Oh come on @OnTheBubble , now you are being just plain silly. In Ct you can, ski, hike, sail, boat, bike, fish, go to the beach as well as eat world famous pizza and have access to cities with many cultural opportunities. Lots to do in Maine as well, but to suggest CT is limited in the array of things going on is not true and not helpful to the OP.
Again, wholly subjective but - Wesleyan is the most prestigious of the three for the following reasons: It is the largest and best known, receives the most applications, conducts the most tax-payer supported research. has the most accomplished living alumni, (including two sitting governors, a United States senator, the head coach of a championship NFL team, the 2016 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama, two finalists and two winners of the Apker Prize for Physics within the last six years), and has reached the homes of more than 1,000,000 students world-wide through its massive, online, open courses (MOOCs), among the most popular in the Coursera catalogue If all of that doesn’t spell prestige, then I don’t know what does!
@circuitrider, How dare you make a mistake! 
(post #27)
Wow, thank you for everyone’s responses. In regards to the diversity factor the student does feel that Wesleyan is a bit over the top with the “student of color” emails. To the point of feeling uncomfortable. However he understands that they are actively seeking diverse students.
Right now it seems he is leaning towards Bates because of the small size, feeling of community, happiness of the students, and outdoor opportunities.
Bates does sound like an excellent fit for your student. I visited all three campuses with my daughter and was so impressed by the laid back, inclusive vibe we got from Bates (two visits). It has all of the outdoor rec opportunities you could want along with being in striking distance to Portland. Wesleyan definitely felt much more edgy/activist than Bates or Bowdoin which is great if a student wants that environment. Bowdoin was lovely but it was awfully flat and farther away from the mountains than Bates. Best of luck to your student, he can’t go wrong with any of the three but it sounds like Bates really is a true fit!
Bates has a great Outing Club. It was one of the first in the nation and is fully student run. Every student is automatically a member without any membership fee. Students can join one of the many free OC trips or can borrow equipment for a trip of their own. XC skis, tents, sleeping bags and pads, canoes, and all sorts of other equipment can be borrowed with just a $5 deposit. They even have some esoteric equipment for loan. For instance, my son taught a free scuba class. The students just had to pay the agency fee for certification and the required books and were able to borrow equipment from the OC.
Bates also co-owns a 600 acre nature preserve with its own beach located near Sebascodegan Island overlooking Casco Bay. The area is used for research and general recreation like hiking, bird watching, etc.
All three are wonderful schools and I trust you’ll have a challenging and fulfilling experience at which ever one you choose. The thing is to just jump in, ask questions, and discover and experience the resources specific to whichever college you eventually choose. My son had all three of these schools high on his list and after visiting each he found himself most engaged with what Bowdoin had to offer across the board. He spent most his time outdoors with the famous Bowdoin outing club hiking, camping, snowshoeing, learning new skills and bonding with others, including new friends from Bates. He also had a life changing experience living and working for a summer with researchers from across the country at the Bowdoin Scientific Station in the Bay of Fundy. Bowdoin also has a Coastal Studies Center on Orr’s Island where more research is conducted and if computer science is your thing there’s the famous Northern Bites team….They have tremendous resources and they use them for the benefit of the student in impressive ways. While he did not enter school intending to major in science and biology, that’s where he found his place, it was a lovely experience. I wish it to be the same for your student friend.
Has your friend visited the schools? You never know what one will connect with upon a visit. And I’d advise going beyond the standard tour and do a lot of exploring of one’s own.
Visiting a school’s website may also be helpful. Read the student newspaper to find out about campus issues, who knows what you’ll find that may help with your decision. 
Here’s a couple links which may be informative and I’m sure the other schools have similar unique and wonderful options….Best wishes, trust your choice and go with it!!
https://www.bowdoin.edu/kent-island/
http://www.bowdoin.edu/coastal-studies-center/
http://dailysun.bowdoin.edu
http://research.bowdoin.edu/marine-laboratory/
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I’ve deleted many OT posts.
