Generally, it seems to me that most liberal arts colleges have a collaborative vibe. I was just wondering, since Bowdoin is so highly ranked and obviously has strong students, if Bowdoin feels more competitive or cut throat as a result of having so many high achievers. Or do they work together and cheer on each other’s successes?
@24daffodils I can only speak to my son’s perspective which is as a student. He doesn’t find it cut-throat – people don’t compare grades or worry about out-performing others. And many of the classes intentionally structure a lot of collaborative group projects, though it obviously varies by teacher and subject. All of which isn’t to say it’s easy. Almost all the students were high achievers to get there so the bar is pretty high in terms of what’s expected and most students self-direct into a pretty disciplined routine of study.
Thanks, @citivas - just as I would hope and expect from a school like Bowdoin. D is applying this year. Hope your son is enjoying his experience.
I’m a freshman here, so I have limited experience. But, from what I’ve seen, the vast majority of students are not competitive at all. It is a breath of fresh air that nobody compares test grades or tries to bring down other students like I saw in high school. Everybody seems to know that we’re all smart, and we’re all capable of doing well, no point in bringing eachother down. And there is very much a “all in this together” vibe with classes, lots of study groups and collaboration.