Bowdoin College Top Questions

All of my professors know my name- classes are usually very small. In my freshman year I had once class with almost a hundred students, but even then the professors knew me and did everything they could to get students to participate in class. This year one of my classes has six students, and none of them has over 35. Professors are almost always very accessible. My favorite class this semester is a German class called Robots, Vamps and Whores. I study every night. Class participation is common. Students aren't very competitive. The most unique class I took was Tasting Hierarchies, about food in Latin America. German is an interesting major with a small department. I go to office hours with most of my professors. The academic requirements aren't too strict. Education here is mostly about learning for its own sake.

Due to Bowdoin's small class sizes it is very easy to develop close mentoring relationships with professors. Bowdoin has a very inclusive environment and students are generally supportive and helpful of each other.

All of my professors know me well. I really love film (obviously). Im not a fan of math, but I really like my professor, so it make the class enjoyable nonetheless. Everyone studies a significant amount, but its not out of control. I went to a REALLY hard high school and Bowdoin seems to be a little bit easier because the professors expect a lot but give you the appropriate amount of time to complete your assignments. Participation in class is very common and expected of you. Students arent overly competitive. Everyone is really interested in helping everyone else do well. I want to be a film major and the department is one professor. Obviously, she is one of the best professors at bowdoin to handle a whole department by herself. The film major is actually a self-designed major, so I will have to write up a paper on why I need a film major when I declare in my sophomore spring semester. The distribution requirements are very easy to fulfill and encourage you to take classes outside your comfort zone.

The intimate environment makes bowdoin's academic setting invaluable. We have the ability to remain in close contact with our teachers in and outside of class. The academics are taken seriously bu are not overly competitive. Bowdoin's academics are more geared towards giving students a learning experience, but the college provides excellent resources for finding work in fields that students are interested in.

In general, academics at Bowdoin are superb. Like I already mentioned, Professors are very interested in reaching out to students who show interest. If you show up to class prepared every day, ask intelligent questions, and visit during office hours, you're bound do become friends with the professor of the class. One complaint I would make, however, is about pre-major advising. Bowdoin is actually working on revamping its current system, which is a good thing because right now, a pre-major advisor is little more than a signature on your course selection card. I haven't personally suffered much from this because I am pretty organized about selecting classes. I also sought advice from upperclassmen (something else that is pretty easy to do at a small liberal arts school). Someone who might want more guidance, however, might find themselves a little frustrated as course selection roles around each semester. In terms of academic culture on campus, there is definitely a spectrum. You can't survive at Bowdoin without putting in a significant number of studying hours each day, but you can definitely pull of C's and B's without too much effort. A's are notoriously hard to come by. I'll finish this (lengthy) response by saying that in general, I think Bowdoin students have a very healthy attitude towards studying. Sure, some students live their four college years in the basement of the library, but most students end up dividing their time between a few extracurriculars and their studies. As a member of the outing club and frisbee, I try to be as efficient with my studying as possible to be able to compete in weekend tournaments and participate in and lead outing club trips as frequently as possible.

Classes are awesome, see above.

Professors know your name, and really take an interest in your academic success. You can get lunch with your professors, and they are very available if you ever have questions. The English Department does not offer that many interesting classes, however.

Class participation is very common

I would say this is the best part. classes and teachers are the best I've ever had. definitely take english classes here.

My professors have been wonderful. First semester all of them were international, which was really awesome. All of my professors have gotten to know my name within a few classes. My classes are generally between 15 and 35 students, which has been great. My favorite class was my freshman seminar because it really challenged me to think about the world in a different way and interact with people from totally different backgrounds than where I grew up.

I dog sit for my proffessor and know them as people. hey are unbeleiveably supportive .

Academics are great; challenging but not unreasonable. Best prof I've had is is Patrick Rael of the history department. Phenomenal teacher. The history department is pretty solid as a whole. Classes are generally pretty small and participation is generally expected. The amount of work you do depends on your major. History, English, Gov, and the sciences stand out as the most demanding. Sociology, Religion, Gender and Women's studies are all bullshit areas of study and are much easier.

Academics are great, and the school is small enough that it's easy to find out which classes and professors are exceptional and which are to be avoided (these are very few). Bowdoin's small size also makes it easy to get classes and easy to do independent projects. The small class sizes are also a plus and you really get to know your professors. I took an ecology class that included netting and tagging birds in the professor's back yard.

