Bowdoin College Top Questions

Every stereotype is true except for the one about how smart and motivated students are. The majority of students write the papers the morning they are due, cheat on every problem set, and rely on the curve to save every test grade. Rampant grade inflation has the side effect of delusional Bowdoin students into thinking that their economics and government classes actually teach them anything or are academically rigorous in any way. Bowdoin is easy but no one tries thereby making classes "hard."

It is becoming less and less accurate as the years go on. There is no dating, just hook-ups or "marriages."- This is mostly true, but special guys still take girls on dates. However, I have never seen dating end happily.

obviously some preppy kids, some ugly girls, some outdoorsy people. overall people are very athletic and very healthy but there is a wide range of kids, as everywhere. the girls are getting much hotter and there is a group of friends for any type of student.

There are a lot of athletes on campus, but many of these athletes do many other things as well. The typical Bowdoin student does a ton of extra-curriculars, sports, academics...the works. It is definitely not true that everybody drinks. There is a large drinking culture on campus, but I know a lot of people who choose not to, and for them, there is still PLENTY to do on campus.

Not really. Sure, there are a few of them floating around, but everyone is so damn friendly here you would never know who they are!

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Yes, to a disturbing extent.

The girls have improved slightly but overall they aren't very good. In addition any decent looking girl there is a million guys going after her so it's tough.

The first one is definitely accurate. A lot of students look like they just stepped out of a J. Crew catalogue, but there's a larger number that threw a polo shirt on with some jeans just so they don't look like they rolled out of bed. There are definitely a minuscule number of hipster or emo type people, though. Like Middlebury, people basically run the spectrum from preppy to hippie, with most people falling somewhere in between -- but I think the hippies are in a much smaller minority here. The stereotype about Bowdoin students being athletes is definitely true -- I think it is actually underreported in most guidebooks, because they only consider varsity sports and leave out teams like ultimate frisbee or intramurals. I would say 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of people I know (myself included) have played a sport here at some point, or they played a varsity sport in high school

Well frankly, it sometimes does feel like everyone around you is able to pay the 50,000 dollar a year tuition and go on shopping sprees to the local LLBean headquarters or skiiing up north whenever they feel like it...But I've never really had this held over my head at all. If you are worried about the stereotypes- don't. I think that Bowdoin is definately a place to invent yourself and all different types of people are accepted. And maybe I have seen more granola eaten here than ever before...but its good for you!...and please, linen pants?!? -we would freeze!! Note: Maine has COLD, rainy, snowy, unpredictable, icy, wonderful, COLD weather. Bring boots....boots from Target, L.L.Bean, or 1955; it doesnt matter...just bring boots and you will love it here.