Bowdoin College Top Questions

It's challenging, but I've learned a lot. The best things about Bowdoin are the classes and the food. Housing is pretty awesome, too- no cramped little rooms, and most of the buildings are newly renovated. If I could change anything, I would change the location- it gets very cold in the winter and there's not much to do then, either. As for size, it's just right- big enough for variety, but small enough that you're almost guaranteed to see a friend on your way to class. Bowdoin students generally have a lot of school pride and are pretty friendly, though the dating scene is a little bit tough (maybe no one has much time for a steady relationship...).

I've loved my time here, couldn't have asked for a better college experience. People are generally impressed when I tell them where I'm in school, unless I'm back home in the South and they have no clue why I'd go so far north :). Not too big at all. Freshman and Sophomore year, Bowdoin is the perfect size. If you don't go abroad, I bet it feels pretty small by senior year, but most people study somewhere else in their junior year, so it ends up just fine. Brunswick's great. Really, it's hard to complain about this place. If you like having fun, taking interesting classes, and being involved in a community...it's a good school.

My favorite part of Bowdoin is our student and faculty population. People here are incredibly friendly and willing to go out of their way to help you. On one of the first days of school someone I barely knew asked me to sit with him and his friends, but the table was already a bit crowded, so a group of guys moved two tables together, just to give me a little more room. Bowdoin's size really enables this sense of community. It's not too small that I feel claustrophobic, but it's small enough that I can walk across campus and see (and chat with) lots of people I know. Most people, when they hear that I go to Bowdoin, say something like, "hmm I've never heard of that" or, in response to the fact that it's in Maine, say, "you must love the cold!" I certainly don't love the cold, but my winter this year, while snowy, really wasn't that bad. I think the cold brings people together actually. People who are more "in the know" about colleges, like employers, know and highly respect Bowdoin. As for where I spend most of my time, that would definitely be on campus. Brunswick is an adorable college town, really the best, and everything is within walking distance. Still, the College has so much going on that I rarely feel the need to leave. But the occasional trip to the grocery store or to the gelato place in town are always refreshing.

At first I wanted a big school. But event though Bowdoin has a small campus, I am hardly ever off it. Students have a lot of work, and there is a great social life on campus (minus frats ands tuff). I spend most of my time all over campus: my room (which is a huge suite, that all first-years get, awesome stuff).

Bowdoin is a noticeably small school. Everybody seems to know everybody and news gets around campus pretty quickly. Brunswick is a great college town, though far from the city life that some college students seek. The food is excellent.

preppy preppy preppy!!! aaaaah very difficult after first few weeks or so to meet new people - i think that because the school is so small people feel compelled to hang on to their groups more intensely and are frightened to explore other social options, even if it means striking up an actual conversation with the student sitting next to you before class. also, no opportunities are really provided to mix with people from other years. even though there are parties, the big ones are mostly limited to awkward freshman and sketchy/very drunk sophomores

The best thing about Bowdoin is the tight knit, friendly community. It would be better if Bowdoin were in a larger ciy, Brunswick is very small. The school is a little small. If something big happens, word spreads fast. In general, people are impressed when I tell them I go to Bowdoin. The entire administration is very friendly and eager to talk to students. School spirit is great, especially when it comes to hockey games and the rivalry with Colby.

The people. As a guy, I have met very few others who I dont like. Just right size. When I tell ppl. I go to Bowdoin, they're impressed. I spend most of my time on campus sailing (at the docks) or in the library, or drinking.College town. Bowdoin admin: indefference. Not a ton of school pride, but we all know that the kid sitting next to us is smarter than us. Unusual: not much.

I love the Student Center--its the perfect place to study for an Italian test or catch up on some Econ reading. I'm not a huge fan of the art center--it needs to be renovated. It is great space and great light, but it could use some refurbishment. Great town. Great hockey game ambiance.

Bets thing about Bowdoin would be its flexibility. You can live the life of a small small school yet its still alrge enough to run into new people at parties or across campus. Meanwhile its not so huge that you can't make a name for yourself. At the same time, there can be a lot of intermixing of genres of students. It may seem small, but there is a complete lack of accessible public computers on campus to check email throughout the day and even worse is the printer situation where there are only a select few available. And the process involved in getting them to print what you want is a major hassle. For the most part people react with indifference. They know that it is a very good and still up and coming school, but so are so many others. The majority of my time is spent among the dorms. When it is cold out (which it usually is) there are very few hang outs on campus that aren't either inconvienently located or overpopulated. Very much a college town, surrounded by the quaint town of brunswick which houses a variety of stellar restaurants and pubs as well as very many private little shops that service any and all needs. In addition there is a nearby Walmart. Administration is very much removed from campus, which is understandable, but i feel there are a lot of decisions we never hear about until they are implemented. School pride is a bit of an issue. Its there but attendance to games is either rediculous or non-existant.