Classes vary at Bowdoin, like any other college, and range from easy lecture classes with 50 people looking for an easy A, or in-depth seminars with a group of intelligent, enthusiastic students. In general, I was disappointed by what I saw as a lack of intellectual curiosity on campus, and I think this still needs to be improved, but I have also had many really great classes and professors, especially as I have gotten beyond freshman year. Professors will be very helpful for the most part if you seek them out, and I think the close interaction between students and professors is one of Bowdoin's strengths. I am in the Environmental Studies and History departments, and have been happy with them so far. Bowdoin's environmental studies program is large and very good, but it also requires you to complete another major in addition, which has been a pain for me. The workload will definitely be heavy, although you can get by without doing that much if you really want to.

Every single of my professors knows my name, and I feel that i can approach them about problems or questions I have very freely. Bowdoin is competitive, but not so much so that it is a drain on the quality of life.

Professors here know your name. Many classes are discussions around a table. People study a lot, and have many intellectual (but not pretentious) discussions outside of class. However, people here are not competitive at all. Some majors are better than others. Academics are what you make of them. If you are close with professors and listen to upperclassmen about which classes to take, you will be fine. Otherwise things could be negative.

Classes are small which can be a good or bad thing. It's great because teachers know your name; it's bad because they know when you're not in class. Most students genuinely want to do well, and therefore work hard. There's not a lot of competition between students, but people put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well. Students know how to work hard and know how to play hard.

Academics at Bowdoin are what you make of them and who the professor is. There are some really wonderful, inspirational teachers here, but there are - of course - classes that have been a little blah. This goes for seminar classes and larger ones, too. I have nothing but good things to say about the German department, every professor knows my name, even though I haven't taken classes with all of them yet. Thats just the nature of Bowdoin I guess, everybody knows everybody.

There are great relationships here with professors - they are attentive without being overbearing; friendly without being too intrusive. I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge they seem to have. I am impressed almost every day by it. Students are competitive in a healthy way - that is, I don't know a lot of cutthroat people, but people definitely work hard and want to do well. The Classics department is pretty small but they are very flexible in terms of counting classes toward the major that aren't in the department. I don't particularly like the requirements, but I can see that as a liberal arts college, Bowdoin needs to have them. That said, I did not get anything out of my math class or enjoy it, but I had to take it because it was required. But i understand the point of them.

I know all my professors and talk to them frequently outside of class. I even feel comfortable having lunch or dinner with them and talking about non-academic subjects. Bowdoin students do study a lot, but most make time for other activities that they enjoy, as well as social activities on the weekends. It's not uncommon to overhear/participate in intellectual conversations outside of class, especially politics and international news headlines. There is certainly a competitive side of Bowdoin, but in my opinion it is more of a personal drive than a desire to out-do other students. As a liberal arts college, students are encouraged to take a wide variety of classes outside of major requirements and career based subjects. At the same time, the Career Planning Center is an incredible resource for students who know what they want to do.

Of the sixteen classes I have taken or am taking, ten have been in the 12 or fewer seminar size range, and many have been even smaller than that, and when the professors are as amazing (as in approachable, awesome human beings) as they are at Bowdoin, this makes for a pretty sweet academic experience.

The classes are, depending on the subject and class level, medium to small in size. The largest class I've ever had is an intro science class of about 40 students, and the smallest was about 10 students in an upper level french class. In either case the teachers know you, are easy to contact and talk to, and are usually fairly understanding and really helpful. The teachers are usually trying to engage the class and get them to understand and participate. In a couple of my classes I've actually had an assignment where I led class discussion for 30 minutes on a passage and subject from the book we were reading, and that was not only a lot of fun, but helped me understand just how hard a teacher's job can be. Classes can be hard, but if you study and try you can usually make it through just fine. In general, they challenge you to think more and better about new ideas, and to really understand the concepts and processes. I often get a variety of class types, since I'm doing a French/Biology double major, but both types are always interesting, and help me understand just how things work.

Not gonna lie - classes are difficult. But as a trade-off, these are absolutely the best classes I've ever taken. The subject matter is intellectually stimulating, and most of the professors are absolutely wonderful, both in and out of class. Every professor learns your name, whether it is a class of 5 or a class of 50 (which is as big as they ever get, and is mostly for intro classes). Bowdoin's course offerings really encourage academic exploration of all sorts and I find myself building an extremely strong foundation for whatever it is I decide to do in life.

Professors at Bowdoin know my name, even in the largest classes of 50. My favorite classes are usually in my department, Environmental Studies or Latin American Studies. Typically, these classes are small and I get a lot of face time with the teacher and other students in my class. I have a lot of very intellectual friends in my friend group and generally we have very stimulating conversations. On that note, I've encountered very few incidents where students have asked me what grades I get, but rather other students engage me in conversations about the classes. There's still a pressure to do well, but it comes from myself.

