<p>Refer to the above.</p>
<p>Any comments would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Sorry to be Captain Obvious, but it looks like the it would depend on how much you need to be (1)around guys, and (2) near a big city.</p>
<p>If you are seriously looking for advice, you might want to post the details of your interests (eg. pre-med, economics) as you did in your other threads on Bowdoin vs. Tufts. Your telegraphic style here is not going to get you much in the way of a quality answer.</p>
<p>From looking at those, it seems like you are concerned about the prestige of the schools and how people do after they graduate. These shouldn’t be your primary considerations with one day to go for a decision. Paraphrasing a Yale Dean of Admissions (in a recent article), you should throw away all of that and think about which is the best fit for you over the next four years. If you are happy and comfortable, you will do better at any school. Any of these schools will allow you to do whatever you would like.</p>
<p>The obvious differences are stated by Schmaltz. If you visited both, how did each feel to you?</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>If the cost for you is equal, and you like them equally, then the decision is Wellesley hands down. </p>
<p>If you feel iffy about the women’s college thing, or if the money isn’t quite there for Wellesley, or if your research indicates that the particular program is stronger at Bowdoin, go there instead.</p>
<p>how is it wellesley hands down, all things being equal? i laughed out loud when i read that.</p>
<p>I agree with pb2002. Wellesley, hands down??Are you kidding??</p>
<p>I doubt there is much “air” between the quality of the academics at Bowdoin and Wellesley. Both are renown for that. I am sure that one department may be better than another, or one professor better than another at the different schools, but not enough to create a major difference.</p>
<p>Socially, they seem to be very different schools. Bowdoin has a reputation (whether true or not) of being “rich, preppy” while Wellesley has a reputation of being very diverse. Bowdoin is in rural Maine and seems to have a very active party life on weekends on campus while Wellesley is in the suburbs of Boston where many students travel for parties, and is relatively quiet on campus.</p>
<p>As mentioned, Bowdoin has an “outdoorsy” style, which may or may not appeal. </p>
<p>And obviously, one is single gender education, while the other is coeducational.</p>
<p>Wellesley is quite probably the best women’s college (academically) at present. Hence, most likely the greater academic stretch.</p>
<p>As a women’s college, it will be a bigger cultural stretch than a co-ed institution if the student is coming from co-ed schools. </p>
<p>Challenge leads to growth, which leads to the comment “Wellesley, hands down.” If a New York City resident were asking “Iowa State vs. CUNY?” The answer would have been “All else being equal, ISU, hands down.” because of the additional cultural challenge. Going off to college is one of the few times in your life that you get a chance to truly take a chance. So, if it is manageable, I suggest that you do it.</p>
<p>^Bowdoin hands down… because of the challenges! (Now I’m as helpful as the above poster)</p>
<p>Seriously, both are amazing. Did you visit both? You have not provided enough info.</p>
<p>
And Bowdoin is among the top few liberal arts colleges in the country. Your point?</p>
<p>The statistics for incoming students at Bowdoin are higher than those for Wellesley. Just sayin’.</p>
<p>Admission statistics aren’t the best way to compare colleges in the top quality category. In fact, on Naviance at my local high school, the 10 students accepted to Wellesley in the past 3 years have better grades and SATs than the 11 accepted at Bowdoin, but not by that much. It is more about the quality of the education and life once you are there. Obviously, xylem888 has made her choice by now, as it is May 1.</p>
<p>I chose Bowdoin. I prefer a coed school, and there isn’t much to do in Wellesley. I know Boston is nearby, but I’ve lived in this area for a long time … Also, I felt people were much happier at Bowdoin and that they did just as well if not better, with less stress.</p>
<p>I’m also interested in economics & government, which Bowdoin basically dominates in. </p>
<p>Plus, it’s Bowdoin.</p>
<p>Good choice. It’s the one I would have made. Of course, I’m a guy, so I would have had to do the Some-Like-It-Hot routine at Wellesley. Bowdoin is WAY more diverse…how can a college with no males claim to be diverse?</p>
