Bowdoin College
- 4 Year
- BRUNSWICK, ME
College
Bowdoin College Reviews
Rating 4.11 out of 5 716 reviews
All Categories
Choosing Bowdoin was the best decision of my life! They truly value the liberal arts model AND have great STEM programs. care deeply about the student experience. I would recommend it to absolutely any and every student who is looking for a school with incredible academics and amazing peers. The student body is incredibly intelligent and passionate, yet never competitive. Students are also really friendly and there is a true sense of community on campus: when something is wrong, students look after and take care of each other. Bowdoin works very hard to foster both personal and academic growth in its students—one of Bowdoin's most admirable and impactful qualities. I found the classes to be extremely enjoyable. Professors put tons of effort into teaching their classes and make it clear that they really care about you. Academics are challenging yet extremely rewarding. Yes, the food and dorms are actually as great as everyone says they are. Also financial aid is astonishingly generous.
Bowdoin college is the perfect place for someone looking to be surrounded by gorgeous nature and wonderful people. Located in Brunswick Maine, the whole town becomes their campus. Brunswick is a quaint little Maine town full to the brim with cute shops and restaurants. Bowdoins campus itself is also breathtaking. Nothing beats Maine in the fall. Watch the leaves change, then cozy up for the snowy winter, then see the flowers sprout once again and enjoy the comfortable summers.
My interactions with students and professors have been very positive. The professors are willing to work with you and answer questions.
Mainly the professors are good. Some of the dorms are tiny. Food has improved post covid. But if you major in a less popular topic, such as psychology, you can get closed out of your classes, even in your junior year. Taking 7/10 classes in a major during senior year is a terrible disadvantage for summer internships, graduate school applications and learning. this happens because key lasses are limited to only 14 students. You can get the same discussion experience with 15 or 20 students. This makes Bowdoin a bad value for the tuition you pay. Go someplace where your major is accessible.
Career center does not help very much with internships. The college advertises on campus summer internships, but if you haven't declared a major, or havent taken enough classes in your major (see above), those aren't available. No intership or summer work after sophomore year and menial labor/no academic value for summer job does not good preparation for workforce or graduate school make.
Career center does not help very much with internships. The college advertises on campus summer internships, but if you haven't declared a major, or havent taken enough classes in your major (see above), those aren't available. No intership or summer work after sophomore year and menial labor/no academic value for summer job does not good preparation for workforce or graduate school make.
I like Bowdoin College because it never sold me on anything it didn't have. The campus is lush and green during the seasons it's supposed to be. The professors are first-rate and nice as anything.
Bowdoin was an incredible place for me. Being within both 15 minutes from the ocean, and 30 minutes from Portland, made it an exciting place to reside that offered plenty in both nature and the city. Though athletics may not be to the scale of large schools, the support I witnessed at big games was still absolutely electric in basketball and volleyball specifically, and Intramural sports have incredible participation in basketball, soccer, and softball tournaments alike. Socially, the school is small (1800) but felt big enough that I was still meeting new people every day until graduation, yet I also felt incredibly close with my grade. This made parties and social events feel comfortable, yet still exciting. I wouldn’t trade our lil’ Shindigs for anything. The Housing and Dining will be missed, as I’m sure it will be years ‘til I live and eat like I did at Bowdoin again! Classes are small and in depth, professors love what they teach, Truly a great place that I loved dearly
Attending Bowdoin was life-changing, and I absolutely loved my experience! Professors taught unique, engaging courses, and I loved the small class size
Bowdoin can provide a great support system if you seek it out. That being said, you do need to seek out that system and make connections to access it.
I am about to graduate and the school has decreased in quality significantly since COVID.
Some of the best professors, including the recipient of the best faculty award have left.
The administration has chosen the worst possible direction at every turn, impacting employees, faculty and students. The direction being taken is one towards sheltering students as if they are minors. Additionally long-held traditions that unite the student body are being unceremoniously removed with no well thought out replacement or consultation.
Clearly very out of disconnection with the bowdoin student body.
Some of the best professors, including the recipient of the best faculty award have left.
The administration has chosen the worst possible direction at every turn, impacting employees, faculty and students. The direction being taken is one towards sheltering students as if they are minors. Additionally long-held traditions that unite the student body are being unceremoniously removed with no well thought out replacement or consultation.
Clearly very out of disconnection with the bowdoin student body.
Bowdoin has the most friendly, welcoming people I have ever met. Bowdoin is very LGBTQ-friendly. It is quite heterogeneous, and everyone seems to feel comfortable being themselves. The professors are all insanely qualified and bright. Bowdoin offers great financial aid, and is one of few colleges to have need-blind, no-loan financial aid (meaning the College gives you grants instead of loans in its financial aid package). The campus is scenic, outdoorsy
The party scene for freshmen is mainly basement parties at the College Houses (Bowdoin's alternative to Greek life). These parties don't serve alcohol, so you must pregame (if you want) elsewhere. However, these parties are advertised campus-wide, so everyone is invited/ included. After freshman year, students mainly party in dorms or apartments with their friend groups.
