Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Undergraduate Business
Olin is
Finding the right business school involves two important steps: Determining what
sets each school apart and determining what sets you apart.
• What kind of education experience will impact you most?
• How do you want to affect the world of business — and the world in general?
• Do you want your life and work to be transformational?
At Olin, we have all the strengths we expect you’re seeking: the highest academic
standards, a world-class faculty, friendly and motivated students, study and work
abroad programs, applied learning, and a stellar job placement record. We also offer
the kind of community that will give you four life-changing years.
When our students and alumni and stand out, while taking • a global perspective that includes
share their thoughts about what advantage of Washington Uni- international study and work oppor-
sets us apart, from their perspec- versity’s many other strong pro- tunities prepares you for a business
tive, and what made us the perfect grams to customize your degree world that operates 24/7
fit for them, these Olin characteris-
• the perfect size for a business • multifaceted career and internship
tics come up again and again:
school — big enough to offer services to help make sure all your
• world-class professors and every opportunity you could want, hard work pays off
researchers who prepare you but small and personal so you’ll
• an invigorating and supportive
for tackling even the toughest never feel lost in a crowd here
community of classmates to learn
challenges in today’s complex
• hands-on learning from business- with and from
business world
people who give you the edge
• a school that is part of a world-
• a flexible curriculum that lets needed to get internships and
class university in a business-
you dig into business right away jobs at the top firms
oriented city, with plenty of
opportunities for work and play
Table of Contents
2 World-class professors,
4 Flexible curriculum
6 Perfect size
8 Hands-on learning
10 Global perspective
12 Career, internship
services
14 Invigorating, supportive
community
16 World-class university
19 Scholarships, financial
assistance
2 0 Olin’s mission,
core values
World-class professors
and researchers
who prepare you for
tackling even the toughest
challenges in today’s
complex business world
As Professor Glenn MacDonald says, “We’re focused on ideas more than other business
schools tend to be. We do a very good job teaching business basics, but there’s much
more focus delivering what high-end employers like Goldman Sachs want. They want
solid analytics, but also critical thinking — people who can take an unstructured problem
and break it down. We really emphasize these skills in our classes.”
2
Meet Glenn MacDonald
As Professor Glenn MacDonald strolls
through Simon Hall between classes,
he knows many of the students. “I can
just keep saying ‘hi’ over and over,” he
says. “We’re a relatively small school,
so the faculty tend to get to know the
students and interact with them in and
out of class.”
It’s not just his job to know the students;
it’s his pleasure. “The students here
are so interesting and have so much
potential that it’s a joy to know them
Erin Harkless
and watch them develop,” says the
professor, who is the John M. Olin Dis-
tinguished Professor of Economics and
BSBA 2005 Strategy. “One freshman already has a
quarter million in capital for a business
opportunity. Another started making
independent movies right out of school.
Another has a line of clothing. They’re
Majors: Finance, International Business, Great opportunities: “I had some great
amazing people.”
and English internship experiences at Merrill Lynch and
Barclays, spending summers in New York As a member of the Faculty Associ-
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas and going to the London program for a ates Program, a campuswide initia-
Currently: In New York City working semester. Being able to study abroad tive that encourages faculty to meet
at Goldman Sachs in the investment offered me a great life challenge. And with students outside the classroom,
management division, focusing on client when it’s time to get a job, Olin has a Professor MacDonald regularly interacts
service and marketing great reputation and great resources.” with students on campus, as well as in
Access to other Washington University Simon Hall. “It’s rare for a distinguished
research university to have so many
Why Olin programs: “You’re able to combine dis-
faculty members spend time building
tinct areas of study and a variety of majors
Supportive faculty: “The open-door policy relationships with students,” he says.
at Olin, and no one looks at you funny. My
of everyone at Washington University was “This program really says something
love has always been writing, and I was
fantastic. I was able to develop great about Washington University’s commit-
easily able to incorporate that into my cur-
relationships with my professors — our ment to undergraduate education.”
riculum. The professors and advisors are
senior honors seminar professor even had
very supportive.”
us over for dinner. My professors were very
supportive of my triple major, and they’re
just generally excited about who you are
and what you’re doing.”
3
A flexible curriculum
that lets you dig into business right away
and stand out, while taking advantage of
Washington University’s many other strong
programs to customize your degree
“At Olin, we believe a business education offers a fundamentally useful way to think,
whether you’re in art, design, architecture, law, medicine, engineering, or whatever,”
says Professor Glenn MacDonald. “It’s very natural for us to think of combining
business with other disciplines.”
Whatever courses you end up taking, you can count on their being challenging,
stimulating, and interactive. You will learn through case studies, group discussions,
and team projects. And at Olin, you will get to start your business program the first
semester of your freshman year.