Get ready to spend some serious time in library. The Bowdoin B is a joke on campus (everyone seems to get them) but you have to work hard for that B and kill yourself for the A.

There's a pretty wide selection of classes available for such a small school. Professors are generally very personable and willing to help- I've never been refused help on an assignment when I've asked, and my professors helped me choose a study abroad program, as well. Students aren't particularly competitive against one another, but they tend to set very high standards for themselves. They often work together in study groups, and they're usually there for each other when school seems like too much. The general education requirements aren't stringent, but they give you a good direction when you're just starting out, especially if you're not sure of your major yet. Bowdoin classes are focused on learning for its own sake, not getting a job, but there is a Career Planning Center. In my experience, it's nice to have that separation of class life and career plans, because part of college is about learning to be a better rounded, more open-minded person, not about biding your time until you get a job!

Professors know your name, they invite you to dinner at their house, students babysit their kids. Close community. They are also very VERY VERY smart people, which makes getting to know them so much more exciting. Dedicated, involved, passionate, approachable, and they teach fascinating courses.

Academics at Bowdoin are absolutely the best. Professors make a huge effort to get to know students personally. People here work extremely hard, but we're not competitive. Students work together all the time, which is encouraged by professors. I don't know what I am majoring yet, but that's fine. Bowdoin encourages us to explore all sorts of subjects. We have some division and distribution requirements, but they're very general and easy to fulfill without really trying. Plus, they get students to step out of their comfort zone a little. I've taken two first-year seminars this year - one was 16 students (they're capped at 16) and the other is 8 students. My seminar right now is about personal ethics, which is so much fun. My other classes include Animal Life, which focused on animals in literature and Cryptography (basically code-making), among others. Learning here is purely for the sake and enjoyment of learning. We're encouraged to try new things, not prepare for a job from the moment we begin classes. Best of all, learning extends far beyond the classroom. In the dining halls you can always here people talking about their classes, in addition to their plans for the weekend.

Academics at Bowdoin are as advertised. Though difficult, the classes are interesting and often rewarding. Being around smart students makes every class better.

professors very engaged!

The academics and professors at Bowdoin are wonderful. Classes are small and often discussion based. Classes are challenging but not impossible. Students spend a lot of time studying, if you don't do any work then there's no way you can get good grades. The distribution requirements are a good thing. They force students to go outside their comfort zone and explore something new.

Most professors know my name. Fav. class:Art. Students study a lot. Class participation common. Not much convo. outside class. Dont spend time w/ professors outside class. Academic requirements fair and manageable. Education for learning

Yes. Favorite: Drawing I, Least favorite: Economics Every day and every night. Class participation is required and encouraged. Yes. Not with each other so much as with themselves (ie personal bests). Undecided major. Not much Academic requirements: not too many, but enough that you get a taste of everything.

It's true: professors will get to know your name (for the most part). Of course, not all professors think about teaching in the same way, and some don't value names as much as others. The truth is that the small size of classes provides both student and Professor with a situation in which they are more inclined to know each other, and to examine academic material more intimately and more rigorously. Bowdoin is committed to keeping classes small, and I feel completely taken care of by an administration that is clearly tireless in their efforts to improve and add value to my education. Competitiveness in Bowdoin's academic setting is almost unheard of. Instead, students are more often encouraged to work in groups and support one another. In every course that I've enrolled in that has problem sets, every professor has encouraged me to work with others. This to me, reflects Bowdoin's unique view on diversity of learning styles - which the admissions office maintains through not requiring applicants to submit SAT scores. This is something I absolutely love about this school. The most unique class that I've taken was called "Globalization and Social Change," A Sociology and Latin American Studies course. It was one of the most demanding course loads I could have possibly imagined, but it was also one of the most influential courses of my life. It fundamentally changed the way that I think about the future and the nature of the economy. It has inspired me to act as a force for positive social change. Professors want to be your friend. Many department offices are contained in converted houses on the edges of campus where professors hold office hours and hang out with one another and talk academics. They love meeting with students and being academic and personal resources. They are more than willing to guide students in their independent studies, and they all need ladders to access all of the books in their bookshelves. I would say, unequivocally, that a Bowdoin education is about learning for its own sake. Academic requirements are a wonderful incentive for students to explore new disciplines and to try thinking in different ways instead of staying too comfortable with one field of study or major. Having said that, Bowdoin also has a fantastic Career Planning Center, which can hook you up with landing a good job, and one that can change the world.

