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Brunswick, ME
Bowdoin College, founded in 1794, is a private liberal arts college located in Brunswick, Maine. Known for its rigorous academics, strong sense of community, and beautiful campus, Bowdoin College is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. With an enrollment of around 1,800 students, Bowdoin offers a personalized and student-centered education, where students work closely with faculty members who are leaders in their fields.
At Bowdoin, students have access to a wide range of academic disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the arts. The college follows a distinctive liberal arts curriculum with a strong emphasis on critical thinking, writing, and problem-solving skills. Students are encouraged to explore multiple disciplines, pursue their passions, and engage in intellectual dialogue both in and outside the classroom.
The collegeÆs commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident in its holistic admissions process, which values not only academic achievements but also personal qualities and extracurricular involvement. Bowdoin College takes pride in its close-knit community, where students and faculty members collaborate in research and co-curricular activities. The campus itself reflects the collegeÆs dedication to sustainability, with LEED-certified buildings and environmental initiatives that promote conservation and renewable energy. Overall, Bowdoin College offers a well-rounded liberal arts education that prepares students for success in their chosen fields while fostering a strong commitment to social responsibility and public service.
Bowdoin College is a private four-year college located in Brunswick, ME. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. Admissions is extremely competitive, with an acceptance rate of merely 8%. The freshman retention rate at Bowdoin College is 97.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 96%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is January 5. For transfer students, the application deadline is March 1.
Read more about what you can expect if you get into Bowdoin College.
Quick Facts
1,850
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
8%
Acceptance Rate
$67,198
Tuition
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
96%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you discover as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, your chances of getting accepted will greatly improve. Here are the most important facts you need to know about admission policy and requirements at Bowdoin College.
According to the newest data, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 879 in 2024. Bowdoin College has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the student. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is one of the most difficult schools to get into. Having a long tradition of academic success and a dedication to encouraging intellectual curiosity, Bowdoin College offers an unmatched educational experience.
Test Scores
36.7% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 21.8% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 96% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600 and 4% between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 97 and 3 between 24-29.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 710 for the admitted students, while the average SAT Math score was 713.
Deadlines
The final day for applications to Bowdoin College is January 5. If you are applying for a transfer, note that the application deadline is March 1.
8%
Acceptance Rate
Retention Rate
The percentage of freshmen at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. Why is that information important? Because it tells you if the majority of freshmen enjoyed their first year at a school enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for Bowdoin College was 97.4% in 2024, which is an amazing retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It provides valuable insight into the percentage of students who complete their studies within a designated timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 96%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Making the decision of which school is the right match for you is not simple. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a clearer picture of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
In 2024, the institution had an enrollment of 1,850 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 89% for that year. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 1,850, 125 of which were international students. 11 students enrolled as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 887 male and 958 female full-time students in 2024, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at Bowdoin College.
This school had 204 Asian students and 101 Afro-American students in 2024. 248 undergrads at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 188 as multirace. The school also had 3 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 2 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 4 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
The financial aspect is one of the most important things to think about before applying to any college or university. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Bowdoin College.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering about tuition at Bowdoin College? Here is what you need to know.
In 2024, tuition amounted to $67,198 for all full-time domestic students. Since this is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students amounted to $634 in 2024.
Books and Supplies
The estimated cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into account as another significant expense. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $840.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
In 2024, the price of room and board at Bowdoin College was $18,488 per academic year. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2024 was $9,340 for one academic year.
| Tuition | $ 67,198 |
| Room and Board | $ 18,488 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 840 |
| Total Expense | $ 86,526 |
Financial Aid
Getting some financial aid in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be crucial for completing your studies. If you are interested in finding out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Bowdoin College, here are some recent data you should consider.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 257 freshmen. The average financial aid package awarded to students totaled $65,957.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
940 students received some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Bowdoin College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was found to be 940. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $2,152,823, and state $53,500. The students of Bowdoin College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $57,782,411, and external in the amount of $336,411.
$961
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $187,988. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $1,690,483 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Bowdoin College was 9:1: that means 9 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. According to the most recent information, there are 235 faculty members at this school. This number included 116 men and 119 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Bowdoin College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Bowdoin College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Check out some details about campus life at Bowdoin College.
It has a campus size of 215 acres.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
Based on the most up-to-date information available, there are 140 open-membership organizations at Bowdoin College. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students is Bowdoin Organic Garden, followed by Bowdoin Craft Center and Asian Students Alliance. Other popular student organizations at this school are Bowdoin Culinary Club and Bowdoin Outing Club.
If drama is your thing, there is a club dedicated to acting that you can join. You have a passion for media and communication? Bowdoin College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Bowdoin College provides a number of services important for a comfortable and secure life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates around the clock. The late-night transport/escort service is available.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Women's Center are available to the students of Bowdoin College.
All in all, campus life at Bowdoin College is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Bowdoin College.
Career Counselling
At Bowdoin College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library and a job bank. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career.
FAQ
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Bowdoin College is located in Brunswick, ME.
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Bowdoin College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 67,198 USD per academic year for Bowdoin College.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Bowdoin College is 8%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Bowdoin College is 97.4%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.