Bowdoin: the complete school report for parents

What does Bowdoin actually weigh in admissions?

Bowdoin rates 8 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, the essay, extracurricular activities, recommendations, personal qualities, talent, class rank. It does not consider 1 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Bowdoin's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What is the Bowdoin waitlist really like?

Bowdoin offered a place on its waiting list to applicants and 5 accepted one. 5 were ultimately admitted. That is 100.0% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Bowdoin admitted 8.0% of 362 transfer applicants, against 6.8% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 3.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Applying Early Decision changes the odds materially: 14.9% of ED applicants were admitted against 6.8% overall, a gap of 8 points. ED is binding, so that advantage costs the ability to compare financial-aid offers.

What does my child need to take in high school?

Bowdoin sets no fixed course requirements, but recommends 20 academic units. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will Bowdoin actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $14,398 a year at Bowdoin after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $71,070. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 100% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 17 merit awards averaging $1,000 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

15% of Bowdoin graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $33,910 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $196 a month in repayment. Bowdoin’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Bowdoin pay off?

Graduates earn a median $82,735 ten years after entering, and $61,692 at six years. 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 90% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

$177,788 to $64,067, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Bowdoin:

College Scorecard, by field of study.

Will my child actually graduate?

98% of first-years return for a second year. 72% graduate within four years and 93% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 92.1% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 93.3% of everyone else, a gap of 1.2 points.

How big are the classes?

67% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1, and 89% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education.

What is life at Bowdoin like?

1,841 undergraduates, 89.33% of first-years from out of state. 100% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 94.5% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women a sorority. 19% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $75,490.

What this means for your student

• Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Bowdoin recommends 20 academic units.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 5 of 5 who waited were admitted, about 100%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $177,788 five years out against $64,067 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Bowdoin

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