My vote is for Bowdoin based on your criteria. Access to the outdoors- you are literally in the woods and minutes from the ocean. They def have a strong sense of community and professors are mentors. Go for it!
When looking at these 3 schools on “paper” it seems that Bowdoin and Wesleyan are more prestigious than Bates. How much importance does this hold in the real world? Does this translate into less opportunities for research, grad school, or jobs? Would it be silly to give up the prestige of the other two schools just because a student had a good feeling about Bates? Or is the difference in rankings and prestige so trivial it doesn’t matter?
In my humble opinion it doesn’t matter. They all offer a platform for engagement and opportunities beyond.
I think Bowdoin and Bates are slightly better options for OP:
- Pretty campuses in pretty environs. Good access to outdoor activities and the Maine coast.
- Committed to diversity, but apparently more low-key about it.
All three are very strong academically. Academic fit would likely be fairly similar at all three. Since that and cost are about the same (right?), concentrate on other areas of fit, like the two mentioned above.
It’s pretty common for URMs and first gens to feel some degree of insecurity about attending an elite college:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/amherst-college/1874329-i-got-into-amherst-college-but-im-afraid-i-cant-handle-the-work.html#latest
All the prestige in the world isn’t going to help him feel more secure about himself or calm his fears about being a small fish in a big pond, particularly since he’s not here to really explain what he means in his own voice.
What should make him feel secure is knowing that ALL these fine colleges chose him from all the candidates because they think he is totally capable of being successful there. Colleges want success stories. They don’t want kids to drop out. It’s not good for their stats, its not good for the school community, its not a good use of their financial and other resources, its not good for faculty morale. He should feel nothing but pride, confidence, and excitement. The admissions folks have done this a lot and see tons of applicants and are good judges on what is a good fit for their schools both academically and in other ways. Don’t be afraid to reach out and use any resources available to you at the school if you find you need them.
Please make sure he understands that.
@circuitrider and @doschicos Thank you for bringing this up. The student I am helping has several times expressed concern over not being as smart as the other students. Despite his excellent transcript, impressive ECs, and compelling story he still somehow feels less than. He managed all this in spite of adverse experiences and an unstable (although loving) environment. I have told him that just proves how capable he really is. I truly believe he will thrive in college because of his determination. I will make sure to pass along everyone else’s advice too!
The question I posted earlier about prestige has more to do with the advice the student has received from others telling him to pick the most prestigious school. This is conflicting for him because in his heart he feels Bates is the place for him. He feels this way after meeting/speaking with students/alums from each school and researching the websites.
(I am slightly ignorant on the prestige matter as I had never heard of any of the schools and I myself went to CC then college as an adult.)
Sometimes, if you repost the same question in a slightly different way, you wind up answering it yourself. That just happened here.
The “advice” he is receiving is based on US News rankings especially if it is from other students. Even if people deny they base their opinions on published rankings, they are to some extent. No sane adult, teacher or guidance counselor would offer that type of advice, so it has to be other students.
You can tell him Bates is ranked higher than Bowdoin on College Factual as a way to explain different results depending on the methodology.
Another thing to mention is that if he decides he doesn’t like Bowdoin and he wants to transfer, 1) It will be extremely difficult to get accepted to a school of this level and 2) The financial aid, if that applies, won’t be nearly as good. These are huge issues.
If the student feels Bates is the best fit, then Bates it is! Look no further…My initial recommendation (Bowdoin) came from my understanding in your opening discussion thread. It is simply the closest to the shore, but that doesn’t matter if the student already gravitates towards one school over another.
Well, not to make your decision any harder, but, I just came across this end of the year ode to the Wesleyan swim team season. Completely student produced, at various turns a promo, an SNL skit, a Valentine, it will either bring you great joy or completely creep you out. In either event, it’s clear when they weren’t competing in the pool they were just Wesleyan kids:
https://swimswam.com/wesleyan-swim-dive-goes-crazy-chlorine-withdrawal-video/