Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great school if you want to extend high school. It is an excellent college version of an elite boarding school.

You say that a lot about LACs. Most high schoolers do not attend elite boarding schools, so a LAC is a different experience.

Yeah the statement is relatable to so few students. When I heard this the first time, I didn’t even know the person was trying to insult, because private elite boarding schools are just amazing places to go to school.

It is not an insult. Just intended to share this specific viewpoint.

It is less nerdy but also there is less competition at Bowdoin vs WAS. Kids just outside of the top 20% ED there with success, and the top kids use it as an ivy or WAS backup. It is for bright kids but not best of the school super smarties.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Felt less nerdy than the WASP schools we visited. That might be a plus or minus depending on your kid.

What r WASP schools?

[center]
❖ Williams College
❖ Amherst College
❖ Swarthmore College
❖ Pomona College
[/center]

They are the top LACs that seem incredibly difficult to get into. Bowdoin isn't part of this group but it is right up there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Felt less nerdy than the WASP schools we visited. That might be a plus or minus depending on your kid.

What r WASP schools?

[center]
❖ Williams College
❖ Amherst College
❖ Swarthmore College
❖ Pomona College
[/center]

Anonymous wrote:Felt less nerdy than the WASP schools we visited. That might be a plus or minus depending on your kid.

What r WASP schools?

Anonymous wrote:Being expensive. Not a good deal.

My Bowdoin student gets great financial aid. Prospective applicants should run the net price calculator to see if it would be a good financial fit.

DS is a current sophomore. Overall he is having a very good experience and calls it home. There are ups and downs. When he talks to HS friends, he realizes he is in a really good place. He feels challenged in his course work, has access to professors and the appreciates the overall learning environment. Like any school, scheduling is a challenge but he is usually able to sort classes out during drop/add. His largest class was 50 students (still easy to connect with the prof during office hours), other classes range 20-25, a few smaller. As expected, class size is getting smaller as he wraps up his distribution requirements. It is competitive, but he describes it as collaboratively-competitve. Students do seem to look out for each other. He is a non-athlete, but has found his home in the outdoor club. His friend group includes non-athletes, athletes and arts/theater kids. From a parent perspective, the school is easily accessible -- several direct flights to Portland from DC area, Amtrak between Portland to Brunswick. When my husband was having a major surgery, we did inform our son's dean of students. The Dean called our son to check in but followed DS' lead on if he needed anything -- basically, supportive without being intrusive which our son appreciated.

DS shared during his first winter he was surprised how early it got dark and it was easy to get into a little bit of a funk. He worked through it by staying active, going to the gym a little more.

The food is good and Bowdoin prides it as a way they build community.

It is a wonderful and special place --

Anonymous wrote:Felt less nerdy than the WASP schools we visited. That might be a plus or minus depending on your kid.

I agree with this.

I toured Bowdoin back in the 1990s. My parents were keen on my attending a strong LAC but after a few of these schools I was more interested in a bigger school and ended up at an Ivy that combined many of the virtues of a LAC with a larger university.

Bowdoin and comparable LACs have always been known as strong schools with excellent classroom instruction and close faculty-student interactions. I don't get a sense that's changed in a century, my parents knew of Bowdoin in their own childhoods in the 50s-60s, so among the educated UMCs of the time Bowdoin was always a school that was known. Bowdoin is affluent for a LAC with a large endowment.

Will say at my Ivy I met a few kids who'd transferred from schools of Bowdoin's caliber and every single one said while they appreciated the resources of a larger and more famous school, the classroom experience was better at the Bowdoins/Amhersts/Williams. It doesn't surprise me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best school in Maine — the Mississippi of the North.

The Maine coast is nicer than almost anywhere else in New England. Pretty nice version of Mississippi

Mississippi has a coast too. Look at a map of Maine, go a couple miles inland, and look at the entire state. Maine is a big state. Name a nice town away from the coast. Ever been to Skowhegan? Waterville? Augusta? Mississippi is better…plenty of nice towns. Ever been to Oxford?

I've been to Oxford a few times. That is a fun place for sure!

In the middle of nowhere

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best school in Maine — the Mississippi of the North.

The Maine coast is nicer than almost anywhere else in New England. Pretty nice version of Mississippi

Mississippi has a coast too. Look at a map of Maine, go a couple miles inland, and look at the entire state. Maine is a big state. Name a nice town away from the coast. Ever been to Skowhegan? Waterville? Augusta? Mississippi is better…plenty of nice towns. Ever been to Oxford?

Being expensive. Not a good deal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great school if you want to extend high school. It is an excellent college version of an elite boarding school.

You say that a lot about LACs. Most high schoolers do not attend elite boarding schools, so a LAC is a different experience.

Yeah the statement is relatable to so few students. When I heard this the first time, I didn’t even know the person was trying to insult, because private elite boarding schools are just amazing places to go to school.

it's like an elite boarding school for college kids. so, more freedom and weekend trips. who wouldnt want that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great school if you want to extend high school. It is an excellent college version of an elite boarding school.

You say that a lot about LACs. Most high schoolers do not attend elite boarding schools, so a LAC is a different experience.

Yeah the statement is relatable to so few students. When I heard this the first time, I didn’t even know the person was trying to insult, because private elite boarding schools are just amazing places to go to school.