<p>Just wondering – are there also a variety of students such as the artsy, quirky, indie, preppy,nerdy, regular (whatever that is) type of students as well, or are the majority of kids at Bowdoin just athletic and preppy? And exactly what is meant by “athletic” and “preppy”? Just wondering because my D was accepted to Skidmore and Conn. College, but waitlisted at Bowdoin and Hamilton. She has been actively corresponding with both schools to be selected off the waitlist. I have no doubt she would fit in at Hamilton, but I’m not so sure about Bowdoin, although I believe Bowdoin has the most prestige (perceived or real – just the way it seems). I don’t want her making a choice just based on prestige and am concerned about her fitting in at Bowdoin. She is very social, loves to work hard, play hard, intellectual, and a sprinkle of all the types I have mentioned above. She isn’t into sports, except for yoga and pilates. On the off chance that she would be selected from the waitlist, I would want to prepare her in order for her to make a decision. Any insight would be appreciated.</p>
<p>A little weird that you have “no doubt” that your daughter would fit in at Hamilton (but do not feel the same way about Bowdoin) if you are concerned about preppiness and an over emphasis on athletics. Hamilton is at least as preppy and athletic as Bowdoin. . .</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure the school has it’s mix. Yes there are preppy kids but you get that at every LAC in New England and surrounding areas. According to students I talked to, “there’s a group for everyone,” so there you go.</p>
<p>Actually, torasee, I’m not SURE about Bowdoin – thus my post. Just looking for some insight from people actually in-the-know. Our visit to Bowdoin was very brief and hard to get much of a real feeling. So, how would you compare Conn. College or Skidmore to Hamilton? If you think that’s weird – I dare not ask some of my other questions. And…you did not fully answer my question (that was not meant to sound rude or obnoxious, btw). Just trying to gather different perspectives. 
I have heard that Skidmore and Conn are similar, and Conn is similar to Hamilton. Lastly, thanks for your thoughts.</p>
<p>Sounds good, Strat, thanks.</p>
<p>don’t know if this helps but my son prefers barefoot, jeans, t-shirts, second hand clothes and as much time as possible in the outdoor program (though he claims to be too busy to do all that he hoped). he didn’t enter college this way but, rather, has evolved during his time at Bowdoin primarily because of his exposure to so many different kinds of folks. all of them smart and capable in the classroom, many play sports (he does, too), but more don’t and are active in other activities. so, NO, there are definitely not only preppy and athletic types at Bowdoin. i’m not a student so this is only a parent’s impression gleaned from our many conversations during this three years there. i do think Bowdoin students have a sense of adventure and it manifests itself in many different forms and within many different activities.</p>
<p>good luck with waitlist and here’s to your daughter embracing whatever school she decides to attend, they all have strong reputations and wonderful possibilities – cheers.</p>
<p>Well, Sarmom, you expressed kind of a strong opinion about the type of students who go to Bowdoin as though you were familiar with the school and as though you did not want your daughter to go there. And somehow you know that your daughter would fit right in at Hamilton. Yet Hamilton is much more like Bowdoin than it is Conn College. If anything, Hamilton would be more preppy and more full of athletic types than is Bowdoin. Both schools have similar histories - long-time men’s schools that went coed in the 1970s, with an emphasis on the traditional sports that draw the preppy and athletic types (football and hockey) and account for some of the difference in atmospherics vis-a-vis places like Skidmore and Conn College. Conn College and Skidmore, in contrast, both began their existence as women’s school - neither has a football team and Skidmore has, in recent years, attempted to really pare back its athletic offerings. On the prestige factor, Bowdoin is more prestigious than Hamilton but not to such an extent that it should be much of a factor in your D’s decision. They’re both great schools but both are quite different from Conn College and Skidmore in similar ways.</p>
<p>sarmom – S was admitted ED II and we were at Bowdoin this week for one of the open houses for admitted students. S had visited twice before in the past year and spent time in classes and overnight with the team he’ll be playing with. S withdrew his applications to Skidmore and Hamilton when he got his Bowdoin acceptance, but he had visited and interviewed and knows students at both of those schools (they like them a lot and he did, too).</p>
<p>As comfortable as S was at the other schools, S felt the Bowdoin student body was the most like the student body at his HS: involved in many different activities, not pigeonholed as a jock, a theater kid, or a science nerd, but rather accepted as a multi-faceted individual. S is a varsity athlete and a published (quirky) writer, among other things. Think of Bowdoin’s Admissions question about balance. I suspect most of the accepted and waitlisted students had a pretty easy time answering it.</p>
<p>At Bowdoin this week, the current students and admitted students I saw looked pretty mainstream. The parents, too. I didn’t see extremes in either direction. No purple hair, no tats, no obvious piercings other than ears, but no popped collars on polos, no preppy “uniforms,” just a generally fit, casual group of kids, happy to be out in the warmish (low 50s, but shorts and flip-flops everywhere) and sunny weather. Not a Biff and Muffy scene at all.</p>
