Bowdoin College Top Questions

The best thing about Bowdoin is the academic setting. It is a small, intimate academic environment that allows students to pursue a number of different paths.

people are much less judgemental here than they are in highschool, and they are very friendly and will hang out with anyone. cant think of anything to change. it feels a little small sometimes but it is really nice seeing people you know every time you walk to class. people acknowledge that it is a good school but wonder what maine is like, which by the way is great. spend most of my time in my friends' rooms, hanging out. Brunswick is small, but all the stores you need are close and there are some great restaurants. administration can be a little strict on certain things but are generally very understanding. friend got a DUI, administration was very cool about it. lots of school pride, games are really fun to go to. not really too many to list some people don't appreciate having a smaller school

the old buildings. It's too small. People either have no idea what it is or are impressed.

Bowdoin is an amazing school. The people are kind and welcoming and truly make the Bowdoin experience. First year housing is unlike any other schools. All of the dorms were completely remodeled within the last two years. We have the top one or two dining services in the country, which becomes important when you're eating at the dining hall three times a day for months at a time. The size of the school is just right. At first I thought it would be too small, but now I love the fact that anywhere I go, I'm bound to see a familiar face. When I go into the dining halls, walk through Smith Union (the student center), or come out of the library I always see a friendly face and hear a nice hello. It really fosters a great sense of community among the students. People at Bowdoin tend to be really close with people from their freshmen dorms, which is great for most people, and not so great for others. The social house system also really fosters this because many parties at the beginning of the year center around affiliates of that particular house. Bowdoin's administration is extremely efficient, from the time you're a pre-frosh going through the admissions cycle, to course registration, to security on weekends. I have never run into any issues regarding the administration, which cannot be said of students at many other schools. One of my only complaints is the lack of school spirit exhibited by students at any time other than during a Bowdoin-Colby hockey game (which is one of the best nights of the whole year). The majority of even men's football, hockey, and basketball games are only sparsely attended, and when students do attend, they is lackluster spirit. All in all though, Bowdoin has been a great experience so far.

If you're from the south, like I am, most people give you a blank stare after answering where you go to school. Either that, or they ask if Bowdoin is a community college. Do not be put off by their ignorance! Bowdoin happens to be far better than a community college.

Bowdoin is known for its food. For a few years we had the best food in the nation according to the Princeton Review. Right now we're number two. There are two different dining halls with very different atmospheres so that one is sure to suit you. The dining service makes a really great effort to provide vegetarian and vegan options at every meal and introduce the students to different "ethnic foods." I'll admit that for me, a somewhat non-adventurous eater, this can get annoying, but I always find something to eat that I'll enjoy. The student body is the perfect size at around 1700 students. You recognize people and are sure to see a friend while you're walking to class, but its still big enough that halfway through the year you realize that a girl in one of your classes actually lives on the floor beneath you. Classes are very small- as a first year mine have ranged from six to thirty students. Some intro level sciences have around seventy students I believe. Bowdoin is known as a "new-Ivy," which essentially just means that it's a very prestigious small liberal arts college on the top-tier. There's a rumor that resurfaces every now and then about how Bowdoin was invited to join the Ivies years ago but refused, but no one's really sure how true that is. The town of Brunswick is very small, maybe 20,000 people. Right off the edge of campus is "downtown," which consists of one street's worth of cute little shops and some pretty diverse eating options. There's also a Target, Walmart, and movie theatre only a short drive away from campus. Students joke about the "Bowdoin Bubble" because we hardly ever leave campus.

One fabulous thing about Bowdoin is how community oriented it is. As you walk around campus, you'll inevitably see at least 10 people you know well enough to greet as they walk by. You'll never feel lost at Bowdoin - people definitely come to know you, no matter what you do. Some people might consider Bowdoin "too small", but I believe it's just the right size - small enough to be able to stand out on campus, yet big enough that you are always able to meet new people. My sophomore year, I expanded my group of friends to be a lot wider than my original freshman clique, and as a result, I met so many new and fascinating people. In addition, the administration in general really looks out for students. They are always asking for comments and student opinions, looking to better the Bowdoin experience.

The best thing about Bowdoin is the small, encouraging environment. The professors are easy to get ahold of and easy to talk to. I think the size of Bowdoin is just right, it is a very small campus, but you don't feel like you are limited to meeting the people in your class, it's a very open environment. The only drawback is that most people still haven't heard of Bowdoin College, let alone know where it stands in the ranks. But the people who do know about Bowdoin are the ones you want to impress. Anyone who has looked at any of the NESCAC schools or the Ivy Leagues know that Bowdoin is one of the top liberal arts schools in the country. I spend most of my time on campus in the student union, the dorms, and the dining halls. Brunswick is a small, but very friendly college town... there's a great gelato place down Main St. and a bunch of restaurants within walking distance from Bowdoin. Our administration is great, very helpful and sympathetic. They are there to help you and if you come to them with a problem, they'll try to find a way to fix it. School pride centers around sports and a few sports generate more school pride than others. Hockey, Basketball and this year, field hockey stirred up the most school spirit. I'll always remember my first day of freshman year... when the social house members (Bowdoin doesn't have fraternities or sororities) carried all my stuff up to the dorm room. The most frequent complaint is that it gets pretty cold here sometimes.

Bowdoin students are smart, well rounded, and have their priorities in order. They know when its time to shut the laptop and have a good time, but they make sure to get all their work down. The people are incredibly nice, and everyone has a good story to tell. Despite its small size, Bowdoin can seem huge.

Bowdoin is a little bit too small. Everybody knows everbody else's business.