curriculum, "Babson is all about group work! These team exercises are the most grueling part of the experience, but are also incredibly informative." A diverse class, "More than a third of the full-time MBA students are international, and the breadth of work experience across industries and countries adds significantly to the classroom discussions." For older students with significant business experience, the "flexible program for working adults (Fast-Track)" gets top marks for its "convenient online delivery format plus face-to-face meetings that allow you to continue working full time." As a current Fast- Track student explains, the program "allows me to continue as CFO of the company, traveling extensively around the world and still be able to work on a[n] MBA degree." On the whole, Babson is effectively managed and highly student focused. A case in point, "The dean regularly walks the halls and makes conversation with students, and he also holds lunches with students just to see how things are going." Through him and others, students say their concerns are addressed, and "problems are solved almost immediately."

Students Say - Admissions
Applicants to Babson MBA programs must submit the following materials: official transcripts covering undergraduate work; an official GMAT score report; a resume or curriculum vitae (2 years of full-time post-undergraduate work experience is required); a completed application form; and personal essays. Candidates whose native language is other than English and who have not earned a degree in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand must also submit: an official TOEFL iBT score report; and, official English translation and interpretation of all transcripts.

Students Say - Campus Life
Attracting students who are "highly self-motivated, creative, and friendly," "Babson has a really friendly and team-oriented dynamic." Here, "People really work together and spend a lot of time doing homework and studying in groups." Most part-timers have full-time jobs while attending school, and therefore, "part-time students are known to have a more transient experience than the full timers" at Babson. Even so, their "sense of community is strong," and many evening students "arrive early and dine together in Olin over friendly conversation." Babson also has a reputation for being supportive of women; In fact, "Every full-time first-year female student gets matched up with a ‘Mama' who provides advice and touches base throughout the school year to make sure we're surviving." For MBA candidates, "Olin Hall is the hub of the graduate school and is where 95 percent of classes and activities take place." Here, you'll find, "club events, networking events, and social events almost every night of the week." Babson is located in a "very safe, upper-class neighborhood," just 25 minutes from downtown Boston. Nearby, "the restaurants in Wellesley and Needham are great," and "There are also two pubs on campus for a regular social evening or for networking events." Despite the "very heavy academic workload," students say, "Every weekend you'll have something fun to do, from going skiing to party[ing] in the city."

Students Say - Careers
Babson weaves career preparation into the curriculum through numerous experiential learning projects. For example, the "first-year consulting project gives [students] handson experience with a real company" while "networking at events" on campus helps students make contacts in different business industries. Although "the tough market makes it difficult" to place every student, "The career center has been through an overhaul, and their staff works overtime for its students to help them get the jobs they want." While the career center offers mentoring programs, campus recruiting, and personal counseling, some students feel, "it would be nice to see more alumni networking events" as well. During the past five years, between 72 and 95 percent of Olin's graduating class had a job or was self-employed within three months of graduation. In recent years, students have been hired or recruited by diverse companies, including American Express, Bank of America, Boston Celtics, The Boston Globe, Boston Properties, Deloitte & Touche LLP, JP Morgan Chase, Liz Claiborne, McKinsey & Company, Microsoft Corporation, Philips Medical Systems, and Toshiba Corporation.

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