Babson College
Wellesley, MA, USA

Reviews

Babson College

CK from Southern California

accepted here and planning to attend soon
10 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Will learn a lot
Definitely will learn about setting up and running a business. Students work a lot in groups, so learning about people and cultures is a good thing.
Will enjoy being here
Close enough to the city where you can get a shuttle from the campus to the 'T and be there within 20 minutes. You would not have the distractions of the city, unless you want to go look for it. Class is from Monday through Thursday, so you have long weekends. I have already met most of the athletes on the track team and they are very friendly. I hear that many professors work on projects with students out in the field. Some students even dine with professors at their homes, especially around the holidays.
Bang for the buck
Babson is the #1 top ranked undergraduate college for entrepreneurship studies for 14 consecutive years, #1 for graduate program in Entrepreneurship in over 18 years (over Wharton, Harvard, MIT, Dartmouth, Stanford, UCLA, CAL, USC, Notre Dame, University of Texas, & University of Michigan.) By the time you graduate from here you will probably have had more hands on experience at setting up and operating a business than your peers at most other business programs.
•Named #11 Most Affordable College with the Best ROI by Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

•Ranked #1 for Entrepreneurship by U.S.News & World Report’s 2011 “Best Colleges in America”.
•Ranked #1 for Entrepreneurship by Entrepreneur magazine, Princeton Review, and Financial Times.
Babson is listed in Bloomberg BusinessWeek as a top college, where you get among the highest ROI (Return On Investment) for the amount you put in. Read this link: http://www3.babson.edu/babson2ndgen/Ugrad/Fast-Facts-and-Rankings.cfm
Tips for prospective students
Wait to get to the area before buying warm clothes if you are from a warm climate area. There is plenty of good shopping nearby. Meet the students and professor while school is in serssion. Eat in the dining hall, visit the library. This campus facilities are very clean and the buildings look practically new.
Great for these types of students
Students who are creative, independent, and can think outside the box will thrive. There is lots of competition within class so you have to be serious about business as a career. If you want a big school and want to remain anonymous, this may not be the right place for you.

Nina from Honolulu, HI

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Academically, there are two reasons that I find Babson attractive. 1) The Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME) course, which is a class that is focused on providing hands-on experience to entrepreneurs. Students will learn how to start a business and will internalize the lessons learned because everything is applied. 2) Students begin Freshmen year with Business Law and Accounting, students get there hands dirty learning about the business that s/he is interested in.
Am enjoying being here
Babson attracts a lot of students from different parts of the country, as well as from different parts of the world. My first roommate is from Texas and the second is from Connecticut. The roommate that I had before that was from Pennsylvania. Just in my hall, there are girls from China, India, Korea, California, etc. I enjoy being in the Babson atmosphere, where everyone doesn't mind saying hi to everyone else.
Bang for the buck
Babson is a private school; tuition is expensive. Some classes seem extraneous, which makes tuition seem more expensive than it should be. What students pay for, then is the networking, and the valuable resources that Babson has to offer. There are people on campus dedicated to helping you start organizations, or businesses, etc.
Tips for prospective students
Differentiate yourself as much as you can! Babson looks for students that challenge themselves academically, who aren't afraid of tarnishing their perfect GPAs. Babson also looks for students who show initiative in their own learning, for only these students will succeed at Babson.
Great for these types of students
Babson is great for students who want to be entrepreneurs. For students who want to do something big with their lives. Come to Babson if you want to start your own business, if you want to learn the skills necessary to become the owner of the next Fortune 500 company. You must be driven and take initiative in order to attain everything that Babson has to offer!

