Go To Businessweek.com
Undergraduate Profile Publish Date 05/27/12

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

School of Business

  • Program Basics

      • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
      • Worcester Polytechnic Institute School of Business
      • School of Business
      • 100 Institute Road
      • Worcester, Massachusetts
      • 01609
      • United States
      • Program Web site: http://business.wpi.edu
      • Program e-mail address: business@wpi.edu
      • Program phone number: 508-831-5218
      • Status: Private
      • AACSB accredited: Yes

    • Accreditation other than AACSB:

      • NEASC
      • ABET
      • Year in which the undergraduate business program was founded: 1970
      • Institution: Four Year
      • Business Program: Four Year

  • SCHOOL BASICS

    • Enrollment:

      • Total undergraduate: 3,627
      • Full-time undergraduate business: 173
      • Part-time undergraduate business: 0
      • Distance undergraduate business: 0
      • College or university freshman retention rate: 95 %

    • Percentage of students who graduate from the business program:

      • Within four years of admission to the university: 64 %
      • Within six years of admission to the university: 76 %

    • Undergraduate Business Degrees Offered:

      • BS/Industrial Engineering
      • BS/Management
      • BS/Management Engineering
      • BS/Management Information Systems

  • PROGRAM COSTS

      • Annual Tuition (Resident): $39,450.00
      • Annual Tuition (Non-Resident): $39,450.00
      • Annual Required Fees: $580.00
      • Annual Room and Board: $11,934.00
      • Annual Cost of Books: $2,000.00

  • CLASS PROFILE

    • Students in newest entering class that are:

      • Female: 25 %
      • International: 38 %

    • Mean and median age of full-time business students in the newest entering class:

      • Mean: 18
      • Median: 18

    • Percentage of newest entering class:

      • Top 10% of high school class: 33 %
      • Top 25% of high school class: 54 %
      • GPA of 3.75 or higher: 42 %
      • GPA of 3.5 to 3.74: 17 %

    • SAT scores (1600 scale) for the newest entering class of full-time undergraduate business students:

      • Mean: 1218
      • Median: 1230

    • Middle 50% range of SAT scores (1600 scale):

      • From: 1270
      • To: 1320

    • ACT scores for the newest entering class of full-time undergraduate business students:

      • Mean: 28
      • Median: 28

    • Middle 50% range of ACT scores:

      • From: 28
      • To: 29

    • Citizenship breakdown for newest entering class:

      • US: 58 %
      • Canada: 0 %
      • Other Non-US Citizens: 38 %
      • Dual Citizenship: 4%
      • Unknown Citizenship: 0 %

    • U.S. citizens in newest entering class:

      • African American: 0 %
      • Asian American: 7 %
      • Hispanic or Latino American: 20 %
      • Multiethnic/Multiracial: 0 %
      • Native American: 0 %
      • White (Non-Hispanic): 67 %
      • Chose not to report: 6 %
      • Other: 0 %

    • Regional breakdown of U.S. citizens in newest entering class:

      • Northeast: 100 %

  • ADMISSIONS - Getting Into the Institution

    • Standardized tests required of all applicants:

      • Test score optional
      • Interviews are: Not required

    • Application deadlines:

      • Fall 2012 2/1/2012
      • Spring 2013 11/15/2012
      • Additional application requirements: Transcript, pre-calculus, senior grades, recommendations from a math or science teacher and a guidance counselor, a personal essay, SAT or ACT or alternative materials. International students: proof of English proficiency.
      • Total undergraduate applicants, all programs: 7,049
      • Percentage of applicants admitted: 57 %
      • Percentage of admitted applicants who enrolled: 25 %
      • International applicants: 14 %
      • Female applicants: 25 %

    • Relative Importance of Application Elements

      • Secondary school record: Very Important
      • Class rank: Important
      • Talent/ability: Considered
      • Interview: Considered
      • Extracurricular activities: Important
      • Volunteer work: Considered
      • Character/personal abilities: Important
      • Application essay: Considered
      • Work experience: Considered
      • SAT/ACT scores: Important
      • Recommendations: Important
      • High school GPA: Very Important

