About Bowdoin College

Founded in 1794, Bowdoin College. is a Private college. Located in Maine, which is a city setting in Maine, the campus itself is Town. The campus is home to 1,806 full time undergraduate students, and 0 full time graduate students.

The Bowdoin College Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 9:1. There are 200 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Bowdoin College include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate14%
Application DeadlineNovember 15 and January 1
Application Fee65
SAT Range
ACT Range

Admissions at are considered Most Selective, with ,20% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 7 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

100% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 97% were in the top quarter, and 83% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Bowdoin College.

3%
“We”re apathetic”
26%
“We know about current events and vote”
66%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
6%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
4%
“We save it for the classroom”
18%
“Sometimes, but not often”
55%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
23%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
2%
“I only go out in groups”
12%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
85%
“I feel extremely safe”
1%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
70%
“We bought the gear”
29%
“We live for the big game”
2%
“It”s not really our thing”
25%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
64%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
9%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
3%
“Available in class”
29%
“They keep regular office hours”
67%
“They”re always available”
91%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
7%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
3%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
1%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
3%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
69%
“We only party on weekends”
27%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
15%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
69%
“There might be people who do”
17%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
0%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
3%
“We”re apathetic”
26%
“We know about current events and vote”
66%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
6%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
4%
“We save it for the classroom”
18%
“Sometimes, but not often”
55%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
23%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
2%
“I only go out in groups”
12%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
85%
“I feel extremely safe”
1%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
70%
“We bought the gear”
29%
“We live for the big game”
2%
“It”s not really our thing”
25%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
64%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
9%
“We”re a very artistic group”
1%
“Haven”t met them”
3%
“Available in class”
29%
“They keep regular office hours”
67%
“They”re always available”
91%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
7%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
3%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
1%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
3%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
69%
“We only party on weekends”
27%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
15%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
69%
“There might be people who do”
17%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
0%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

Bowdoin College REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    41 Students rated on-campus housing 4.5 stars. 56 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    24 Students rated off-campus housing 3.3 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    41 Students rated campus food 4.9 stars. 88 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    41 Students rated campus facilities 4.7 stars. 76 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    41 Students rated class size 4.6 stars. 66 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    41 Students rated school activities 4.3 stars. 49 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    41 Students rated local services 4.3 stars. 49 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    41 Students rated academics 4.3 stars. 56 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Bowdoin College?

13 Students rated Bowdoin College

Temuulen - 11/09/2021

oho

Zachary - 12/27/2020

Bowdoin College is the perfect all around college experience! With exceptional academics, professors, reputation, and career services, in combination with the welcoming and inclusive culture, Bowdoin College has a class, club, or group for everyone. The school events are always done extremely well, and the school to student communication is top notch, especially for enrolled students. Student-athletes can compete in the NESCAC, while maintaining strong academics with understanding coaches. Bowdoin College is rich with history, as well as the quaint and friendly town of Brunswick, home of the college, with many stores, restaurants, and attractions for current students, families, visitors, and community members. Lastly, Bowdoin College professors teach with passion and pride, while allowing for the freedom of thought and opinion. Every opinion and thought is valued, and looked upon for conversation and productivity. Everyone has a home and everyone is valued. I truly believe Bowdoin College is the perfect overall college experience, that will foster a happy, healthy, and productive lifestyle, during, and after college.

Marie

When I visited Bowdoin college for the Admitted students weekend, I fell in love with the school. Everyone is welcoming and kind. The food is great, it's rated number three in the country. One is never alone and never feels alone, because the support system at Bowdoin is outstanding; from the professors to the medical team. I am excited to be attending such a prestigious college with a welcoming atmosphere and excellent academics. Even the community that Bowdoin is in, Brunswick, is as beautiful and welcoming as Bowdoin. The School is great. When it was time to leave, I did not want to go back home, despite how much I missed my family. The school captured my heart and I cannot wait to be a Bowdoin student officially.

Sydney

The experiences that students have at this institution falls along a large spectrum. For myself, I'd like to think that my own experience was unlike my peers for numerous reasons. Firstly, I am a student-athlete of color at a predominantly white, liberal, private institution. If that did not alienate me enough, unlike the majority of my classmates, I did not have the privilege of attaining my prior education from a prestigious high school and I felt that gap in my everyday experience there. Additionally, my urban background was unrelatable to most. This ranged from everyday vernacular and slang to extracurricular activities, familial experiences and more. Although I think of myself to be fairly extroverted, I felt that a lot of the relationships that I formed with my peers were initially superficial and manufactured. With that being said, it has been an experience that I have enjoyed thoroughly. The extensive learning from my peers as well as my professors have challenged me and pushed me to unforeseen heights. No doubt there have been struggles along the way, but it has transcended me to become a better man, scholar and community member. The acceptance of the community for a range of identities and ideas is unmatched in my opinion.

Bowdoin College FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Bowdoin College?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Bowdoin College is 14%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. Describe the students at your school.