Katerina from East Setauket, NY

a current student here
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Babson College is a small business school in the suburbs of Boston. Its entrepreneurship program has been rated #1 in the country for something like 18 years in a row, and it was recently rated #1 for business overall in Money Magazine, so it is very much up-and-coming. The best part about Babson, in my opinion, is the energy of the campus--everyone is always doing something, and there is always tons going on.
Tips for prospective students
Babson really wants to see that you have a passion for something, and they want to know a little about your plans for the future regarding that passion. They don't expect every student to be a business expert and to have already started a business in high school or anything like that. You'll learn, as you begin your academic journey at Babson, that business does not have a cut-and-dry definition, and it can be incorporated into any aspect of life. So as long as you show that you are motivated and passionate, you are good to go.
Academic Rigor
The students at Babson all say that the academics are very rigorous--they boast things like a B at Babson is the same as an A at any other school. I've never taken classes at any other university, so I don't know if this is true, but I feel that the classes at Babson are not any more difficult than anywhere else. That being said, the classes are not by any means easy, I just don't know that we are right to brag that they are more difficult than classes at other colleges.
Dorm Life
Babson's dorm life is very close-knit--all the freshman dorms are clustered together around the green, except for Forest, which is a little farther away (3 minutes walk). People wander in and out of each others rooms to talk and hang out all the time. I live in Mattos, which is the substance-free dorm, and the rooms there are absolutely huge--I'm in a double, and it is probably larger than a standard triple at other schools. There's a nice big window too. And the boys who live directly under our room have these giant floor-to-ceiling bay windows that are gorgeous. But that's just two rooms. The other rooms are pretty standard, I think. Although Park Manor West is going to be opened next semester, and it is supposed to be the nicest dorm building with a huge glass-wall common room and everything.
Food and Dining
Everyone complains about the food at Babson, but personally I think it could be a LOT worse. Usually I can find something fairly palatable, and sometimes they'll even serve something really delicious. You also have the option of eating at Reynold's (the student center), which has a Pizza Hut, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, a Chinese-food place, a Mexican-food place, and sushi. Lastly, you can also eat at Olin School of Engineering, which is a 7-10 minute walk away. One big problem that students find with dining is that there is no place to eat if you get hungry late at night, because Trim closes at 7 and Reynold's closes at like 9 or something.
What to do for fun
The weekend starts on Thursday night for most Babson students, and there are always parties all weekend long. Boston is half-an-hour away, and there are other universities closer nearby as well (Wellesley, Olin). Babson also has various events such as speakers, performances, etc. And if you're still bored, well, you can always start your own business because that's what Babson is all about.
Bang for the buck
Since Babson is so small, all your interactions with the various offices on campus will be very personal. This applies to Student Financial Services as well, and I just had the best experience dealing with them after I was accepted to Babson. They really try to help you out, and they treat each student individually, on a personal level. After I explained my financial situation to them, they adjusted my financial aid package significantly, and also helped my dad secure a federal parent Plus loan to cover the rest of the cost. Babson is a very very expensive school, but they will do everything they can to help you out. I should also add that Babson is rated #1 for Return on Investment. Babson offers SO many opportunities, so if you make the most of your time here, you will graduate with a significant advantage over graduates from other schools.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
One tradition at Babson is Wellness Week during finals. They organize tons of events throughout the entire week that aim to de-stress students as we are studying for finals. For example, they always have a day when they bring puppies on campus, and we get to play with them--they are so cute! And they also have massages--and these are like really nice massages by professional masseuses. I had one this semester, and it actually did de-stress me. Some other events during Wellness Week are painting mugs, movie nights, tons of make-your-own stuff, yoga, etc.
Great for these types of students
Babson is definitely not for everyone. It's not for students who want to sit back and see where undergraduate education will take them, because those students will fall through the cracks and probably won't get noticed by employers because other Babson graduates have done so much with their four years at school. Those students should probably stick with liberal arts for undergraduate school. Babson is for the students who can't wait to start doing something with their lives, and who want to make the absolute most of the time that they have in college. If you are that kind of student, Babson is perfect because, being such a small school, they can afford to give you so much support and resources and advice. Everyone who works at Babson is truly invested in the success of every student on campus.
Clubs and Activities
For such a small school, Babson has a ton of clubs (over 100 by now, I think). I am a member of the Energy and Environmental Club, the Equestrian Club, Net Impact, Women Giving Back, the Consulting Club, and I am starting my own club next semester too. There are also organizations that are not clubs, but that have weekly meetings, such as Food Sol Community Table, and Good Business Fridays.
Greek Life
I'm not involved in Greek life, but I definitely see its presence on campus. They are always hosting events and such, I think they host a large number of the parties on campus, and there is also Delta Sigma Pi, which is a professional frat. That being said, I can't say that the influence of Greek life is overwhelming, because everyone is involved in tons of different clubs and organizations, so Greek life does not become the defining characteristic of any student or group of students.
Campus Safety
I can't really tell you much about campus safety because there have not been any threats to the safety of students that I have heard of. There have been tons of fire alarms because, well, we're freshmen, but there haven't been any real dangers. We have the standard blue-light system, and Campus Safety is open 24/7. One thing that Babson really stresses is their Amnesty Program, which basically means that if you see someone who is incapacitated from alcohol consumption, neither of you will get in trouble if you call campus safety to help them.

Nicole from Los Angeles, CA

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Amazing school overflowing with opportunities. If you are passionate about business and know that it's what you want to study, this is the place for you! So many different chances to network with very highly-regarded people in the business world.
Tips for prospective students
A's are not handed out at this school. If that's what you want then this is not the place for you!
Academic Rigor
Professors challenge you to be bigger and better every day. They really want you to learn and take something away from your experience in the classroom rather than give you the answers and push you along. They are great resources and are always willing to help.
Dorm Life
Most of the dorms are fairly new and spacious/clean. Dorm communities are wonderful and the Park Manors are extremely beautiful to live in (especially West and Central which look like brand new hotels).
Food and Dining
Food is not too bad. After a while you'll get sick of it but Rey's has a salad place, sub station, burgers, etc. Trim (the dining hall) has good and bad days but overall it's probably better than what you'll get at other schools. Babson is always willing to help you with dietary restrictions (vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, etc).
What to do for fun
There is a bit of a party scene here Thursday and Saturday nights but nothing compared to MIT and Harvard. Most people go out clubbing or into Boston.
Bang for the buck
100% worth it. Babson provides you with connections you won't get anywhere. Alums and professors are willing to help you and connect you with whoever they can to get you into a job or internship. If you go to Babson, you're set for life!
Campus Safety
Super safe. There are occasional incidents but they are rare. We have public safety roaming the campus and a strict amnesty policy. There are also blue lights for safety but as far as I know those have never needed to be used. You can walk to your dorm at 2 in the morning and be okay.

