Amherst vs Bowdoin

[Anonymous]

Bowdoin without question

[Anonymous]

Amherst. There really is no comparison with Bowdoin and if they want to go into Government the alumni and connections matter. They are much stronger at Amherst

[Anonymous]

My kid is headed to Bowdoin next year and didn't even apply to Amherst (didn't like it enough), so I'd say Bowdoin if it feels like a better fit! Fit is very important, especially when any potential status differences are minute.

As for Amherst, I had heard that students seemed less happy there than at some similar schools. Also, based on student surveys, Princeton Review lists Amherst as #12 on its list of "little race/class interaction." (https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=little-race-class-interaction)

Here's a thread from last year about Amherst that might have good information:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1038532.page

[Anonymous]

Both Amherst and Bowdoin are great schools and neither are Ivy-reject schools as one poster stated (Ivies are very different from SLACs). Fit is most important but everything being equal, I would choose Amherst.

[Anonymous]

Amherst. Much better "college town" experience that not only includes Amherst, but also Northampton 15 minutes away.

And that said, the most important issue here is that this is your kid's decision. He will not go wrong at either one.

[Anonymous]

Bodiin food is on another level. There is a podcast on their fine dining experience.

[Anonymous]

Go where you’re comfortable.
Amherst is slightly more prestigious but both great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go where you’re comfortable.
Amherst is slightly more prestigious but both great.

If the student wants a fine dining experience 3x a day everyday, bodiin is it.

[Anonymous]

Amherst. What an amazing opportunity! Congrats!

[Anonymous]

The "Amherst - no question" response is really interesting.

About 40% of Amherst freshman are athletes. Then a large population of recruited URM and a a focus on LGBT students - and all the Venn diagram crossovers among those populations. Then there are the white bros who smoke a lot of pot. If you're student might be in one of those groups, okay. But if not, I don't see the appeal. I think it's historically prestigious but .. eh, not an academic powerhouse now. "You are not serious people"

I think Bowdoin is pretty special with more of a focus on intellectualism. I put it with Williams.

I dislike Amherst/Northampton too. That may drive this whole thing. It's a town of Migrants Welcome Here signs and no actual migrants. BLM but no actual Black lives. People who don't return their shopping cart to the rack and who will yell at you if you put your yoga mat too close to theirs. White people in their Patagonia vests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "Amherst - no question" response is really interesting.

About 40% of Amherst freshman are athletes. Then a large population of recruited URM and a a focus on LGBT students - and all the Venn diagram crossovers among those populations. Then there are the white bros who smoke a lot of pot. If you're student might be in one of those groups, okay. But if not, I don't see the appeal. I think it's historically prestigious but .. eh, not an academic powerhouse now. "You are not serious people"

I think Bowdoin is pretty special with more of a focus on intellectualism. I put it with Williams.

I dislike Amherst/Northampton too. That may drive this whole thing. It's a town of Migrants Welcome Here signs and no actual migrants. BLM but no actual Black lives. People who don't return their shopping cart to the rack and who will yell at you if you put your yoga mat too close to theirs. White people in their Patagonia vests.

Cool story, 43% of Bowdoin students are varsity athletes

[Anonymous]

Amherst without a doubt!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I dislike Amherst/Northampton too. That may drive this whole thing. It's a town of Migrants Welcome Here signs and no actual migrants. BLM but no actual Black lives. People who don't return their shopping cart to the rack and who will yell at you if you put your yoga mat too close to theirs. White people in their Patagonia vests.

I have to agree with this. And of all the college towns I've visited, Amherst must have the most therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists per capita!

[Anonymous]

Bowdoin is heavy into drinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "Amherst - no question" response is really interesting.

About 40% of Amherst freshman are athletes. Then a large population of recruited URM and a a focus on LGBT students - and all the Venn diagram crossovers among those populations. Then there are the white bros who smoke a lot of pot. If you're student might be in one of those groups, okay. But if not, I don't see the appeal. I think it's historically prestigious but .. eh, not an academic powerhouse now. "You are not serious people"

I think Bowdoin is pretty special with more of a focus on intellectualism. I put it with Williams.

I dislike Amherst/Northampton too. That may drive this whole thing. It's a town of Migrants Welcome Here signs and no actual migrants. BLM but no actual Black lives. People who don't return their shopping cart to the rack and who will yell at you if you put your yoga mat too close to theirs. White people in their Patagonia vests.

Cool story, 43% of Bowdoin students are varsity athletes

m

Yeah. Most of these SLACs have similar stats. But agree Amherst also has the very distinct lgbt culture and urm. I think Bowdoin is more 40 athlete and 60 not. But the “not” aren’t further siloed. I don’t know why populations mix better at Bowdoin but the Black table (etc) is alive and well at Amherst.