For the most part, the professors here make it their own personal goal to get to know each of their students. While this does not apply to all, this applies to the vast majority, and even the ones that don't do make every effort to help their students understand the material provided the student makes the effort to get in and see them. Students study a standard amount, the majority of the learning takes place in the post class discussions where the students are able to voice their own interpretations and feeling stop their friends in a situation that meets their comfort needs. As far as the academic requirements are concerned, the college is trying to make an effort to diversify the students learning, yet the shortcomings are that the different distribution requirements are hard to get at and many classes that should fulfill a requirement do not and the requirements themselves, while in the catalog book sound exquisite and necessary do not actually touch on new subject areas for students.

My favorite class here was an art history seminar in which we curated a show at the newly renovated Museum of Art. We had the opportunity to work closely with some of the works on paper from the museum's collection: John Sloan prints, Winslow Homer wood engravings, and 20th century documentary photographs. This course presented some unique opportunities and was one of the best learning experiences that I have had here. I am a history major here - the department is really strong. I have yet to come across a professor or course that I dislike within the department. One of the things I like the best about the history department is that the courses are usually not big survey courses that just give timelines and facts. The department is more interested in the synthesis and analysis of ideas, trends, and problems in history. Although the liberal arts curriculum definitely creates an environment of learning for its own sake, students here are still pretty career-oriented. There's often a sense of guilt amongst students who aren't majoring in something "useful", whatever that may be. The one thing I have noticed is that a lot of students will double major and minor in a wide variety of departments, not necessarily becuase they are truly interested in all the topics, but more because they are interested in doing as much as they can academically. This emphasis on quantity, and not quality tends to highlight a trend on campus towards overachieving for the sake of overachieving, and I often find that there is a lack of actual academic passion here. People here are well-rounded, which is great, but this can also be a drawback because sometimes I feel like some students are a little boring.

yes and they are very friendly loved my hawthorne seminar, professor was awesome havent hated any class some are in the lib every night, others never go, but its all about time management because you have lots of free time to do whatever some kids participate all the time, others never do, but wont be judged one way or another. sometimes not really hawthorne seminar econ/math major, not too difficult to fulfill, but takes some work. but profs are very helpful. some kids do, i dont really distribution requirements are very broad and allow you to take what you WANT to take while makign sure you have some variety. i would say mostly learning for the sake of learning, but at the same time you are prepared well for life after school

Yes, they know my name. Right now my favorite is drawing and least favorite is viruses subverting life. Yes, students are competitive. Bridging divisions, about ethnic conflict regulation. no, only during their office hours. I feel like the requirements are a little excessive as far as division requirements go. I suppose it depends on what department you're in

Academics are top-notch at Bowdoin. Even taking all intro classes last semester, I was in classes of 16, 21, 35, and 50 students. The largest class that I'm in this semester has 35 students. That's amazing for freshmen year. All of my professors knew my name after two weeks of class or less. Class participation is not only encouraged, but almost always required. On my tour when I came to visit Bowdoin, the tour guide said you can never hide in a class at Bowdoin, and that's definitely true. Students are not competitive with other students, but they are very competitive with themselves. Students work very hard during the week, and people take their classes very seriously. One thing I would say is a warning about taking foreign language classes. Intro language classes move very, very quickly, so expect to work hard if you want to keep up.

Professors know who you are. My major advisor is my advisor, boss (I'm a grader in his intro courses), and friend. I've gone to his house for dinners, baby-sat for his kids, and talk to him several times a week about what's going on with his and my lives.

Professors are very friendly and helpful. With such small classes all of them know your name, even if you choose to never talk during discussions. The course work is pretty strenuous, depending on what classes you're taking. I take a lot of humanities and probably spend on average anywhere from half an hour to 6+ hours a day on homework/reading/studying. It all depends on the week. It seems that students going the pre-Med route also do a lot of time in labs, with problem sets, and studying. Students aren't competitive. Everyone's just trying to work up to their own standard of excellence. The liberal arts degree is really geared towards learning for the sake of learning and getting involved in helping the common good. Intellectual conversations, in my experience, aren't that common outside of the classroom unless it's politics, which are more prevelant this year due to the election.