4
Olin’s majors:
• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Healthcare Management
• International Business
• Managerial Economics
and Strategy
• Marketing
• Operations and Supply
Chain Management
• Organization and
Human Resources
5
The perfect size for
a business school
— big enough to offer every
opportunity you could want,
but small and personal so you’ll
never feel lost in a crowd here
6
Major: Managerial Economics
and Strategy
Minor: Political Science
Why Olin:
Perfect size: “I love the size of Olin and
Washington University. It’s large enough
that there are always new people and
experiences, but small enough that you
end up saying ‘hi’ to a dozen people by
name on the way to class.”
Putting students first: “When Olin was
given 10 tickets to a St. Louis event fea-
turing then-U.S. Treasury Secretary John
Snow, they offered them all to students
on a first-come, first-served basis. I was
one of the students who went, and we sat
at a table reserved for Washington Uni-
versity. After looking around, we realized
that the other colleges and universities
had all given their tickets to faculty and
staff. Olin really does put students first.”
Hands-on learning: “The Skandalaris
Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
offered great access to real businesses
and real-world problems. It also gener-
ated lots of collaboration and was a
bridge to my own experience starting
a business.”
mark C. pydynowski
BSBA 2004
7
Hands-on learning
from businesspeople who give you
the edge needed to get internships
and jobs at the top firms
The Practicum Program gives teams of students opportunities to tackle business prob-
lems presented by for-profit organizations. Teams often mix Olin undergraduates with
MBA students, and faculty serve as advisors. One team recently worked on a project
for the Ritz-Carlton, exploring restaurant concepts through research, demographics,
competition analysis, space analysis, and branding.
Other experiential learning opportunities include the Practicum course; the Investment
Praxis course; and the University’s Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies,
one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurship centers, which coordinates the IdeaBounce,
Hatchery course, Olin Cup, and the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition.
8
carlos abreu
Class of 2009
Majors: Finance, and Managerial it’s great being on teams with really in- “Our client was Richard Mahoney,
Economics and Strategy telligent people giving it their all. There’s the former chairman and CEO of
a strong level of trust.” Monsanto, and we created a real
Minor: Accounting deliverable, which we also presented
Approachable professors: “The pro- to a team of Deloitte consultants.”
Hometown: Miami, Florida fessors really care about the students,
making sure we have the resources • Two summers in Beijing, China, in
Why Olin: we need, e-mailing us and checking a full-immersion language program
Hands-on experience: “The classes are on us, and bringing their own research
into what we’re doing.” What’s next:
very current and bring in lots of research
being done by the professors. Then we A summer investment banking intern-
use what we’ve learned to solve real Real-world experience: ship at Goldman Sachs, with the goal
problems, not just theoretical ones.” of a career in investment banking on
• Taylor Community Consulting Wall Street
Quality peers: “Olin students are really Program: Worked on a project for the
helpful. We do a lot of group work, and Winston Churchill Memorial Museum.
9
A global perspective
that includes international study and
work opportunities prepares you for a
business world that operates 24/7
“I’ve talked to lots of people I work with [at Goldman Sachs] who went to other
business schools, and it seems like Washington University has one of the best
study abroad programs out there, hands down,” says Erin Harkless, BSBA 2005,
who participated in the London program.
Other study abroad opportunities are available in Hong Kong, Seoul, Melbourne,
Madrid, Milan, and Queensland. If your interest is in languages and cultures — like
Olin student Carlos Abreu, who has studied Chinese at Washington University and
in Beijing — there are many summer language institutes and programs sponsored by
the University’s Office of International Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences. And
when students have their own ideas about where they’d like to study, Olin professors
and advisors help make it happen.
10
teresa teodori
Class of 2009
Majors: Finance, and Managerial has proved incredibly valuable in all of Real-world experience:
Economics and Strategy my work experiences. I felt as if I were
• Goldman Sachs internship in the
able to walk into every internship with a
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona London study abroad program
deep understanding and knowledge of
the business world that was instrumen- • Lehman Brothers summer internship
Why Olin: tal to my success in each placement.” in New York
Great opportunities: “Olin does an • Merrill Lynch summer internship
A solid foundation for your future:
outstanding job of providing real-world in New York
“You have to work hard, but Olin
outlets through which students learn graduates do exceptionally well.
and grow. The London program provides I was interviewing for three different What’s next:
an amazing academic, work, and life summer positions at Goldman Sachs, A Lehman Brothers summer internship
experience, and the Wall Street Week Morgan Stanley, and Lehman Brothers, with the career goal of working
trip to New York City gives students the and ultimately accepted the Lehman in private equity
opportunity to meet with — and make Brothers offer in private equity. I know
valuable contacts at — all of the top classmates who have gone to all the
investment banks.” top investment banks, consulting firms,
Relevant learning: “My classes at Olin marketing agencies, and accounting
have taught me an entirely different way firms, both in summer and full-time
of thinking about problems, as well as placements. The opportunities are there
a great deal of practical knowledge that for those who wish to pursue them.”
11
Multifaceted career
and internship services
to help make sure all your hard work pays off
Gaston DeVigne, a member of Weston Career Center’s student advisory board, notes
that students have “internship opportunities across the country. The advisors really
work with you and connect you with Olin alums who can help,” he says. “Olin has a
great reputation.”