Kamisha from Brockton, MA

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Babson College is a business school that teaches students to use entrepreneurship as a lifestyle. The curriculum is focused around business and liberal arts both of which are very helpful in becoming a very successful businessman or business woman. Students who attend Babson College are guaranteed to become critical thinkers, have a greater understanding of the business world and how to be a successful entrepreneur, as well as gain a drive for social innovation.
Tips for prospective students
Whether you are going to be a first year student or a transfer, Babson does a great job with getting you integrated into the school. The community is a good size to get to know the people you will be spending the next years with, and the faculty and staff members are very nice so they serve as helpful resources for your learning and networking.
Academic Rigor
If you are a person that loves to be challenged then Babson College is the right school for you! Students in their first year get to start their own business with their peers. This allows students to learn exactly the operations and methods that come with running a business. Also classes such as History, Society and Foundation (a class which is required for your first year) really pushes you to see the world in a deeper context and understand the problems we face today as a society. This allows students to, from the start, think of ways to help the world with their future business or to get a better understanding of the self. College is no longer just about grades, it is more about the learning experience that you can take with you into your desired career field.
Dorm Life
Dorm life on campus is suitable for either the student that loves a peaceful setting or the student that loves to have fun. Students have the choice of choosing a residence hall where it is peaceful and quiet or a regular residence hall. The neat thing about some of the residence halls is... you have your own bathroom!
Food and Dining
The food on campus is pretty good. Trim, the dining hall, serves anything from hot foods such as yummy lasagna, mash potatoes, chicken, burgers, sandwiches, and pizza. If you are trying to eat healthy, then you have a choice between salads, boiled eggs, brown rice, sandwiches, and soup to cold cuts. If you want to take a break from the dining hall or you just don't have time to sit down and eat then there are also restaurants such as Pizza Hut and Dunkin Donuts on campus where you can buy something quick to eat.
What to do for fun
Babson College holds various school dances throughout the school year. There are also plays and dance recitals that are very fun to attend. Babson also does some cool events that bring the community together such as movie nights and build your own gingerbread house in the winter. For those who want to go off campus there is a shuttle that brings students to the train station in which they can take to get into downtown Boston, or students can take a shuttle to go to the beautiful Natick Mall.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Babson College has a night of free Domino�s Pizza! This is during the time when the students are stressing over exams and so need something to keep them awake and happy!
Clubs and Activities
Athletics, Theater, Cheerleading, Dance, Women Giving Back, Origins of Necessary Equality, Babson Asian Pacific Student Association (BAPSA), Black Student Union, Babson Auto Group, Babson College Radio, Newsletter Club, and many more !

JB from NY

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Babson College is a great option because it is number one in entrepreneurship. It has amazing professors who are very knowledgeable, have had experience, and are willing to help you. You are able to build great connections and join in many activities. You will really learn a lot.. The campus has a wonderful location as well. It is very beautiful and has easy access to Boston.
Tips for prospective students
Be ready to have the time of your life while learning all about the business world. Take good use of its many resources. There are many food options and the dorms are fantastic as well.
Academic Rigor
You get a lot of work but it is all worth it. There are many options to get help and your professors are amazing teachers. You finish a class fully satisfied. It will all help for the future.
Dorm Life
The dorms are great. Depending on where you live you get to have your own bathroom. The rooms are pretty big different than most other schools. It does not look like prisons ( ;
Food and Dining
There is so many different kinds of food available. Whether gluten free or vegetarian or anything else there are food options for you! The foods change and don't get boring. There is also lots of healthy options.
What to do for fun
You could join one of the many organizations on campus, join the greek life (sorority or frat), get a job, go to boston, exercise, or anything else. There is always so much to do on campus like fun events.
Bang for the buck
Its a lot of money but definately worth it. You gain a lot of connections and learn a lot.
Great for these types of students
Dedicated, business oriented, hard working, outgoing, creative, smart
Clubs and Activities
Greek life (sorority and frats), BAPSA, radio, luxury & fashion association, habitat for humanity, CAB, Jewish, Christian club, many sports,
Greek Life
Great greek life!! I certainly love it! There is the sororities kappa kappa gamma, sigma kappa, and chi-omega. Then there are the frats which are AEPI, Theta Chi, Delta, and Sig Ep. So many good opportunities and events to take part of and you meet wonderful people. EXTREMELY ANTI HAZING SCHOOL so don't worry (:
Campus Safety
Really safe. the campus has its own police nicknamed babo. There are light poles with emergency calls to babo all around campus. You can call them if you just feel unsafe, get locked out of your dorm, need a ride, or are in danger.