<p>I know Bates is a good school, but I'm currently at Smith looking to transfer for a strong environmental studies program, and one thing I wouldn't mind is a little more-intense academic atmosphere, so I'm focusing primarily on more-selective schools, in hopes they would be a little more intense. (Wesleyan, Wellesley, Bowdoin, etc.)</p>
<p>oh, well then yeah, Bates is pretty laid back-- and I assume not as intense as some of the others you are looking at. I'm sure you know that Bowdoin has a very strong environmental studies program. And Bowdoin also really likes women in their science programs-- they pride themselves in having one of the highest percentages of women in their math in science majors for a coed. school. I don't know, Wellesly strikes me as a very intense school. Wesleyan as very liberal and fun. Bowdoin had really smart kids, and when your in Maine, your very in touch with the natural environment. I would go with Bowdoin, but I don't just want to sell it to you, all the schools seem just as good. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Define outdoorsy. I don't consider alpine skiing/snowboarding "outdoorsy". Bowdoin has a fairly large stand-alone building specifically for the Outing Club, run by three full-time staff members. They send out anywhere from 3-6 trips per weekend (doing everything from hiking to sea kayaking to white water rafting), and the assistant director has complained to me that they simply don't have enough leaders to keep up with the interest. They bring in a lot of guest lecturers and host a variety of events, most of which are fairly well attended. I haven't been to an Outing Club event in Kresge Auditorium where people weren't sitting in the aisles for lack fo seats. I would hazard to say that the Outing Club programs are some of the most competitive non-acedemic programs on campus. There were 75-100 applicants for one of 25 spots in the Winter and Spring Leaderdhip Training programs this year, and over 40 for 16 spots in the fall. The Outing Club is thinking of starting an orienteering program and possibly competing intercollegiately this spring. Last, but not least, the BOC has an island on the Maine Coast in Merrymeeting Bay and a cabin along the AT in Northern Maine.</p>
<p>Sorry if that sounded rant-like. It just irks me when people base their concept of the "outdoorsiness" of a college and the college's support for outdoor programs on the relative closeness of ski slopes</p>
<p>haha u can quantify being "outdoorsy" with all the lecture halls being fillled with outdoorsy people... and having millions of outdoor clubs..</p>
<p>do people regularly go to outdoors without outdoor clubs? do people play basketball or throw football on regular days?</p>
<p>ok i dunno about bowdoin, so i can't say anything about it.. but that's just my point.</p>