<p>82% of the students were in the top decile. So 18% were not. Is this because those in that 18% came from top small private schools? Does it mean someone in the top 15% of their class at a public magnet school still have a chance?</p>
<p>Very likely many of those not in the top 10% were “hooked,” e.g., recruited athletes, legacies, promising URMs. Doesn’t mean you have no chance if you’re not in the top 10% and not in one of the favored categories. It might depend on the course load you’ve take and your school’s profile. But it looks like a longshot.</p>
<p>As you have pointed out, it is extremely selective. And it is a very good school. Yes, someone in the top 15% at a public has a reasonable chance. Make the very best application you can, and write a great essay. Be interesting and you may make the cut.</p>
<p>I always wonder, though, about these decile rankings, because they’re from schools that report rank, which doesn’t even always equate to half the students. Do you think that all the other students would necessarily fall into the top ten percent? Maybe. I guess it depends on whether they can gauge it from the school profile. But, it may also mean that there could be a smaller percentage of students who truly are in the top decile. Just wondering. (this could apply to any school, not just Bowdoin)</p>
<p>I always wondered exactly how they figure rank. hmmom5 always says that colleges are able to determine rank even from schools that don’t rank. These are normally schools at which almost all of the students would be in the first decile if they were at an average public high school. So…do colleges determine where they think you rank depending on your school?</p>