<p>Help! I am interested in Bowdoin, Bates and Colby, but I have no way of distinguishing among them as I've had no opportunity to visit from North Carolina. I know Bowdoin is usually ranked above the other two, but I also know that all three are top notch liberal arts schools. I am hoping to narrow these three schools down and apply to one. Thus, I'd like to know what makes each school stand out, what are the students like, what are the campuses like, what are the surrounding college towns like, which gives the best overall experience?
Also if anyone has any idea, which has the best sociology/social sciences program?
The more details the better, thanks!</p>
<p>ditto!!</p>
<p>what about in terms of "artsy-ness" - do any stand out? are they all preppy? homogenous in any way?</p>
<p>I visited all three this summer, and I won't pretend to be an expert.
The general consensus from people that have visited all three like me ( from those that I've spoken with) had the most negative impression of bates. I had the feeling that it was more competitive than the other 2 and lacked cooperation. The facillities were also not as nice as those of colby and bowdoin. I could see myself at either colby or bowdoin, yet i had a special feeling at colby for some reason. have any specific questions?</p>
<p>this may be stereotypical, but bates seemed the most cold/preppy, bowdoin the most artsy-yet-still-preppy and friendly, and colby sort of northface columbia sort of preppy (and very friendly).</p>
<p>where in north carolina are u from, carolinagirl?</p>
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<p>I visited Colby over the summer and I thought it was a beautiful campus. The tour guide girl was really nice, and I thought the college was great. But I'm from California, and there are limits as to how far north I can go, so I'm not applying to Colby. But if you are looking at a college in Maine, I would recommend Colby wholeheartedly.</p>
<p>heh, do you know anyone at Colby? I have quite a few freiends here that are from California, one, in particular, from LA.... I wonder if you know him.</p>
<p>I don't know anyone at Colby, at least I think I don't..... what's your L.A. friend's name?</p>
<p>Zac Blum... and is it true that you can see L.A. a half an hour before you get there when on a plane at night?</p>
<p>I don't recognize the name, do you know what school he went to?</p>
<p>Oh yeah, you know that L.A. is coming WAY before landing time. That's a pretty funny question; I never really noticed it, because it's so normal to me. It's just pitch black from the Grand Canyon on westward, until --- BAM --- lights, camera, action! Los Angeles! And you keep thinking you're about to land.... and about to land.... and about to land.... and then finally you swoop over the freeway and land at LAX, just before the Pacific Ocean. I feel so comforted seeing all the lights and cars and activity; I know I'm finally home. </p>
<p>.... and that had nothing to do with college, sorry.</p>
<p>"I visited Colby over the summer and I thought it was a beautiful campus. The tour guide girl was really nice, and I thought the college was great. But I'm from California, and there are limits as to how far north I can go, so I'm not applying to Colby. But if you are looking at a college in Maine, I would recommend Colby wholeheartedly."</p>
<p>Haha. Funny. I'm from California as well, and yet it's still my number one but HEY in the end. It's all really in the hands of fate (IE financial aid and whether or not they'll take me). Good to know it really is that nice of an atmosphere-- I don't have the resources to go and visit sadly.</p>
<p>oh, it's amazing.... 70 degrees, sunny, with the b-e-a-oootiful autumn colors today... I sure do love colby</p>
<p>What is most important? The location of the school or it's academic strenght? I would go for the latter.</p>
<p>well there ar awesome great schools in/near Cali, if that's what you meant? But if that was a comment on my comment, lol, I was just stating how much I enjoy Colby's weather... it's definitely a godo school too.</p>
<p>...anyhue</p>
<p>HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING! </p>
<p>:-)</p>
<p>I am from Maine and have been aware of Maine's private colleges my whole life. I am actually a junior now. My sister goes to Bates. I have spent some time at Bowdoin, and have also taken a tour of all three. I would say that Bowdoin is for sure the most preppy-- lots of New England old money. Bowdoin is probably also the most difficult to get into, and therefore has a lot of really smart kids-- who create a competitive environment. I don't really know much about Colby, but it seems ok, I know some people who go there and love it. I think Bates is the best. My sister couldn't love it more. It seems much more down to earth than Bowdoin. Their strongest program are in the arts and humanities. They have a lot more study abroad options than Bowdoin, which is important to me. But most of all, you don't feel that snobby/stuck-up feeling I get from Bowdoin's sate of the art campus and carefully groomed students. My sister loves her classes, though some are very tough. BATES, BATES, BATES!</p>
<p>Colby has a better swim team, heh ;-).</p>