    My classmates are extremely bright and engaging. They are attentive and ask questions if they do not understand a concept. They are quite and respectful to the professors.

    Read all  112 answers
  3. What are the academics like at your school?

    Academics are great here, though I hated a lot of intro level classes that I took freshman year. The course catalogue made them seem so interesting, and I didn't have a good sense of what I wanted to study when I got here. But there were some really awful ones. Sociology 101 comes to mind.

    Read all  112 answers
  4. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    Athletic, outdoorsy, friendly, pinetrees.

    Read all  111 answers
  5. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    Best thing about Bowdoin? Probably academics and food. Worst thing about Bowdoin? the size—it's too damn small. In many respects—particularly social aspects of the school—it is like high school.

    Read all  107 answers
  6. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    Yes, for the most part—the Admissions office certainly plays up the ethnic, racial, geographical diversity that is on campus. And to their credit, it has become more diverse than I'm sure it was 10, 15 years ago. Still, the place is fundamentally an institution catering to New England, intelligent, upper-middle class white kids. And it's doubtful that this will change dramtically in the future.

    Read all  107 answers
  7. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    Athletics dominate the activity/social scene. I played sports freshman year, but quit because it was too large of a time commitment, and wasn't worth the supposed social benefits that came with it. Plenty of drinking (beer and hard stuff) on the weekends. If you don't drink, there's not a whole lot else to do on the weekends. I mean, it is Brunswick, not NYC-you can't just decide you'll go see a show on broadway or listen to some live jazz.

    Read all  102 answers
  8. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    Although it's small, it seemed to be the most economically diverse schools I looked at. There is a great balance between working hard, playing hard, and athletics. Generally students are very happy at Bowdoin and love being at school. It's a very close knit community and the alumni network is strong.

    Read all  58 answers
  9. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    It's not always the most enjoyable part of the search, but I strongly recommend taking a good look at the academics that are offered at the school and meeting with the professors and administrators at the school. Even if the school has a great reputation for academics, it's important to make sure that the school offers the things that you are interested in. Also, it was very helpful for me to make a list ranking everything that I was looking for in a school such as extracurriculars, academics, financial aid, study abroad opportunities, etc. There are enough schools out there that there is going to be one that offers everything that you need without having to make compromises. It's your education. Not only did you earn it by being accepted, but you'll also have to pay for it, so you shouldn't have to compromise.

    Read all  37 answers
  10. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    I have always disliked the lack of lawn space on campus aesthetically. Also, the price tag is quite high.

    Read all  11 answers
  11. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    Bowdoin College is known for its food.

    Read all  11 answers
  12. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Bowdoin cares about you, wants your best work, is full of extracurricular activities to spark your interests, and will give you an education for the best four years of your life!

    Read all  11 answers
  13. What kind of person should attend this school?

    someone who likes small classes where there is a lot of discussions and attention on you and constant contact and access with professors. Students should like a very academic environment and small close knit communities. you'll be in a pretty isolated surburb with enough to do, but will lack access to the big city, so if that is not something you're used to, be prepared for a new experience.

    Read all  9 answers
  14. What's unique about your campus?

    The guys. All of the guys are really down to earth good people and fun to hang out with. The facilities are also beautiful and well maintained. The location is wonderful, it is clean and beautiful.

    Read all  7 answers
  15. Why did you decide to go to this school?

    Students at a party explain why they chose Bowdoin.

    Read all  7 answers
  16. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    At Bowdoin I met some of the smartest people I have ever known. Both my professors and peers were very strong academically and it made for a great learning environment. When everyone around you is working hard, you're pushed to work hard too. So I'd say I brag about the people I went to school with and the people who taught me at Bowdoin.

    Read all  6 answers
  17. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    How little economic diversity there was.

    Read all  5 answers
  18. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    someone who does not like attention on them during classes, who want s to have large classes and wants to be in a big city. Someone who does not like being in cold temperatures.

    Read all  4 answers
  19. Tell us about the food and dining options.

    Thorne dining hall

    Read all  3 answers
  20. Where is the best place to get work done on campus?

    Library, study areas, computer lab

    Read all  2 answers
  21. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    The most frustrating thing about Bowdoin is how small it seems to get by your senior year. The small size of the school offers amazing one-on-one contact with professors, but socially it become extremely hard to make new friends or reinvent yourself with only about 1500 other students in the entire school.

    Read all  2 answers

Student Body

Students

50%

female

50%

male

1,806

Total Undergrad Enrollment

N/A

Total Grad Students

84%

Out-Of-State

9%

In-State

7%

International

Organizations

125

Student Organizations

N/A

Fraternities

N/A

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

98%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
6%
% Black or African-American
6%
% Hispanic/Latino
11%
% White or Caucasian
64%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

49% of students attending Bowdoin College receive some sort of financial aid. 14% were awarded federal grants. While 18% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$49,900

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$840

Books and Supplies

$13,600

Room and Board

64,340

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$6,822
$30 - $48K
$8,525
$48 - $75K
$11,057
$75 - $110K
$20,976
$110K & UP
$34,142

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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