Academics at Bowdoin are wonderful. Professors go out of their way to get to know students. Usually professors have access to a photo roster before classes start, and work hard to memorize names. This can be daunting if you're in a class in which you've perhaps never spoken, and all of a sudden your professor calls on you by name, when perhaps you've always thought that your professor never knew who you were! It's hard to hide in a class at Bowdoin, but this makes learning so much easier, as you get engaged in the topic. I'm a Math major with a physics minor. Both the math and the physics departments are not frequented very often, but I prefer this, as it means that higher level class sizes are usually very small, and I get a lot of one-on-one attention. People in the math department were so thrilled when I declared my major, and I found that many professors in the department that I had never had already knew who I was, and I really appreciated being known in my department. Students spend a lot of time with professors outside of class. I frequently see my professors in the dining hall, having meals with either their family or with students. I've grabbed coffee with a professor before, and I know people who've babysat for their professor, or had Thanksgiving dinner at their professor's house.

All my professors know my name. My biggest class size has been 42 kids in an introductory government course. My favorite class is American Political Thought because of the professor. Students study a lot here, you need to to get good grades. The library can be full every night. Class participation is very common at Bowdoin, professors encourage new ideas and questions. Students commonly continue class discussions outside of class and engage in intellectual conversations about any subject. Although it is one of the most competitive schools to get into, the students are there for each other, helping each other and studying together. So far, the most unique course I've taken is Science, Magic and Religion, a course about pre-Darwinian thought and how the introduction of Darwin's evolution theory placed religion and science at odds. The academic requirements can be annoying if you think about them, but you will most likely fill most of them without intending to. I plan to major in Government and Legal Studies and Spanish. The Government department is the best department on campus and the language program at Bowdoin is phenomenal. The education at Bowdoin is definitely geared toward getting a job, there are advising groups all over campus, but in order to figure out what students want to do, advisors understand that learning for its own sake is important.

Classes are really varied. The intro classes are "large" 20-30 students. I've had classes with less than 10 students, and I'm a freshman. Classes are very engaging and rigorous, yet there is less competition in the classroom than there was in high school. The professors are hired based on how good they are at teaching, not how many papers they publish, so they tend to be personable, intelligent, and helpful. That being said, there aren't "easy" classes at Bowdoin.

I know all my professors really well. My favorite class was French last semester. My teacher was the nicest man ever, made everyone laugh, great teacher, and very fair.

yes, professors know my name. how much students study depends on the student like at any other school. class participation is fairly common, many classes are dicussion bsed. yes, sometimes we have intellectual conversations outside of class. this is less common if you are on the football or hockey team. or basketball. most students are not competitive, others are secretly competitive because they know that they will be shunned if they are open about it. i do not spend time with my professors out of class - if they were hotter i might. bowdoin's academic requirements are ridiculous and get more retarded every year. im glad im graduating and don't have to deal with all this crap anymore. and the education is geared toward's learning for its own sake (which is obvious since its an liberal arts college so if you want to be an engineer, don't come here)

Academics are great...I wish there weren't a science requirement because it wastes that professor's time as well as the students'. Students do have intellectual conversations outside of class but it's not all we talk about. Education at Bowdoin is about learning how think critically, articulate yourself, and write for any situation that you may be presented with in your life.

Professors dont' know your name unless you are tool who talks all the time in class or take a joke class with 10 people in it. Students never study. Class participation is common among 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body. Students are competitive. Education at Bowdoin is useless.

You might call me a math geek, but at Bowdoin, feeling passionate about something academic doesn't seem uncool or weird or anything like that. Everyone is just as passionate as me. I am currently taking a higher level math course in analysis that has only 11 students in the class. The work is really difficult but so incredibly interesting. During one class we made our way through a proof dealing with open sets and what are known as "open balls" and everyone literally said aloud, "wow." It was truly a moment of epiphany where things in math started to come together. Each day I'm amazed at how fast the two hours go by. In this particular class, all the assignments are done in groups of three or four. It brings up great discussions and is a really effective way to learn the proof techniques that analysis requires. The atmosphere of the class is great too. Everyone that has signed up to take it is really interested in the topics, not just filling a distribution requirement, which adds a lot to class and group discussions. This course has been one of my favorite academic experiences thus far at Bowdoin.

All of my professors know my name. My favorite class is the History of Women's Voices in America. The professor is passionate and the assigned texts are fascinating. Class participation is very common outside of 101 level courses. Most professors incorporate it in our final grades. Students are NOT competitive. We want each other to do well. The most unique class I have taken was titled Mona Lisa and the Mafia. It explores stereotypes of Italians by looking at famous works. Bowdoin's academic requirements are very easy to fulfill. They push us to expand out minds, bit not so much that we are very unhappy. Education at Bowdoin is geared towards education for education's sake. We have no Business or Finance classes, just Econ.