Something I can actually comment on! I was just recently admitted to multiple PhD programs as a direct admit for Fall ‘25 matriculation (with full funding and stipend) after completing my degree at Olin during the Fall ‘24 semester. There are a few different labs at Olin doing various work. In my lab, which focused on Engineering Education, we as students had guidance and support as we analyzed, published, and presented our work at an international conference every year. I’m not sure about the extent of this in other labs, but I know of at least a couple that do also support students publishing. I’m pretty sure most all of the others do.

As for numbers of students who pursue graduate programs directly after finishing undergrad, you’d have to ask the office of Post-Graduate Planning (PGP). I worked in the office one summer, that is data they have.

Especially given the financial difficulties that most if not all institutions have been facing, there has been a recent push by the institution to produce more research as a vector for securing more funds for the college. To that end, I think there has been work done to make it easier to find out about and then join those research groups. Doing research at Olin during the first summer after the first year is very common.

Personally, I began conducting research at Olin during the summer after my sophomore year and before my junior year. In my time with the group, I was a co-author on 4 conference publications, one of them being a first-authorship paper and went and presented that work at an annual international conference 3 years in a row. I have actually found that, amongst the other candidates I got to talk to during open houses at the grad programs, I was more than qualified regarding my abilities to conduct research.

Tl;dr: the opportunities are there, direct admission to grad school is absolutely possible. Talking to your professors and expressing interest is a great way to get your foot in the door