<p>I was recently offered admission at both Bowdoin and Carleton (among others, but these are the only two I’m considering) but I haven’t yet been able to decide. I live in Oklahoma and my mom isn’t exactly “rollin’ in the Benjamins” so I haven’t been able to/probably will not be able to visit Bowdoin, but I was able to drive to Carleton this past fall break and loved it.</p>
<p>I’m looking to major in Physics with a possible double major in math and I plan on going to graduate for Physics, but I still want a really well rounded education as an undergrad.</p>
<p>If you could just talk about the schools in general (how well they run, professor accessability, academic rigor, etc.) I would really appreciate it. I need all the input I can get before I make this decision.</p>
<p>P.S. I forgot to add that money isn’t really an issue. I was offered basically a full ride at both through need based aid with a $2000/year national merit scholarship at both and a $3000 bowdoin faculty scholarship at bowdoin (probably didn’t need to put where it was from).</p>
<p>My son also got into both (and others), but the finanacial aid was hugely different. He got very generous financial aid from Carleton; Bowdoin gave him a bumber sticker. Both are fantastic schools.</p>
<p>I have the same dilemma protestthehero (I posted this question on the Carleton forum). As of right now I’m really leaning towards Carleton: I got the small scholarship for NMF (I don’t qualify for need-based aid) while I got nothing from Bowdoin, and Carleton is superior to Bowdoin in math and the natural sciences. I would recommend Carleton to you.</p>
<p>they are academically very similar. a big difference though: carleton is a much less prep/athletic dominated. bowdoin has relatively more of a prep school/athlete/new england (music videos like “midd kid rap” and “tea partay” poke fun at this stereotype) just because its in the NESCAC (even though its laid back)</p>
<p>carleton doesn’t have that culture so it’s very different</p>
<p>How much of a difference are we talking about here when it comes to preppiness vs. quirkiness?</p>
<p>I’ve been offered a slightly better FA offer at Bowdoin, but I keep hearing about how preppy it is. Is the preppiness so extreme that it dominates the campus, almost shunning other social groups, or is this just something that people say when they’re trying to come up with differences between the two schools?</p>
<p>In other words, is the preppiness so extreme that it would be reasonable to turn down a few extra thousand dollars a year in order to attend the “quirkier” school? (a group that I would definately associate more than with the “preppy” crowd)</p>
<p>uh, the preppiness thing is way overblown on this board. it’s preppy for a variety of reasons, but there’s a sizable non-preppy crowd (hippies, outdoorsy-folks, etc.). it’s become this negative feedback loop. carleton is less preppy in that it’s in the midwest, but bowdoin is comparatively equal in preppiness or less preppy than williams and middlebury. </p>
<p>bowdoin this year has been defined as such by many people who don’t go there. cilyboi goes there, but he was mentioning this as distinct from carleton. carleton is hardly quirky enough to pay more for.</p>
<p>I’ve heard that Carleton is pretty well known as beeing one of the least competitive/cut-throat of the top ranked LACs. Does Bowdoin have as competitive of an atmosphere as the ivies or other top LACs like Williams or Amherst?</p>
<p>this according to son; it’s way more cooperative than competitive. folks work hard, care about the ideas, share information, and don’t discuss grades.</p>
<p>bowdoin’s laid back for sure. i chose bowdoin over carleton. and thank god i did…that place has awful food and is in the middle of nowhere. not that maine is that much better but hey…it’s nice out tomorrow think i’ll walk to the beach?</p>
<p>Can’t go wrong, but there will be more privileged upper class types(preppies from prep school)at Bowdoin. Carleton is a little more community oriented. Midwesterners are the friendliest US demographic, and sometimes if you have no $$, the number of people going to their place on the Vineyard or the Hamptons can be annoying. I was a scholarship girl myself, and it wasn’t oppressive, just annoying at times.</p>
<p>to the OP, it’s sad that you can’t visit Bowdoin and must rely on posters opinions. these are two fine schools, with students committed towards excellence and making a difference. walking through the campus and the town, and meeting with students, provides a lot of information and informs one’s sensibilities. perhaps OldbatesieDoc is correct in saying there will be more privileged upper class types at Bowdoin, i dunno, perhaps there are more less privileged as well. my son, at Bowdoin, is not upper class his friend, at Carleton, is but the point here is that these schools attract a similar kind of student – unpretentious, smart, cooperative, and caring. both my kids agree that in their class the some really ‘cool’ kids choose Carleton. i hope you’ve checked out the departments at each school via their respective websites and rest assured that which ever school you choose will be a good choice.</p>
<p>here’s to a happy, challenging and fullfilling next four years!</p>