<p>I have recently been admitted to Bowdoin. People stereotype the New England LACs as preppy, upper class white kid institutions. I am a middle class, black kid from the South. Would I have trouble fitting in there? I am choosing between Bowdoin, Kenyon and Wesleyan.</p>
<p>bump 10char</p>
<p>I think there is a preppy element to all of the NESCAC schools, and the Ivies. But, I find the vibe at Bowdoin to be very chill with various styles. As I try to explain to my own kids, I think the preppy reputation is rooted in the past, as opposed to a current reality. Below is an excerpt from Bowdoinās internal report on Academic Affairs. The whole report is interesting, but the section on diversity of admissions is pretty telling. For example, the current college community is comprised of 26% students of color (which is twice what it was 10 years ago). Another point of reference: The Class of 2016 was comprised of 32% students of color. Also, noteworthy is that many of the Collegeās most prominent and involved alums, such as Ken Chenault and Geoffrey Canada, were students of color at Bowdoin. </p>
<p><a href=āhttp://www.bowdoin.edu/academic-affairs/accreditation/s6.shtmlā>http://www.bowdoin.edu/academic-affairs/accreditation/s6.shtml</a></p>
<p>Diversity</p>
<p>The Collegeās efforts to build a pluralistic community have been all-encompassing in the past decade as students, faculty, alumni and alumnae, Trustees, and administrators have cooperated in community-wide efforts to recruit, matriculate, and retain a diverse student body. Among the many recommendations of a College task force formed to study the state of minority admissions at Bowdoin in 1999ā2000 was an expansion of the Admissions Office by two staff members to recruit in markets with significant populations of students of color, and additional funding to offer campus visiting opportunities to prospective and admitted students of color. Both yielded significant dividends.</p>
<p>For nearly twenty years (1975ā1995), Bowdoinās reliance on drawing its class from traditional āfeederā high schools resulted in little success in recruiting a diverse student body. As an alternative strategy, the admissions staff developed extensive and effective relationships nationally with non-traditional programs, church-sponsored educational initiatives, summer outreach programs for disadvantaged students, and newly targeted high schools with diverse student enrollment to identify and engage students who would not normally be aware of or have access to Bowdoin. In 2000 the College created the Joshua Chamberlain Leadership Scholarship to bring to Bowdoin five to seven students per year who have overcome hardship and challenge to become leaders in their schools and communities. More creative outreach and the Chamberlain Scholarship Program helped accelerate Bowdoinās efforts to become more diverse, and provided evidence to the community that the College was committed to diversity in its many forms. Myriad other recruitment activities, supplemented by the full support of the community and an extraordinary fund-raising effort to increase Bowdoinās scholarship budget by 46% over five years, have enabled Bowdoin to increase the proportion of first-year applicants of color from 8.8% in 1998 to 14.4% for the admissions cycle just completed, and to create a community that today includes 26% students of color, compared to 13% a decade ago (TR6.4).</p>
<p>For what itās worth, I packed up my own definitely not preppy, solidly (on the low end of) middle class, urban son and sent him to the woods of Maine and heās having an amazing time! My adviceā¦donāt let āfittingā in be the goal in the traditional sense. Bring what is unique about you, be proud of it, and share it with the Bowdoin/Wesleyan/Kenyon community. As alum88 said, the profile of many kids who attend these schools is probably pretty close to the picture you have in your head. My kid wears his Nike KDs and his friends wear their boat shoes. My kid listens to his Jeezy and his friends listen to their Luke Bryan. My kid comes home on breaks, makes a few $$ at his part time job and hangs with his family and his friends go on ski vacations. But in the end, theyāre all at the same school, sitting in the same classrooms, benefitting from the same exceptional education. Itās really all up to you. </p>
<p>@JoBenny, does your son ever feel out of place because of his difference?</p>
<p>Does he feel different? Iām sure sometimes he does. But out of place? I really donāt think so. As I see it, getting accepted to these amazing schools sort of levels the playing field of who has whatā¦and who comes from where, and who has how much in their bank account. And alot of these kids that youāll be going to school with have lived pretty sheltered lives in small suburban towns, without a lot of diversityā¦cultureā¦color. Your differences can be your advantages if you let them be. Iām not trying to push Bowdoin by any meansā¦but whatever school you decide on, if you show up knowing that you belong there, shoulder to shoulder with every other kid in the grade, feeling out of place just wonāt be an option. </p>
<p>My S fell in love with Bowdoin on a visit, applied ED, and is now a sophomore. We joke that he brings diversity to the student body, because heās a lower income kid from an under-represented state. He feels like he belongs there. Heās not really the outdoorsy type, but loves Maine and his school.</p>