<p>As others have said, it’s a group of students interested in outdoor activities, but not everyone is a varsity athlete and athletics do not dominate the culture these days. Lots of a capella groups, community service opportunities, and other activities.</p>
<p>S liked Skidmore, but there was a divide (not unfriendly) between athletes and the arts kids according to the folks we know there. Not much socializing between the groups.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your comments, they’re all quite helpful. The chances of getting off the waitlist seem slim, anyway, but I just want to be a little more prepared if the time should come. It’s hard, too, because waitlist people can’t come to admitted students’ day. Believe me, my daughter has a handful of preppy/athletic friends, and a handful of other types, but I wouldn’t say she’s “outdoorsy”. She’s a writer, a singer, loves philosophy, English literature and psychology and having a “good time” all in that balance that Bowdoin speaks of. She would consider it an honor if asked to join the incloming fall class, believe me. She will also make peace with one of the schools that she has already been accepted to and end up thriving there.</p>
<p>sarmom - when we were at the 4/12 admitted students day and H and I were in Admissions waiting for a campus tour, a waitlisted girl and her dad came in. I don’t know if it was just a coincidence that she was visiting that day and I realize waitlist kids aren’t given the materials/schedule for that day, but other than the free lunch tickets the admitted students and their parents got in the registration packet that morning, there’s not stuff going on that the school would seem likely to object to a waitlisted student being present for. No one wore name tags or was otherwise identifiable as an admitted student (other than by having a parent or two in tow maybe) and although most of the panel sessions were well-attended, there were open seats at every one. The remaining two open houses are 4/16 and 19.</p>
<p>royal, thanks for the info. Unfortunately the 19th we’re going to admitted day at Conn. College, a school she did get into. And…a 6 hour trip (we are in NY) 2 days from now does not work out well for us. I suppose if she were desperate to get into Bowdoin we would work it out. She has already told me that if she does miraculously get off the waitlist – she’s going! I do appreciate your help. :)</p>
<p>Kind of random, but do Bowdoin kids (in general) embrace diversity? Not diversity in the sense of race but in the sense of fashion, style, views, interests, etc?</p>
<p>Strat, that is exactly what I meant. My D sometimes dresses up and sometimes dresses down, but wants to feel comfortable either way. It is JUST these issues that kids think about, as silly as they may seem to some. But they’re not silly at all. I would expect that in this day and age people respect others’ views and interests and especially different races. (although why do I always read in these blogs that you see each different group, Asians, Blacks, Whites, Jocks, etc. sitting separately in the cafeteria? It’s crazy.) My daughter is in a very small high school, one that many would call homogeneous, but actually, she has so many friends from different countries and different ethnicities, races, and they simply hang out with who they like and click with – period. I hope that doesn’t change in college.</p>
<p>makes me want to flip the question to prospective students. . .in other words, if YOU were a Bowdoin student would you embrace diversity? i think you’d find most students would answer, yes. i also think the admissions staff works hard to invite those who can answer in the affirmative and work towards it. Bowdoin’s mantra is working towards, and contributing to, ‘the common good’ and while i don’t know all the variations/possibilities/manifestations of this idea i get the senses it’s always seeking an understanding of how parts relate to the whole. one could argue it starts with the individual relating, in a positive way, to the larger student body. what do you bring to this and what are you open to receiving? </p>
<p>i don’t know if this makes any sense. . .please forgive my incoherent thoughts. . .but my feel (as a parent) is that students are allowed, and indeed expected, to take initiative to contribute to the overall campus culture – connecting across boundaries – and expanding their experiences.</p>
<p>great post morandi. i agree, it’s the students’ job to reach out to others of different races/experiences to make their years at bowdoin worthwhile. as amazing as bowdoin is, i really hope students do really embrace diversity. </p>
<p>it starts with the individual and i think it is a ripple affect that will soon spread throughout the larger population. the great thing about bowdoin is that, because of its size, students can directly and positively make an impact on the entire campus. this is something i won’t ever forget and something that i make sure i use while at bowdoin. students can change the campus culture for the better, we just need to take the initiative… which can sometimes be hard, especially for freshmen due to the fact that we may be bogged down with the work, too worried about our social lives, and/or afraid to take the initiatve. through support from our peers, i think these fears can and should be irradicated for the benefit of the larger community.</p>
<p>next year, heck the next 4 years for that matter, will be very interesting… can’t wait!!!</p>
<p>went to bowdoin, LOVED IT!!! - total mix of people, something for everyone. some people stay in groups but i was a bit of a floater and had art friends, outing club friends, chem-free friends, lax player friends, whatever. it’s an extremely inclusive school!</p>