Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 17:14     Subject: Oxy versus Bowdoin?
Anonymous wrote:Definitely got a country club vibe at Bowdoin.


Non country club family here, and our kid has had no trouble finding friends from all sorts of backgrounds. I don’t get that vibe from the students we’ve gotten to know. To start with, 10% of the students come from Maine.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 16:23     Subject: Oxy versus Bowdoin?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Let’s be clear. Bowdoin is extremely selective and among the most prestigious LACs. It’s very hard to get into that school even with Ivy type stats. It’s very hard NOT to get into Oxy if you are a reasonably strong full pay student. I have a DC at a school in between the two ranking wise - I’m paying full freight. I would be loathe to pay full price for Oxy, even though I can afford it. Choosing Oxy over Bowdoin is almost like picking Pitt over Harvard.

We're talking about LACs. Prestige is an absolute joke.


Sure- for people like gas station attendants who don’t know the difference between Harvard and Hartford

or 99% of employers who don't care about whether you went to Oxy or Bowdoin. There's very little difference.


What employers? McDonald’s or the grocery store? Pretty sure most educated people know these schools.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 16:22     Subject: Oxy versus Bowdoin?
Anonymous wrote:Strongly suggest looking closer into Bowdoin. This would be a harsh opportunity to miss. Oxy is a no-name college in a decaying city.


That seems a little biased.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 16:21     Subject: Oxy versus Bowdoin?
Definitely got a country club vibe at Bowdoin.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 16:20     Subject: Re:Oxy versus Bowdoin?
Anonymous wrote:
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.



Bowdoin is very accessible --Direct flights to Portland or Boston, Bus service to Boston -- oh, and an Amtrak station right next to campus
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 15:53     Subject: Oxy versus Bowdoin?
Anonymous wrote:Both are excellent schools, OP. You can't go wrong. My advice is re-visit and talk to current students.

Best of luck and congrats to your DC!


Agreed, Bowdoin parent here with very happy kid. We have good friends who have a son at Occidental (finishing junior year) and he’s equally as pleased. Both kids are self starters and have had great experiences. I’d leave it to kid’s personal preference.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 14:04     Subject: Re:Oxy versus Bowdoin?
I’d take Meth over Oxy.
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 13:23     Subject: Oxy versus Bowdoin?
Both are excellent schools, OP. You can't go wrong. My advice is re-visit and talk to current students.

Best of luck and congrats to your DC!
Anonymous
Post 03/29/2025 12:55     Subject: Oxy versus Bowdoin?
A good friend from HS went to bowdoin. Lasted a year and then transferred to our state school and was very happy. It’s pricey, small, and cold. It’s known in the NE but not nearly as well known elsewhere.

For my dc, Oxy. LA is great