I am going up to the new england area soon to visit some colleges, but I obviously can’t visit them all so I’m trying to decide which ones to see. I’ve been to the area many times in the past and love it so I figured I should go there again and this time look at a few colleges. I am set on visiting Dartmouth, Middlebury and Vermont but after that unsure. I would likely visit one/two more after that in Maine as that is the direction I am headed. Bates, Bowdoin and Colby were three I had in mind…but can’t see all three in a reasonable amount of time. Which two would you suggest? Main priorities would be the outdoors (hiking, climbing, etc.) and English/Environmental studies. Not sure of what I want to major in yet, but those two are my first two thoughts. I’m just interested to hear what the reputations of these schools (both Maine and others) are like to gauge interest. I’d be looking for more down to earth rather than uptight and such
Bates, reputationally, may be the most down-to-earth of your listed schools. However, I’d recommend you see as many as you can so that you can judge for yourself.
You can squeeze all 3 Maine LACs into a day and a half. I’d see them all personally. They’re all pretty chill relatively speaking.
I agree that you should see all 3 Maine schools. For your interests, if you choose only two, make sure Colby is one of them.
First, look at the environmental academic programs (including geology,) any advocacy opps or unique aspects, then outdoor clubs and activities, see how they strike you. That may help.
Like some others, I’m team Bates. They also have a very strong community engagement lean. Look for it.
But most of us with kids at any of the three are impressed. We don’t know your strengths, so can’t help you fine tune.
I recently saw all 3 Maine schools in a single visit. Very doable in a day and a half. Glad we saw all 3. Different but really more similarities than differences. For environmental studies and outdoorsy vibe, I would give the nod to Colby and Bowdoin. For English and writing, Bates. None seemed uptight. All seemed like a great place to spend 4 years.
It turns out that the most outdoorsy schools in New England tend to be located in relatively remote and isolated areas that not necessarily easy to get to. I would nominate Midd, Dartmouth, Williams, Colby, and Bowdoin (in no particular order) as the most outdoorsy options. It sounds like you could feasibly visit Midd, Dartmouth, Colby and Bowdoin, but maybe not Williams.
Williams is universally regarded as one of the top LACs in the country, yet it gets fewer applicants than most of its peers. I suspect that this, in part, due to its isolated location and distance from other peer institutions. People prefer to visit colleges before applying, and it’s hard to fit Williams in if you are trying to hit the maximum number of schools in the shortest possible time.
If you find that it’s not feasible to visit Williamstown MA as part of your tour, you might consider that an indication of how remote and rural it is. Williamstown is smaller and closer to the mountains than any of the other college towns that you plan to visit.
Bates and Bowdoin are close to each other, (35 minutes apart) and you can easily see them both in less than a day, with plenty of time to head to Colby if you want to. If you are on the rush plan, which we always were, I think you could squeeze all three in a day. I am probably the only person on CC who advocates doing that, but it worked for us. If you do the first a.m tour at Bates or Bowdoin, you would probably have time to do the last pm tour at Colby, depending on times offered. And you don’t have to do a tour, of course.
Bates is very outdoorsy in my opinion. There are hiking trails from campus and a bird sanctuary with running trails is adjacent to the college. There is an active sailing club, as well as the ancient and popular Bates Outing Club. A lot of kids ski in winter. But all the Maine NESCACs are outdoorsy. It’s Maine, hard not to be.
The “Maine Three” are all excellent schools and all provide access to outdoors activities. Colby and Bowdoin are extremely similar in feel. Bates is a little less preppy than the other two. If you prefer a school with an artsier, more political student body, Bates should be a natural draw for you. If you’re more middle-of-the-road, Colby and Bowdoin might be a better fit. That said, they’re all close enough that if you plan carefully and don’t waste time, you could see all three in a day (assuming you’re not signing up for tours and info sessions).
This advice would have applied to my relative, who nearly skipped Colby, but then after she did visit had Colby in her top three overall.
We traveled from the Boston area and did Bowdoin tour and info session first, then went up to Colby. They can be done in the same day.
We don’t know anything about OP and Bowdoin is probably the most competitive for an admit. If it’s the long shot or very reachy, maybe that makes Bates and Colby the first visits. All this is more than just what “the 3 Maine colleges” are.
Also, about remote or isolated, that’s a very personal impression. These are not schools “miles from nowhere.” And frankly, it’s quality of life on campus (or facilitated, eg, hiking or ski trips,) that matters most. OP can check his/her travel directions for all the targets.
In our case, getting to many midwest or western colleges wpuld have been much more time consuming, all day on multiple flights, then busses, etc.
If you’re interested in environmental studies then Middlebury is a must. It’s one of the very best programs in the country. Good luck!
I agree with looking forward. Keep in mind that Bowdoin is the oldest and most selective of the three. It also has a very strong environmental studies program - a new campus building for the program is being constructed right now. Colby and Bates are also great schools. Bowdoin is now easily accessbible by train from Boston. Colby is farthest north, but the campus is beautiful.
Here’s a classic New England instruction, from Bowdoin’s site: “- After a white church, take a left on Old Bath Road…”
Corbett, I was originally going to visit Williams, but instead decided to go to the three Maine schools in addition to
Midd, Dartmouth and Vermont. It’d be too much to go through Mass/NH/VT/ME in 4 days
Update: figured out a way to go to all three while I’m there. Problem was we were coming from UVM but we should be good to catch Colby’s morning tour then hang around there till the Bates afternoon tour. Then just go to Bowdoin next day.
I was going to chime in that I would stay near Bowdoin. Brunswick is (IMO) the nicest of the towns (and one of the best small college towns anywhere). Best of all is the food. Top picks would be Frontier and Tao Yuan for dinner, Wild Oats for breakfast/lunch, Little Dog for coffee/pastry, and Gelato Fiasco for dessert after any meal.
Well, that’s my point. If you are planning a college tour, and you need to schedule the maximum number of schools in a limited amount of time, then you may have to skip Williams, because it’s too remote and isolated. It’s just kind of ironic, because it sounds like rural and outdoorsy is exactly what you’re looking for. You may want to consider applying to Williams even if you are unable to fit it into your tour.
Yes, and decide later about a visit. But properly vet the schools you apply to, first.
As for max number in x days, ,many kids find they all turn to mush in their minds, when too many are stuffed into some time frame.
On a lighter note, telling kids to add schools to visit is one of CC’s fav diversions. The old, “while you’re nearby…” So, OP, let this make sense for you.