<p>Congratulations on acceptances to two exceptional colleges! I’ve had the pleasure to know graduates of both who adored their experiences and are productive and happy. What else can you do but visit Bowdoin with an open mind and then make an informed choice? You can’t go wrong. Best wishes.</p>
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Exactly. I think all the angst is because you’re comparing something you know, and really like…to something you don’t really know. So all you really see and feel are the great things you’d be giving but none of the amazing things you’d be getting. </p>
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I wholeheartedly agree. I’ve seen that said/implied so so so many times on CC. A student that will be middle of the pack at a “top tier” school will most assuredly be top tomato at a “lesser” school. It’s not always the case. </p>
<p>The old joke about Harvard and grade inflation - “You think it’s hard getting in to Harvard, try flunking out.”</p>
<p>Just got into Wesleyan so that has been added to the list. Now it’s between Kenyon, Wesleyan and Bowdoin.</p>
<p>Congratulations. Three very different colleges, but all are outstanding. Hard to go wrong. Let’s see:</p>
<ul>
<li>Kenyon is the smallest</li>
<li>Wesleyan is the largest, by far</li>
<li><p>Bowdoin is the most prestigious</p></li>
<li><p>Kenyon is not really near much, although the Columbus airport is about an hour away.</p></li>
<li><p>Wesleyan is near both NYC and Boston</p></li>
<li><p>Bowdoin is, well, sort of like Kenyon and is not near much of anything.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Only one piece of advice. Do not go to a college which you have not visited. It is amazing how much difference simply walking around a campus can make. You will spend four years living in a place. Visit first.</p>
<p>Again, congratulations. Maybe you will hear from Harvard next. 
</p>
<p>Thank you so much @NROTCgrad! I will be visiting both Bowdoin and Wesleyan in April, then revisiting Kenyon.</p>
<p>Umm, @NROTCgrad, it’s 131 miles from Brunswick to Boston versus 116 miles from Middletown to Boston so not a whole lot of difference in distance plus there is an Amtrak station a block from Bowdoin with trains going straight to Boston. Portland, Maine, is a nice small city, with lots of history that is only 30 miles from Brunswick and also reachable by Amtrak . . Obviously, NYC cannot be reached easily from Brunswick but Boston and Portland offer readily reachable urban life if that’s your thing.</p>
<p>torasee,
Okay, I stand corrected. I guess that I was thinking more about Middletown (Wesleyan) being in the thick of things – close to Yale too, for example – than actual distances. Anyway, in Middleton you would not feel remote as at either Kenyon or Bowdoin where either college really would dominate your life more.</p>
<p>Kenyon is truly like being in the greatest summer camp ever. Never have visited the other two, but surely they have nice campuses.</p>
<p>I think there are a couple things about Bowdoin which make it attractive and distinguish from other similar schools and location near a large urban area is not one of the them. That said I know my son spent lot’s of time visiting and loving what Portland had to offer culturally. The campus is located right in the town of Brunswick and has a very open feel to it which makes it easy to feel apart of a community rather than an isolated campus. It’s location near the coast is also uniquely special. The coastal studies center, jumping into the ocean at sunrise, the state parks, all quite memorable. And then there’s the outstanding outdoor club which many kids use to adventure out into the wilderness for new learning experiences. The school provides and promotes lots of opportunities to explore outside the campus bubble and students seem to embrace them all. Best wishes and I hope the weather cooperates during all your visits! </p>
<p>Thank you all!!!</p>
<p>I honestly don’t think it’s a question of which I like more. I love both. I think Bowdoin has many more opportunities and resources than Kenyon. Bowdoin also has a richer culture. The schools are around the same size student body wise, yet Bowdoin has more to do. Kenyon is in rural Ohio while Bowdoin is in an actual town on the coast of Maine. Bowdoin and Kenyon both have research opportunities but Bowdoin has more. Bowdoin’s endowment is much much larger thus they can fund student research projects. Bowdoin has a marine study center on the coast (I want to major in Earth & Ocean Sciences). I sensed a bit more passion and drive in the Bowdoin students than I did in the Kenyon students. Bowdoin’s food is better, as trivial as that seems. Honestly, everything that I love about Kenyon (tight-knit community, small classes, engaging professors, etc) can be found at Bowdoin. I’ll be revisiting Kenyon this week so I can probably reflect more on what Kenyon has that Bowdoin doesn’t later. I hope this is helpful. Also, if you’re someone considering where to apply/where to choose than don’t use my opinions as a basis for your own decision. I’m speaking solely as Adira and I can only speak for myself. For someone else, Kenyon might be a better choice. </p>
<p>Collegebound752, I don’t know if you’ve checked out the Kent Island program offered by Bowdoin, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for individual summer research in a special place, surrounded by other researchers from all over. <a href=“The Bowdoin Scientific Station on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada on Vimeo”>http://vimeo.com/22302742</a> </p>
<p>Thank you @morandi! Just watched the video.</p>
<p>Lovely. … I know there are many, many, other opportunities within the sciences at Bowdoin but my son spent one summer on Kent doing research so I’m specifically familiar with this one and it altered his life. Best wishes. </p>
<p>Collegebound,
I am not surprised that you like Bowdoin. It is a marvelous college, and even though I love Kenyon it is very possible that I would choose Bowdoin if given the opportunity. Actually I am a big fan of a handful of Maine’s small LAC’s – Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, and College of the Atlantic.</p>
<p>Make your choice with no regrets. =D> </p>
<p>I visit Kenyon tomorrow. How should I view it now that I’m leaning towards bowdoin?</p>
<p>I think you should go with your heart, unless there are other factors (like money, or your specific major) at play. I would only warn against going with “prestige” which has probably caused as much heartache as any other mistake in choosing a college. See my original post on March 24th about that.</p>
<p>I am sure that you will make the best choice for yourself. You are very lucky to have such a “win-win” choice. Both Bowdoin and Kenyon can take you anywhere you want to go.</p>
<p>Bowdoin class of 2018 :)</p>
1 Like
<p>Go U Bears!</p>
<p>collegebound,
Congratulations, I think you will be totally delighted with Bowdoin. Great choice.</p>