<p>If you guys could say one thing that the Bowdoin Admission Committee looks at when reviewing my application, since they don’t require SAT scores, what do you think it would be other than grades?</p>
<p>Secondly, what is the social life like at Bowdoing?..Parties?..Good looking people; diversity?</p>
<p>Thanks ahead of time!!!</p>
<p>According to the Common Data Set for Bowdoin, 2004-2005, the following are listed in the highest category of "Very Important" for admissions:</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>] Secondary school record
[</em>] Class rank
[<em>] Recommendations
[</em>]Essay
[<em>] Extracurricular activities
[</em>] Talent/ability
[li] Character/Personal Qualities[/li][/ul]</p>
<p>Under the second category, "Important," are listed:
[ul]
[<em>]Alumni relation
[</em>] Geographical residence
[<em>] Minority Status
[</em>]Volunteer Work
[li] Work Experience[/ul]</p>[/li]
<p>Under "Considered" are
[ul]
[<em>]Test scores
[</em>] Interview
[li] State residency[/ul]</p>[/li]
<p>Bowdoin is more about "building a community" than almost any other school I've seen. They want people who will make a difference, contribute to Bowdoin life, etc. Any applications should reflect this, since so many who apply already have the grades and rank. Bowdoin is one of VERY FEW
schools that put "talent/ability" and "character/personal characterictics" in the ** VERY IMPORTANT** category.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot nedad...very informative</p>
<p>normalkid10: Secondly, what is the social life like at Bowdoing?....Parties?....Good looking people; diversity?</p>
<p>Does anyone have any comments or ideas on this part of normalkid's post?</p>
<p>Well, I'm an old geezer parent, but my sister's child goes there and loves it. There is PLENTY of social life and activities of all kinds. Her main problem is that there is always more than one thing she wants to do, so she has to really budget her social life! Besides all the events on campus, I know that she often goes to Portland, or to another college like Bates, for concerts. There are parties if you are on a sports team, parties given by "Houses" (they don't have frats), or just parties among friends. She has had dinners at profs' houses a number of times. There are all kinds of events like a Solarfest day, or a "Voting Run" (I take people ran a race that ended at the polls!) etc. etc. etc.</p>
<p>Bowdoin was one of the very first schools in the nation, if not the first, to accept black students, and they have always worked hard for diversity. I believe the only reason the school isn't more diverse is the location. The school is 5% black, 5% Hispanic, 1% American Indian, 10% Asian, 3% international. If by diversity you don't mean color, yes, it is diverse in otgher ways. That's the reason I wish my daughter would apply. It is no longer an entirely "preppy" school by any means. You can find "your" type of people, no matter what type they are - there is a good mix of jocks, artsy types, moderately conservative types, radical types, outdoor types, etc. I think it is the most underrated school in the nation (despite always being in the top ten!). Plus the coast of Maine is to-die-for beautiful. Great sailing nearby and great skiing. Sports are a lot of fun and the cheering for the ice hockey team is something to see! </p>
<p>My last comment is that while there is drinking, you can choose not to. My niece does not drink, and no one has ever mocked her for it - she still goes to parties where she jokes about chugging apple juice or whatever. The point is simply that depending on your idea of fun, you can drink or not.</p>
<p>"Bowdoin was one of the very first schools in the nation, if not the first, to accept black students"</p>
<p>Pretty close, but not quite. Alexander Twilight graduated from Middlebury in 1823 (John Russwurm of Bowdoin was third, in 1827 - but a very significant graduate, who went on to become the editor of of the "Freedman's Journal".) There may have been admissions to other schools before then - just not graduates. The first Black female graduate was Mary Jane Patterson, from Oberlin in 1862. But even that isn't exactly correct. The Quaker Richard Humphreys founded the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia in 1837 - it was to become Cheyney University. Wilberforce U. was the first owned and operated by African-Americans, and opened in 1856.</p>
<p>Thanks mini. I did mean graduates, not acceptances (my error) and "third" certainly fits under "one of the first!" My daughter did a paper on this last year - very interesting topic.</p>
<p>There's a party thread under the Bowdoin College forum, with some discussion about what we do on the weekends.</p>