Bowdoin College Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at your school?

Cameron

Will tell us about the "affluent Bowdoin student" stereotype.

Cameron

Liam tells us what stereotypes he heard about Bowdoin before coming here.

Ryan

Bowdoin students are typically considered athletic, preppy, and perhaps somewhat financially well off.

Charlie

Bowdoin is surrounded by a drinking culture. Most of the students play a sport.

Alex

Stereotyped as being either preppy or granola-y. No matter what kind of labels students are written under, Bowdoin kids are some of the smartest, driven and well-rounded people you will ever meet. Bowdoin girls are suppose to be "ugly" and guys are the athletic good looking type.

Lorie

preppy, affluent, hippy, patagonia, boarding school kids, outdoorsy, smart, white, athletic, east coast

Dylan

preppy, rich, intelligent, high achievers

Sarah

Preppy, outdoorsy kids. Prefrosh have asked me if it's true that Bowdoin's really homogeneous.

Eric

a) preppy lax-playing "bros" b) tree-hugging, mountain-climbing, granola eating hippies

Charlie

The main stereotypes are the athletes/jocks, the preppies, and the BOC (Bowdoin Outing Club) types. Although there is certainly a lot of overlap between preppies and athletes in terms of style, socioeconomic status, and general disposition, these groups are distinct on the basis of intellectual and daily routine (at least in-season) differences. BOC members are of the more laid-back, casual mentality that some would characterize as "hippie" or "neo-hippie," although in truth the Hampshire or Reed College overlaps are few and far between.

Tristan

Everyone at Bowdoin is an athlete.

Christian

Preppy, snobby, rich, high academic difficulty

Dawson

Preppy, Nerds

Molly

Many people assume that students at Bowdoin are all rich, preppy, and of course, intelligent.

nicole

smart, preppy

Alex

There are two major stereotypes that haunt Bowdoin students. The first is that the majority are extremely preppy, and the second is that the majority are extremely nerdy and goal oriented.

Sally

Some people think everyone here is "crunchy" because it's a maine school Or they think everyone here is too preppy

Ainsley

they are outdoorsy, not diverse

Meggie

Smart, hardworking, friendly, down to earth, outdoorsy, preppy, crazy for going to school in maine.

Kelly

-Stuck up/ full of themselves -Rich and snobs -Smart

Alex

That they are super outdoorsy and granola crunchy.

Cameron

I think the Bowdoin stereotype is the crunchy granola preppy; from a well off suburb, but environmentally aware, and very sporty

Jordan

That Bowdoin is full of preppy, J Crew/Vineyard Vines wearing prep-school products hailing from outside of Boston. They are over-achieving, they play as hard as they work, and they want to make a lot of money after they graduate.

Kelly

The stereotypical Bowdoin student is a white, upper class, boarding/prep school educated, New Englander, who cares dearly about the environment and other humanitarian issues, but will not hesitate to shop at Wal-Mart.

Brittney

I think there is a stereotype that all Bowdoin students come from New England prep-schools and live just outside of Boston.

Susie

Bowdoin is stereotyped to be a very preppy school with a large number of students who went to private school. It is also typically though of as a school with a lot of drinking.

Reese

They are rich arrogant and stuck up students.

Tristan

The winters are cold and we spend all of our time inside and studying.

Kelly

That we're pretty tough, since it's cold up here.

Mary

One fairly accurate generalization of Bowdoin students is that they are smart and driven, but not too stressed out or competitive. Most students here seem to be really passionate about what they're studying and eager to discuss what they're learning about with their classmates. I don't get the sense that people try to "out-work" one another. People work hard for themselves and their professors. Because you get to know some of your professors pretty well (and respect them a great deal), you feel like you are letting them down if you turn in anything less than your best work.

Alison

That it's filled with elite prep school jocks. Also, there is a reputation for a big hippie crowd. Another stereotype is that we have the work hard, play hard ethic.

Harper

That Bowdoin is a big hippie school where everyone eats granola and skis in Maine.

I think Bowdoin students are typically pictured as rich, preppy, uptight, hardworking, and competitive people hailing predominantly from Massachussetts with no other drive but to get into that elite grad. school, medical school, etc.

elizabeth

students are categorized as either very preppy, jocks, or "crunchy." bowdoin is known to be a very white, heterosexual, privileged campus. students work hard during the week and are serious about their classes/work, but party hard on the weekend.

Abbie

That Bowdoin students are earthy and all about peace and love. Also that Bowdoin students are extremely preppy.

Jess

That we're preppy, wealthy overachievers. Although preppy kind of slides into granola/crunchy territory, which is also a popular stereotype.

dennis

that bowdoin is only place that accepts new englanders(who are white) when in fact the school is much more diverse than that.

Margot

That the girls are ugly Everyone plays a varsity sport The student body is primarily from New England.

Raya

very preppy, a continuation of new england boarding schools, strong academics, good facilities,

Nick

white, preppy new-england prep school educated, from just outside of boston, athletic, cliquey

Terry

elitists, spoiled

Kendall

Bowdoin is known for being mostly New England, white, preppy kids

Bevan

Preppy, athletic, white, New Englanders.

Andy

That they are intelligent, very active, even if they are not involved in a varsity sport. The majority are preppy and come from middle-upper class families.

Anna

Bowdoin students are known as rich, white, preppy kids. They are known as smart but kids that like to party, and sometimes a little granola.

Cristina

Preppy, snobby, granola. White. Privileged. Friendly. Competitive. Hard-drinkers. Nerdy. Hot. In shape. Snowy. Cold.

katherine

New England prep school kids make up a large portion of the student body. students are preppy and involved in lots of activities

Erica

they're preppy and rich

Paul

Preppy New Englanders Overachievers Type A personalities Overly Athletic Uptight

Zac

Preppy people that only wear J. Crew and LL Bean.