<p>Everyone needs to make their own choice, for their own reasons, and the two options were both excellent.</p>
<p>Schmaltz’s definition of diversity is at odds with most of the world of educators. Diversity doesn’t typically refer to gender diversity. Same-sex and coeducational institutions can each have ethnic/racial diversity, economic diversity, or international diversity. In fact, Wellesley is renown for all three, whereas Bowdoin is not (although certainly, Bowdoin is renown for many things). For example:</p>
<ol>
<li>College P<em>R</em>O<em>W</em>L<em>E</em>R rates Wellesley an A for diversity (Bowdoin is a C+)</li>
<li>US News has it as #6 on the list of “Economic Diversity Among Top-Ranked Schools: Liberal Arts Colleges.” Bowdoin is not on the list.</li>
<li>Amongst the population of ~2400 students at Wellesley, there are 80 countries and 50 states represented. Wellesley has 8% internationals, Bowdoin has 3%.</li>
<li>The white population in the freshman class is 41-43% compared with 68% at Bowdoin and 51% at Harvard.</li>
<li>Financial aid (all GRANTS below 60K family income) is given to 60% of students (42% at Bowdoin, 50% at Harvard), at the same average level ~27K.</li>
<li>It was ranked the #12 liberal arts college for percentage of Black freshman enrolled in 2005 by The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education</li>
</ol>
<p>Let me amend my last posting to correct one thing about Bowdoin and add information on age diversity:</p>
<p>Everyone needs to make their own choice, for their own reasons, and the two options were both excellent.</p>
<p>Schmaltz’s definition of diversity is at odds with most of the world of educators. Diversity doesn’t typically refer to gender diversity. Same-sex and coeducational institutions can each have ethnic/racial diversity, economic diversity, age, or geographic diversity. In fact, Wellesley is renown for all four. For example:</p>
<ol>
<li>College P<em>R</em>O<em>W</em>L<em>E</em>R rates Wellesley an A for diversity (Bowdoin is a C+)</li>
<li>US News has it as #6 on the list of “Economic Diversity Among Top-Ranked Schools: Liberal Arts Colleges.” In fact, Bowdoin is listed #7. This is based on percent of students with Pell grants.</li>
<li>Amongst the population of ~2400 students at Wellesley, there are 80 countries and 50 states represented. Wellesley has 8% internationals, Bowdoin has 3%.</li>
<li>The white population in the freshman class is 41-43% compared with 68% at Bowdoin and 51% at Harvard.</li>
<li>Financial aid (all GRANTS below 60K family income) is given to 60% of students at Wellesley (42% at Bowdoin, 50% at Harvard, all at the same average level ~27K).</li>
<li>It was ranked the #12 liberal arts college for percentage of Black freshman enrolled in 2005 by The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education</li>
<li>Wellesley has the Davis Scholars program which matriculates (currently 50) older students with non-traditional backgrounds. I am not aware of a similar program at Bowdoin (though one may exist).</li>
</ol>
<p>Actual data is usually more useful than rankings, IMO. It is also worth noting that Bowdoin offers all-grants FA to ALL students, not just those below 60k income.</p>
<p>I agree that data is better than rankings, even though some of these rankings are based directly on that data. That is why I included both in my posting. </p>
<p>Bowdoin’s policy is indeed impressive and generous. Perhaps they are able to do this because they only give FA to 42% (as opposed to 60% at Wellesley). Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly a draw for students with aid, and rightfully so. However, it doesn’t particularly contribute to the diversity question as socioeconomic diversity outreach would typically focus on those below the 60K income level.</p>
<p>"Diversity doesn’t typically refer to gender diversity. "</p>
<p>Everything matters except gender? Pbleic, you’re one funny liberal.</p>
<p>I didn’t communicate my thoughts completely in my posting. I had intended to say that diversity in college admissions doesn’t refer to gender diversity. Perhaps either of these two web resources could help you better understand this:</p>
<p>Take a look at: [A</a> Diverse Definition of Diversity in College Admissions](<a href=“http://www.ecampustours.com/collegeplanning/applyingforcollege/definitionofdiversity.htm]A”>http://www.ecampustours.com/collegeplanning/applyingforcollege/definitionofdiversity.htm) or [Diversity</a> in College Admissions:Issues for Trustees](<a href=“https://www.goacta.org/publications/downloads/DiversityinCollegeAdmissions.pdf]Diversity”>https://www.goacta.org/publications/downloads/DiversityinCollegeAdmissions.pdf)</p>