  • ADMISSIONS - Getting Into the Business Program

      • Undergrad business program admissions are managed by: The university admissions office
      • Total undergraduate business applicants: 198
      • Percentage of applicants admitted: 52 %
      • Percentage of admitted applicants who enrolled: 24 %
      • Entrance exam other than the SAT/ACT required for admission to the undergraduate business program?: No
      • Admissions interviews for the undergraduate business program are: Not required

    • Freshman admission:

      • Does the business program admit freshmen?: Yes
      • Percentage of business program admits in most recent entering class who were freshman: 96 %
      • Are freshman business admits required to complete or obtain minimum GPAs in pre-business courses before taking upper-level courses? No
      • Process for freshmen admission?: Indicate interest on university application

  • CAMPUS LIFE

    • Five largest on-campus organizations for business students:

      • Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE)
      • Management Information Systems Association (MISA)
      • Investment Club
      • Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization
      • Genius! Entrepreneurship Club
      • Are freshmen required to live on campus?: Yes
      • Are business students grouped together in 'learning communities' in housing and other facilities?: No

  • PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

    • Minimum number of credit hours required to receive an undergraduate business degree:

      • BS 135

    • Other requirements for the undergraduate business degree

      • Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP); Major Qualifying Project (MQP); Humanities and Arts Inquiry Seminar or Practicum

  • ACADEMICS

    • Average class size:

      • Required business classes: 28
      • Business electives: 25

    • Percentage of business classes:

      • With 20 or fewer students: 33 %
      • With 21 to 50 students: 67 %
      • With more than 50 students: 0 %

    • Course enrollment:

      • Percentage of required business courses reaching maximum enrollment by the first day of class: 13 %
      • Percentage of required business courses with waiting lists: 6 %

  • CURRICULUM

    • Electives:

      • Available business electives: 24
      • New electives: Leadership, Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
      • Last curriculum overhaul: 2010
      • Total business faculty: 28
      • Percentage of the total faculty that is tenured or tenure track: 71 %

    • Most prominent faculty:

      • Frank Hoy
      • Diane M. Strong
      • Joe Zhu

    • Business program's leading areas of study:

        • Entrepreneurship
        • Management Information Systems
        • Industrial Management
        • Manufacturing and Technology Management
        • Technology
      • Special programs: WPI business students complete an Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), the objective of which is to enable them to understand how their careers will impact the world. Many IQPs are completed through the Global Perspective Program where students spend seven weeks abroad engaged in hands-on, real world projects aimed at improving the lives of the local community. Business students also complete a sponsored Major Qualifying Project (MQP), the capstone of their undergraduate experience.
      • Work study: Work study opportunities are available to those who qualify both within the School of Business and throughout the university. Co-ops are coordinated via WPI's Career Development Center.
      • Study abroad programs: WPI's Global Perspective Program is a signature element of our academic programs. Over 50% of all WPI students complete at least one academic project off campus during their undergraduate years. At more than 25 Project Centers located around the globe, WPI students address local issues, develop an understanding of other cultures, and see firsthand how their lives and work will play out on a global stage. WPI also maintains student exchange agreements with numerous universities around the world.
      • Volunteer opportunities: WPI encourages all of its community members to participate in volunteering and community service. The Student Activities office makes volunteering easy by maintaining an online community volunteer events calendar. WPI also has Community Service Work Study positions available for students who are looking to fulfill their entire work study allocation through community service work.

    • Extra-curricular activities:

      • Institute of Industrial Engineers
      • Management Information Systems Association
      • Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization
      • Genius! Entrepreneurship Club
      • Trustee Mentor Program
      • CEI Business Plan Competitions
      • Investment Club
      • WPI Venture Forum

  • FINANCIAL AID

      • Who manages financial aid for the business program?: Central financial aid office at the university
      • Financial aid web site: http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/FA/

    • Scholarships

      • Scholarship money distributed to business students last year: $2,922,785.00
      • Expected scholarship distribution to business students this year: $3,128,473.00
      • Scholarships are awarded to business students based on: a combination of need and merit
      • Students receiving institutional scholarships in the current academic year: 95 %
      • Students receiving full-tuition institutional scholarships in the current academic year: 1 %
      • Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students based on need: 37 %
      • Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students based on merit: 63 %

    • Loans

      • Does the school offer a guaranteed loan to all business students, regardless of nationality?: No
      • Mean outstanding debt, most recent graduating class: $44,706.00

