Oxy versus Bowdoin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll ask the unpopular question: what's so good about Bowdoin? So far, I'll I've seen is they have a nice dining hall.

Peers!
Bowdoin SAT 1480/1510/1550
Oxy SAT 1360/1450/1500

You are more likely to find more ambitious kids at Bowdoin.

So...what's so good about Bowdoin. You didn't answer my question. I get they have good stats-i'd hope so with the way people are talking of it like it is Harvard. What is so good about Bowdoin, especially when all you can display is a SAT range that comes from a very heavily test optional school.

DP. Not poster you are asking.
"Niche" perhaps?

No, I'm interested in others' opinion. I'm not an LAC champion-I went to state flagship/ivy and parents on this board continue to talk about how amazing and special these places are but will almost never answer why they're so prestigious. If you asked me about Harvard, there'd be 100 things I could comment on before the students. If the kid likes Oxy, I don't see the point of burning yourself blue in the Maine winter for prestige at a college most people have never heard of and where parents here, who are clearly fans, can't even speak on its reputation beyond the student's SAT scores-mind you, a majority of admitted students don't even submit SAT scores.

Bowdoin owns 2 islands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught for a year at Oxy and currently live in LA. Bowdoin is a much, much better school but the weather is a serious consideration and Oxy, which has a minuscule endowment relative to Bowdoin, tries to entice strong students with so-called "merit scholarships" (these are in fact tuition discounts, paid for out of other tuition revenue).

If you can stomach the weather and money is not a huge issue, Bowdoin by a mile.

And I know professors at Bowdoin. It's unquestionably a good school, but it's also a country club vibe. Wealthy students disappear to their parent's properties and only mix with their own. This has been the concern for decades. Ranking is not the whole story with small schools.

[Anonymous]

I don't think any randoms on this site can help you make the right decision.

I think your DC should talk to more students who are actually there and/or revisit to make a final decision.

[Anonymous]

"randoms"=people who have taught at said colleges.
DCUM logic at its finest.

[Anonymous]

I am not a person who puts as much emphasis on status as most DCUM posters….but these schools are not even in the same universe.
Bowdoin is a jewel. It has great teachers and resources. Oxy is for kids who could never get into Bowdoin. The administration at Bowdoin seems actively engaged in helping kids succeed.

Here are inside facts experienced by my neighbors’ kid at Oxy: you get updates from the school about shootings in the surrounding neighborhood, which is not a fact of life at Bowdoin. Also, hi kid got into partying /getting high at Oxy, in ways that tanked her academic performance. There was also serious overcrowding in campus housing.

Oxy’s campus is pretty, and the community is diverse…though there was unrest over that during the pandemic.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-10/a-text-message-that-all-asian-people-need-to-die-has-occidental-college-in-an-uproar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fools go to La for college. It’s not a place for young people, and it’s extremely dirty and smoggy- at Indian city levels. So no on Oxy, unless you don’t care about crime and filth.

And wild fires!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:maybe he can try and do summers in LA or an internship or something. also start at bowdoin and if he really hates it transfer to pomona or oxy.

This internship suggestion would be a good compromise!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oxy gives merit aid. What's the merit aid package? 20-25k or more merit, Oxy is fine over Bowdoin.

Where do you live? Maine is very, very isolated and the only real way to get there, driving-wise, is through Massachusetts.

Having said that, Bowdoin has the best location of the 3 Maine SLACs; it adjoins a nice enough downtown. Bates and, to a lesser extent, Colby, are in terrible places, though -- so that's not necessarily saying much.

Maine is gorgeous (true, in the summer).

Bowdoin was my kid’s absolute first choice, though she did not get in. Congratulations to any kid who does!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a person who puts as much emphasis on status as most DCUM posters….but these schools are not even in the same universe.
Bowdoin is a jewel. It has great teachers and resources. Oxy is for kids who could never get into Bowdoin. The administration at Bowdoin seems actively engaged in helping kids succeed.

Here are inside facts experienced by my neighbors’ kid at Oxy: you get updates from the school about shootings in the surrounding neighborhood, which is not a fact of life at Bowdoin. Also, hi kid got into partying /getting high at Oxy, in ways that tanked her academic performance. There was also serious overcrowding in campus housing.

Oxy’s campus is pretty, and the community is diverse…though there was unrest over that during the pandemic.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-10/a-text-message-that-all-asian-people-need-to-die-has-occidental-college-in-an-uproar

…for what op’s child wants to do, bowdoin has much worse faculty.

[Anonymous]

as majority of dcum is quick to cast aspersions at attending college in tennessee or the South in general, I would never allow my kid attend college in Ca based on the rancid political climate -

[Anonymous]

All the DCUM pearl-clutching about wintry weather puzzles me. My four years in the distinctive four seasons climate of northern New England is etched on my memory as a magical time, and the snow-blanketed winters a surprisingly wonderful experience I’d never have again one moving back to the mid Atlantic.

[Anonymous]

DS is a second year student at Bowdoin. He absolutely loves it. The school is very accessible --he enjoys the outdoors, but it is also an Amtrak ride to Boston, NYC. He admits the first winter there he was surprised how early it got dark, which so far has says is his only drawback. He did snowshoe for the first time. He loves access to professors, community, dorms are a nice size and the food is good. Also, keep in mind that he may change is his mind re: major. DS declared his major recently -- while it is close to what he thought he would study, there is some slight variation from what he originally thought he would major in. He also is able to double major.

[Anonymous]

Bowdoin is a dumb decision for this student. Like going to europe for a degree in American studies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oxy gives merit aid. What's the merit aid package? 20-25k or more merit, Oxy is fine over Bowdoin.

Where do you live? Maine is very, very isolated and the only real way to get there, driving-wise, is through Massachusetts.

Having said that, Bowdoin has the best location of the 3 Maine SLACs; it adjoins a nice enough downtown. Bates and, to a lesser extent, Colby, are in terrible places, though -- so that's not necessarily saying

As a New Hampshirite, I would like to say that you get to Maine by going through New Hampshire not Massachusetts. Not sure what the driving route has to do with anything though. There are plenty of schools in isolated areas (Colgate, Bucknell, Amherst, Middlebury, etc) that aren’t in Maine.

[Anonymous]

As a New Hampshirite, I would like to say you get to Maine by going through New Hampshire, not Massachusetts. Not sure what the driving route has to do with anything though - there are plenty of schools in other states that are very isolated as well. Colgate, Middlebury, Williams, etc. Portland is 1/2 hour away from Bowdoin and you can take Amtrak to Boston.