<p>I, for one, feel all of the schools are great. However, and I don't think I'm all that biased, I feel that the personalities of people at Colby are much friendlier and down to earth than the other schools, especially Bowdoin. But hey, Bowdoin apparently has the best food in the nation :-)! I love Colby, as you may already be able to tell, and I like the atmosphere of Colby better as well. BUT, the things I am commenting on are msotly personal preferences, so a visit would ultimately clear that up.</p>
<p>As for professors at Cobly, they are all (meaning a lot of them are) Harvard, Princeton, etc. grads who are simply amazing, brilliant professors. I am learning so much here and I love every minute of it! One of the best things hyere, however, is the ability to join clubs so easily. So far I am already an active member of the Cobly Crhistian Fellowship, Varsity Swimming, Colby Water Polo, Blue Lights a capella group, and, well, I have a sweet job worknig in security. Finally, but not really finally, I'd liek to say that Cobly strikes me as a huge family. I have so many GREAT friends, and we are always hanging out in each others rooms (watching movies or tv shows), going to Railroad Square Cinemas to watch a movie for a dollar each, eating dinner together at long tables with tons of friends, going to plays/other performances, and doing other awesome stuff. For the drinker, there is a good amount of that going, and for the non-drinker--THAT'S ME-- it's very easy to have a great time :-). Anyhue, I dont' think you could go wrong either way.</p>
<p>Colby has a feeling of physical homogeneity, however, the diversity in terms of personality is great, and everyone gets along with everyone, regardless of their personality. There are artsy students here, and, thoguh I don't know a WHOLE lto about the art program here, the arts programs are quite strong here, but I feel that if you mean artsy as in alternative, then you might like Bates better.</p>
<p>Enjoy your last days of high school :-).</p>
<p>no one in their right mind would argue that bates is the best of the three. bates is in lewiston, certainly one of the worst and most dangerous towns in maine. you’re right, bates is not preppy, its downright ghetto. bowdoin is by far the best school academically speaking, colbys not bad at all though, both have nice campuses</p>
<p>I toured/info sessioned (yes, I just made that into a verb)/interviewed at all three this summer as well and could answer any questions you guys have about my impressions. I will be applying to all three, although Bates is more just for the hell of it.</p>
<p>Colby was the most picturesque of the campuses, and I absolutely LOVED it in general. Waterville is kind of a pit, but I did really like the sandwich I got there…anyway. Colby seems very unpretentious and collaborative in terms of academics, but it is still top-notch. The study abroad program and the Jan plan are very attractive to me too. I have a friend who goes to Colby now and she’s obsessed with it. It seems like the most “fun” campus and most social…I really want to go there just to see the Mr. Colby pageant and to meet the president. My tour guide was very bubbly and just raved about everything, and her love for the school seemed extremely genuine. My interview was awesome as well-the Director of Admissions and I exchanged travel stories and had an informal discussion. It seems like everybody at Colby gets along really well and just wants to have a great time in and out of the classroom.</p>
<p>Bowdoin was the school I expected to fall in love with. Now, it’s still my number 1 choice. Maybe it’s the reputation, maybe it’s the sandwich I got in Brunswick (even better than Waterville’s…maybe I should go to each school and see what their sandwiches are like and decide from there?), maybe it’s the adorable Chinese tour guide I had. I do agree with people who say it’s got a very New England-y feel to it and it is pretty preppy, but it’s important to note that Bowdoin is home to the best-TOP facilities/dorms/food/ACADEMICS. It’s much more intense than Colby, but I still like it. Bowdoin students have a lot of passion.</p>
<p>The Bates tour was the most annoying hour of my life. The Bates tour guides shouted very loudly-there were only 5 people in the group. The facilities were nice but not as nice as Bowdoin or Colby. I hate Lewiston like everyone else…I couldn’t even find a place to get a sandwich!! Honestly, I found Bates VERY stuck-up. The information session turned off both me and my mom, especially when the guy said, “Yeah okay so basically, we throw out 3000 applications without looking at anything besides their GPA and test scores, then we look at the other 1000 and see who is competent.” Um no…pompous much? Now, that doesn’t really reflect the student body, but it just didn’t seem to have the close-knitness of Colby or the academics of Bowdoin. It also seemed VERY competitive, which I do not want at all.</p>
<p>Sorry I just rambled…that is my two cents. :)</p>
<p>They are all very good colleges. Bowdoin has the best food in the country according to the Princeton Review. It has superb academics, new and renovated facilities, top faculty, and is the most diverse of the three. It doesn’t have frats, and instead has substituted frats with “social houses” which are very inclusive and open.</p>
<p>Sorry you couldn’t find a sandwich when you visited Bates. I had a delicious one at the Bates dining hall when we visited!. :)</p>