One qualm about Bowdoin: it is pretty intolerant to non-liberal/Democrat opinions. Conservatives, Republicans, and moderates are pretty closeted and silenced.
The party scene for freshmen is mainly basement parties at the College Houses (Bowdoin's alternative to Greek life). These parties don't serve alcohol, so you must pregame (if you want) elsewhere. However, these parties are advertised campus-wide, so everyone is invited/ included. After freshman year, students mainly party in dorms or apartments with their friend groups.
One qualm about Bowdoin: it is pretty intolerant to non-liberal/Democrat opinions. Conservatives, Republicans, and moderates are pretty closeted and silenced.
Since Covid started, the college administration has ruined the school. All fun traditions and events that use to occur have been shut down and permanently altered. The school is full of smart and driven students, but it has become the only thing the school cares about. Academics are important but they are not everything and bowdoin has forgotten this. Sports have been completely ignored by the administration as well as most extra curriculars. What once was a place to become a more whole and well rounded person with a unique college experience has now become a place where the only thing you are encouraged to do is sit in the library and study. I graduate soon, but if I could do it all again, I would never have come to this place. Easily the worst 4 years of college a person could possibly choose. If you visit, download Yik yak and see how the students are feeling. Also the food here is subpar and there is nowhere else to eat and if someone tells you otherwise they are lying.
many of the students are amazing and intelligent and will do great things after graduating. However, admin struggles to listen to student needs and there is a lack of diversity.
Bowdoin is very academically rigorous. However, this academic rigor and it’s growing reputation ensures that it will give students the best career opportunities. It is a tight knit and intimate environment with a strong sense of community. An all-undergraduate population ensures that students get equal access to resources, professors, internships and research opportunities. Campus is small, but beautiful especially in the fall and winter. Food is really good, and the town has great options if you wanna switch it up. I would definitely recommend this school to someone who is smart enough to get into an Ivy League school, but craves a more intimate environment.
Excellent academics. Good environment for study. Rural Maine is not a thriving social environment, but the college makes up for that limitation. The setting is extraordinarily beautiful and the campus is well_designed and very complete.
I am a sophomore at Bowdoin this year. I come from far away and am a POC. Although the school is flawed in many ways, I do think that they care about their students. I say this as a Covid student, never having a "real" year. There were definitely mistakes and administration could be improved, but the wonderful gems of students and professors and some administration make Bowdoin great. One of the best schools in the country no doubt. It's not for everyone but it's for me and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Amazing college with incredible opportunities and bright students!! The professors are top notch and the school is only 20 minutes from Portland, so while it’s in an adorable Maine town, you can easily get to a city if you like.
I graduated from Bowdoin in 1996 so consider this a long-term owner's review :-) I've appreciated my time at Bowdoin the more as I've moved through life. I most appreciate my friends (still talk to my first year roommates once a month), my professors, and the support I got from the School when I was looking for a job and graduate school. I'm now in a great leadership job at Google, got my MBA from Harvard, and spend a lot of my free time on volunteer efforts for the Common Good. Thanks Bobo!
I did not experience an online learning education from this school. Hopefully it was suitable to others!
Great quality of life, excellent academics, and life-long friends. Plenty of opportunities to study off-campus and get involved in a variety of community service opportunities. Maine is beautiful and a wonderful place to attend college.
Bowdoin, like many of their peers (NESCAC and Ivy schools) is worried first and foremost about their reputation and endowment. Academically it is top notch and is not for the faint of heart.
Socially it's like a Prep School on steroids, if you are looking for a party school this likely isn't the place for you, also the local Police are known to come down hard on the students and the school does more to ensure their reputation is intact than support their students.
As a high end academic school athletics is secondary. Historically they were well integrated into the culture, but as the school has evolved and eliminated things like sororities and fraternities, athletics, especially for the men, has become less valued.
Two examples come to mind. The men's football program has only won 3 games since 2015, and the hockey program, which has a very distinguished history, has struggled for the past 4-5 years since the long term coach retired, as his replacement has struggled.
Socially it's like a Prep School on steroids, if you are looking for a party school this likely isn't the place for you, also the local Police are known to come down hard on the students and the school does more to ensure their reputation is intact than support their students.
As a high end academic school athletics is secondary. Historically they were well integrated into the culture, but as the school has evolved and eliminated things like sororities and fraternities, athletics, especially for the men, has become less valued.
Two examples come to mind. The men's football program has only won 3 games since 2015, and the hockey program, which has a very distinguished history, has struggled for the past 4-5 years since the long term coach retired, as his replacement has struggled.