Just outside of Boston lies a school that’s perhaps not as well known as other colleges in the area, but that’s impressive and influential nonetheless. Babson College is a business-focused school that is consistently ranked #1 in entrepreneurship programs by US News & World Report. If you’ve got a budding CEO on your hands, then Babson might just be the place for your child. But, you’re probably wondering whether or not they’ll be able to get in. In this blog post, we’re going to look at that question from multiple angles. 

About Babson College

Located in the idyllic town of Wellesley, Babson College is a small school with around 2,800 undergraduate students. Babson prides itself on its small class sizes, its student-teacher ratio, and the fact that all courses are taught by faculty. The most popular major at Babson is Business Administration and Management, and students often start businesses or manage real ventures while in school. 

The acceptance rate to Babson College is 17%. At Ivy Coach, we know a number like that means the competition to get into Bates is steep. Getting in will require more than just great grades and test scores. It’ll require strategic planning (and the help of Ivy Coach’s college admissions experts certainly wouldn’t hurt). 

Babson Admissions Requirements 

Wouldn’t it be so simple if there were a one-size-fits-all approach to getting into college? If you could crunch some numbers and wait for the acceptance letter to pop out at the other end? It would save you stress, and it would probably mean we at Ivy Coach would get more vacation time. But college admissions is not a numbers game. It’s a complex, fluid, ever-shifting landscape where, luckily, each applicant is considered in his or her specific context. Babson maintains a holistic application review process, meaning they see students as whole people rather than as facts on a page. 

Even with that being said, we can look at some of the factors that unite the applicants who gain admission to Babson. 

What Kind of GPA Is Necessary To Get Into Babson College?

Unfortunately, Babson admissions officers keep the GPA data of admitted students closed to public eyes, refusing to publish either the average GPA or class rank information on incoming students in the Common Data Set. However, while we don’t technically know how many Babson students graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA or whether the majority of students graduated in the top ten percent of their high school’s graduating class, we can make some pretty educated guesses.

Babson’s admissions competitiveness places it on par with other highly selective institutions, many of which curate incoming classes with high school graduates in the top 10% of their class, and for whom a significant number graduate with a 4.0 GPA. Oftentimes, this figure stands at well over half of the incoming class! In all likelihood, Babson is no exception.

What Kind of SAT or ACT Scores Are Needed To Get Into Babson?  

Babson is test-optional and, for the Class of 2028 (the most recently available data), only 25% of students submitted standardized test scores. The average SAT score was 1460, and the average ACT score was 32. 

While the popularization of test-optional admissions has been widely celebrated, we at Ivy Coach like to warn our clients that not submitting test scores can only ever hurt an applicant’s chances. Our expert advice: study up on those tests, nail them, and deliver those scores. 

What Classes Do Students Need to Take to Get Into Babson?

Babson doesn’t officially list the minimum academic preparation needed to be considered for admission. It’s safe to assume, though, that they expect applicants to have four years of preparation in core subjects and to have excelled within each of those subjects. Since Babson is a business school, students whose schools have offered courses in economics are well-advised to have taken and aced those courses. 

What Kinds of Extracurriculars Does Babson College Like To See?

Depth over breadth! 

What do we mean by this? Babson is a business school, but let’s use a medical analogy to crystallize our point. Let’s say you’re about to get a complicated, life-or-death surgery. At the hospital, you’re given the choice between two doctors. Doctor A has general knowledge of the entire human body but does not specialize in any particular type of surgery. Doctor B is a highly trained specialist who’s done this operation hundreds of times. Which doctor are you choosing? 

Colleges deliberate their applicants the same way. They often have a choice between students who are the jack of all trades but the master of none, and students who have specialized in something and are on their way to becoming one of the most accomplished people in their field. Much like you and the doctor, they always choose the latter student. 

Babson College Application Requirements

Babson takes The Common App. Applicants must get letters of recommendation from a counselor and a teacher. Babson asks the following supplemental questions: 

• The Babson education prepares students for all types of careers across business, entrepreneurship, social innovation, and more. Tell us about your interest in this area of study and in Babson specifically. (500 words maximum)
• A defining element of the Babson experience is learning and thriving in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and interests. Please share something about your background, lived experiences, or viewpoint(s) that speaks to: (1) your commitment to promoting access, connection, or understanding across differences; and/or (2) how you will contribute to and learn from Babson’s collaborative community. (250 words maximum)

Who Should Students Ask For Letters of Recommendation For Babson College? 

Babson students should ask a junior year teacher in whose class they excelled and with whom they’ve developed a formative relationship. Since Babson is a business college, students should ask an economics teacher or a teacher who can otherwise speak to their business and entrepreneurship abilities. 

Does Babson College Require an Interview?

You can wipe this one off your list: Babson doesn’t even offer admissions interviews. 

What Are Babson College’s Application Deadlines? 

Early Decision I and Early Action applications to Babson College are due November 1. Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications are due January 2. 

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Into Babson

If you’re interested in figuring out if your child has a shot of getting into Babson College, we recommend setting up Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. Not only will you find out if your child has a chance of getting into Babson College, but you’ll receive a game plan of how your child can optimize their admission to the best school possible.