<p>bump 10char</p>
<p>Seven years ago when my oldest first started thinking about colleges Iām glad we were clueless or naive or both with regard to so many LACās. Coming from the middle class midwest I had just heard there were some fantastic small colleges scattered about the country so our vacation time was spent visiting as many as we could. We had never heard of college confidential so did not have access to the opinions and stereotypes often used to describe so many of these places. Had we heard that Bowdoin or any of the others were predominately āpreppyā or privileged we might not have explored them with such inquisitiveness. I donāt own a tie or sport coat or car for that matter and neither did my son. When walking through the Bowdoin campus we were greeted by interesting and engaging folks who seemed genuinely passionate about the education they were receiving and resources available to explore all sorts of interests outside of the classroom. It stood out to my kid for those reasons, plus the location is fantastic and he wanted to see what living in coastal Maine was all about. It was an adventure to him. Most of his friends would be in the outdoorsy and nerdy category. They were from all parts of the country and each year his circle of friends expanded. Many kids went to prep schools, many did not. Some had money, others did not. Really, he didnāt know who did or didnātā nor did he care. He mostly spoke of how interesting and smart and laid back they were.</p>
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<p>Thank you @morandi! How long ago did he attend? Iām wondering if things have changed at all</p>
<p>Collegebound, we looked at Bowdoin for my eldest last summer, but ultimately decided to not apply based on curriculum (availability of majors, not quality). My entire family loved the campus, the people and the town. My younger child already has Bowdoin targeted for the class of 2023. It seems like a wonderful place to go to school.</p>
<p>While in the information session, I will tell you that the presenter confronted the issue of Maine being a very āwhiteā state, and Bowdoin being in Maine having issues maintaining the diversity they strive for. It was an open, honest appraisal of the situation, and a statement of appreciation for the value of diversity. </p>
<p>I wouldnāt begin to suggest how a Southern black kid might feel at Bowdoin, but deeply believe the school and the students would welcome the opportunity to share their experiences while learning from yours. I canāt speak to Kenyon or Wesleyan, but am confident suggesting you would grow tremendously as a person while in Maine. Iām not from Maine, but find the people very genuine, open and honest. I believe it to be accepting of diversity, and a comfortable supportive environment for you to attend college.</p>
<p>It may be more āpreppyā than other schools, but it wasnāt an obvious trend on campus. The kids looked like they do at any other selective liberal arts / ivy league school. </p>
<p>Congratulations on your achievement, and good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Iām on campus right now and I love it. Thank you all for your stories! </p>
<p>I know the school is trying really hard to show the āprospiesā a great time! Enjoy!</p>
<p>I donāt think it is preppy at all!!! </p>
<p>Iāve lived in Maine all my life, and Iām usually on campus once every week or so since Iām in a music group that meets there. Iām also there a lot during the winter since my high school uses their indoor track. While it may have the stereotype of being preppy, I REALLY donāt think it is. Iāve had countless friends go there, and they could back me up on this fact.</p>
<p>Bowdoin is known for its ācommunity-feelingā friendly vibe. Itās not competitive, and students value relationships with one another as well as with professors. I couldnāt find the admissions office when I went for my tour, and a student came right up and showed me where it was. People would smile and say hello while passing. Everyone is very accepting, and everyone can find their niche quite easily. </p>
<p>Everyone is very accepting and friendly. Bowdoin is known for its freshmen orientation as well as the lobster feed at the beginning of the school year. Everyone in the school comes together to celebrate the start of a new year. People form lifelong friendships- and I really mean it. Many adults in my community attended Bowdoin, and Iām yet to cross someone who did not value his or her education there. </p>
<p>While SOME students may be rich, not everyone is. I think a lot of liberal arts schools get stereotypes switched around a little. Bowdoin is more diverse than other New England Liberal Arts schools from what Iāve noticed. Whenever I walk around campus, I see an eclectic mix of ethnicities. I wouldnāt be afraid about that.</p>
<p>It also manages to have some of the āhappiestā students on many US rankings despite the cold, Maine weatherā¦ </p>
<p>Thank you for your message @2015snl! i was on campus over the weekend for an admitted students weekend and I definitely can attest to with your observations. Loved it.</p>
<p>No problem! Let me know if you have any questions 
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