Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 10:09     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Could someone let me know what WASP-B stands for? I tried googling it and clearly I am too tired or something, but I couldn’t figure out the colleges.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 10:03     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Bowdoin is the go to school for kids wanting alternative to A/W. It is clearly now WASP-B. Plus $3 billion bucks endowment. Not for our family though well over 2hours from Boston. Kids want to be in or near city.












Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:57     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


I still think it’s an insanely tough admit for DMV kids. I feel like recruited athletes and legacies are demographically similar to many DMV applicants and they need to fill those few remaining unhooked spots with different types of kids and not just ones from the same high performing urban centers.


I was surprised to see that BCC sent 7 kids there last year. I have no idea if any are athletes or legacies.



Seven were admitted, or attended? My kid's magnet typically gets several admits, and 0-1 attend. Not a popular application at his school, though the past few years one has applied ED and gotten in. Then no more acceptances that year.

My kid liked Bowdoin, too, for the reason most kids like Bowdoin over other SLACs: the rep for great food and dorms. Ultimately preferred a WASP school, and there now, but it was a tough decision for the ED application. The STEM tour at the WASP and slight location preference tipped her at the last minute.


7 attended



Looks like the word is out about the quality of life there! Also, I'd just like to say that BCC guidance counselors are killing it. Their outcomes in the past several years have been stellar.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:54     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


I still think it’s an insanely tough admit for DMV kids. I feel like recruited athletes and legacies are demographically similar to many DMV applicants and they need to fill those few remaining unhooked spots with different types of kids and not just ones from the same high performing urban centers.


I was surprised to see that BCC sent 7 kids there last year. I have no idea if any are athletes or legacies.



Seven were admitted, or attended? My kid's magnet typically gets several admits, and 0-1 attend. Not a popular application at his school, though the past few years one has applied ED and gotten in. Then no more acceptances that year.

My kid liked Bowdoin, too, for the reason most kids like Bowdoin over other SLACs: the rep for great food and dorms. Ultimately preferred a WASP school, and there now, but it was a tough decision for the ED application. The STEM tour at the WASP and slight location preference tipped her at the last minute.


7 attended
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:50     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


Great info ! Thank you. Makes sense.



I agree the flood of international applications due to generous financial aid is a significant factor. I also think they perceive--wrongly!--that Bowdoin is an easier admit because it's not ranked in the top two.


Also Bowdoin used to have a high ED admit rate, something like 40%. But they've slashed that in the past few years, meaning a huge number is competing RD for a small number of spots.



Yes, with recruited athletes and other institutional priorities (unlike Amherst they still consider legacy), there are not that many RD slots left for a hugh number of applicants.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:43     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:So they have additional essays? If not, it’s easy to throw your hat in the ring at the last minute.


They have additional essays, which they take seriously.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:37     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
So they have additional essays? If not, it’s easy to throw your hat in the ring at the last minute.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:15     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


Great info ! Thank you. Makes sense.



I agree the flood of international applications due to generous financial aid is a significant factor. I also think they perceive--wrongly!--that Bowdoin is an easier admit because it's not ranked in the top two.


Also Bowdoin used to have a high ED admit rate, something like 40%. But they've slashed that in the past few years, meaning a huge number is competing RD for a small number of spots.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:13     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


Great info ! Thank you. Makes sense.



I agree the flood of international applications due to generous financial aid is a significant factor. I also think they perceive--wrongly!--that Bowdoin is an easier admit because it's not ranked in the top two.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:08     Subject: Re:How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:Maine: The way life should be.


+1

Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:07     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


Great info ! Thank you. Makes sense.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:06     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


I still think it’s an insanely tough admit for DMV kids. I feel like recruited athletes and legacies are demographically similar to many DMV applicants and they need to fill those few remaining unhooked spots with different types of kids and not just ones from the same high performing urban centers.


I was surprised to see that BCC sent 7 kids there last year. I have no idea if any are athletes or legacies.



Seven were admitted, or attended? My kid's magnet typically gets several admits, and 0-1 attend. Not a popular application at his school, though the past few years one has applied ED and gotten in. Then no more acceptances that year.

My kid liked Bowdoin, too, for the reason most kids like Bowdoin over other SLACs: the rep for great food and dorms. Ultimately preferred a WASP school, and there now, but it was a tough decision for the ED application. The STEM tour at the WASP and slight location preference tipped her at the last minute.

Must be a typo; surely you meant “ultimately preferred another WASP-B school”
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:04     Subject: Re:How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:Maine: The way life should be.


Didn't Disney make a movie about life in Maine ? If I recall correctly, it was titled Frozen.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 09:00     Subject: How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin and Amherst acceptance rates are artificially low because they are need blind for international students. This adds a couple of thousand extra applications every year. Bowdoins acceptance rates for internationals is under 2% but the application numbers pad things making them look a bit selective more than they are.


I still think it’s an insanely tough admit for DMV kids. I feel like recruited athletes and legacies are demographically similar to many DMV applicants and they need to fill those few remaining unhooked spots with different types of kids and not just ones from the same high performing urban centers.


I was surprised to see that BCC sent 7 kids there last year. I have no idea if any are athletes or legacies.



Seven were admitted, or attended? My kid's magnet typically gets several admits, and 0-1 attend. Not a popular application at his school, though the past few years one has applied ED and gotten in. Then no more acceptances that year.

My kid liked Bowdoin, too, for the reason most kids like Bowdoin over other SLACs: the rep for great food and dorms. Ultimately preferred a WASP school, and there now, but it was a tough decision for the ED application. The STEM tour at the WASP and slight location preference tipped her at the last minute.
Anonymous
Post 01/12/2026 08:45     Subject: Re:How did Bowdoin acceptance rate become so low?
WASP-B, WASP-B, WASP-B

(Pronounced waspy)