At Olin, advising and mentoring are offered in a very personalized way, giving students
as much guidance and support as they want, but also the flexibility and freedom to come
up with their own ideas and make them happen.
12
Leading companies
recruiting at Olin
• Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
• Bain
• Bank of America
• Capital One Financial Corp.
• Chicago Trading Company
• CIBC World Markets
• Citigroup
• Deloitte
• Deutsche Bank
• Ernst & Young
• Edward Jones
• General Mills
• Goldman Sachs
• JPMorgan Chase
• KPMG
• Lehman Brothers
• Leo Burnett
• Macy’s, Inc.
13
An invigorating and
supportive community
of classmates to learn with and from
Students describe the Olin atmosphere as collaborative, not cutthroat. They say it’s the
perfect environment for being challenged, for being encouraged to work hard and try out
new ideas. They form lasting friendships, and they build lifelong personal and professional
networks.
Olin classmates are also the people you’ll have fun with, whether you’re taking a break
between classes in Simon Hall’s courtyard or getting involved in a student organization.
Business student groups include Alpha Kappa Psi, Delta Sigma Pi, Olin Cares, and the
Olin Business Council.
14
aparna misra
Class of 2010
Majors: Finance, and Managerial The sharing of resources and knowledge presents each student with the
Economics and Strategy makes us all better prepared.” opportunity to form a relationship with
the faculty beyond the classroom.”
Minor: Accounting Academic flexibility: “The ability to take
courses I wanted, at the sophomore level,
Hometowns: Singapore; Jakarta, was a big bonus for me. While a school Real-world experience:
Indonesia; and Calgary, Canada can offer you the flexibility to choose and • Summer internship at Citigroup
plan your courses, Olin actually makes Corporate and Investment Banking
Why Olin: it possible by making sure spaces are in Delhi, India
A strong community: “While it’s said available in each course for interested
• Summer internship at Investors Group
that competition rules the business students, regardless of their year in
Canada in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
world, teamwork is the real skill needed school or their major.”
for survival in the competitive business Individual attention: “Olin’s smaller What’s next:
environment. While Olin gives us a whole size means each student gets more “Two more years of college and a career
lot of opportunities for teamwork, it’s attention and individual support to in either consulting or the financial
the people who make the teams work. tailor their program and classes services sector”
Students here are willing to help, to according to their passions. It also
study together, and to advance together.
15
A school that is part of
a world-class university
in a business-oriented city
with plenty of opportunities for work and play
For Olin’s students, the St. Louis metropolitan area also offers many professional oppor-
tunities and resources. There are businesses of all sizes. And many top executives have
close ties with Washington University.
16
Major: Undeclared
Why Olin:
Plenty of extracurricular activities:
“There’s a lot of work for my classes, but
I also play on the football team and I’m
pledging for Sigma Chi. I’ve been able to
balance my time fairly well. It’s been a
very good environment for work and fun.”
Comfortable size: “I like that it’s a
school within a school. It’s small enough
that everyone is familiar and friendly,
and works really well together. The
students are competitive and smart,
but not selfish.”
Engaging professors: “The professors
I’ve had really keep our attention and
keep us involved in class by keeping
the topics interesting and relevant.
The professors are interacting with us,
not just lecturing. They bring in a lot
of real-world information and skills.”
Real-world experience:
“I want to study abroad. I’ll probably
try to do an internship in London.”
harrison weiss
Class of 2011
17
Applying for admission
At Washington University, you can count on personal atten-
tion, even in the application process. Our admission com-
mittee reviews each application individually and personally,
looking for students who have challenged themselves inside
and outside the classroom.
18
Scholarships and Visit us!
financial assistance
While there is plenty of additional information on our
Web site, nothing takes the place of a visit. That’s the only
way to feel the energy and witness classroom interactions,
We are committed to customizing financial aid awards
see the facilities, meet the professors, and hear firsthand
for students and their families to ensure cost does not
how research-driven thinking permeates everything we
stand in the way of making a Washington University
teach and do.
education a reality. The University is working to eliminate
need-based loans as part of its undergraduate financial “We have a great reputation for academics, but it’s
aid awards to students from low-income families. See very important to visit the University to see our community
admissions.wustl.edu for links to more information about in action,” says Dean Mahendra Gupta. “There’s so much
scholarships and financial assistance, and watch your to experience: the people, campus life, culture, and our
mailbox for brochures focused on financial assistance. great city.”
International students should consult the International “When I visited Washington University,” recalls Olin student
Guide for Prospective Undergraduate Students for Teresa Teodori, “I could just tell that everyone was excited
information on financial assistance. to be a part of the community. It was infectious. The most
important thing is for you to find a really good fit, and then
throw yourself into the experience and follow your dreams.”
19
Olin’s mission
“Create knowledge …
Inspire individuals …
Transform business.”
20
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
St. Louis, MO
Permit No. 1256
Campus Box 1089
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63130-4899