  • CAREER SERVICES

    • Employment Information

      • Percentage of most recent business graduates who supplied information regarding employment: 96 %
      • Percentage seeking full-time professional employment in business: 94 %
      • Percentage not seeking full-time professional employment in business: 6 %

    • Received first job offer:

      • By graduation: 60 %
      • After graduation, but within 3 months: 12 %
      • More than 3 months after graduation : 21 %
      • No job offer reported: 7 %

    • Accepted first job offer:

      • By graduation : 55 %
      • After graduation, but within 3 months: 17 %
      • More than 3 months after graduation: 21 %
      • No job acceptance reported: 7 %
      • Companies recruiting business students on campus: 84
      • Companies posting job offers for business students on school job boards: 291

    • Top employers (number of students hired):

      • Avery Dennison 3
      • General Electric 3
      • Netcracker Technology 3
      • Fidelity Investments 2
      • United Technologies - Pratt & Whitney 2
      • Athena Health 1
      • EMC 1
      • Hanover Insurance 1
      • Accenture 1
      • Eaton Vance 1
      • BAE Systems 1
      • Consigli Construction 1
      • East Coast Metrology 1
      • Procter & Gamble 1
      • Jacobs Engineering 1

    • Compensation

      • Mean base salary: $60,421.00
      • Median base salary : $60,000.00

    • Most recent graduates accepted jobs in the following functional areas:

      • Consulting: 3 %
      • Finance/Accounting: 0 %
      • General Management: 5 %
      • Human Resources: 0 %
      • Management Information Systems: 10 %
      • Marketing/Sales: 16 %
      • Operations/Production: 16 %
      • Logistics/Transportation: 0 %
      • Other: 50 %

    • Most recent graduates accepted jobs in the following industries:

      • Accounting: 0 %
      • Consumer Products/Retail : 5 %
      • Consulting: 0 %
      • Financial Services: 15 %
      • Government/Education: 5 %
      • Pharma/Biotech/Health: 2 %
      • Manufacturing: 12 %
      • Media/Entertainment: 0 %
      • Petroleum/Energy: 0 %
      • Real Estate: 0 %
      • Sports/Leisure: 0 %
      • Technology/Science: 35 %
      • Non-Profit: 0 %
      • Transportation: 8 %
      • Utilities: 0 %
      • Other: 18 %

    • Job offers accepted by most recent graduates in North America:

      • US: 100 %

    • Percentage of 2009-10 academic year graduates who accepted jobs in regions of US:

      • Northeast: 89 %
      • Mid-Atlantic: 3 %
      • Midwest: 5 %
      • West: 3 %
      • Career services offered: STAR Mentor Program, Job Shadow program, individual appointments, job listings, company presentations, on-campus interviews, handouts, career fairs, resume critiques, workshops on job search strategies, interviewing skills, and job offers/negotiations.

  • INTERNSHIPS

      • Companies recruiting business students for internships on campus: 6
      • Companies posting internship offers for business students on school job boards: 84

    • Top internship employers (number of students hired):

      • EMC 3
      • Goldman Sachs 3
      • General Electric 2
      • Autoliv 1
      • Bose Corporation 1
      • CASTion Corporation 1
      • Consigli Construction 1
      • Fidelity Investments 1
      • Frito-Lay 1
      • Gilbane Inc. 1
      • The Hanover Insurance 1
      • Hitchmer Manufacturing 1
      • Teradyne, Inc. 1
      • Institute of Molecular Biology 1

    • Internship pay

      • Internships that are paid: 98 %
      • Mean compensation, per week, for paid internships only: $704.00

  • B-SCHOOL ALUMNI

      • Total number of undergraduate business program graduates since inception: 1,774
      • Total living alumni of the undergraduate business program: 1,733
      • Percentage of living alumni who contributed to the business program or university in the last academic year: 12 %

    • Alumni gifts

      • Mean Gift: $1,738.00
      • Median Gift: $100.00
      • Did the business program receive a gift of $10 million or more in the last academic year? No

    • Prominent alums of the undergrad business program

      • William A. Delphos Founder and Managing Director/Delphos International
      • Steven C. Halstedt President, Managing Director/Centennial Ventures
      • Mark F. O'Neil Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer/DealerTrack Holdings, Inc.

Getting In

B-School Life

Finding a Job

Paying the Bills