Bowdoin College

Bowdoin College is extremely difficult to get into. In 2022, Bowdoin College accepted just 9% of all applicants. Out of 9,376 applications received in 2023, 862 students were offered admission.

If you are considering submitting an application to Bowdoin College, the deadline for Fall 2024 admissions is 1/5 and the application fee costs $65.

Students who apply to Bowdoin College for fall should hear back from Bowdoin College by April 1.

Bowdoin College Admissions Stats at a Glance

The following is an overiew of some of Bowdoin College's admissions stats.

Bowdoin College 2023	Admissions Statistics
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class	83%
Mean SAT Score	1422
Admissions Test Policy	Test Optional
Applicants Who Submit SATs	58%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	30%
Waitlist	Yes

Bowdoin College Application Deadlines

These are the application deadlines for Bowdoin College.

Application Type	Offered	Application Deadline	Notification Deadline
Early Decision I	Yes	November 15	December 20
Early Decision II	Yes	January 5	February 15
Early Action	No	–	–
Regular Decision	Yes	1 5	April 1

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Considering Applying Early to Bowdoin College?

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Bowdoin College offers early decision but not early action. Early decision is binding, which means you must attend if you are admitted, while early action allows you to apply early without committing.

🗓️ Early Decision I applications are due by November 15 EDI applicants should receive a decision by December 20.

🗓️ Early Decision II applications are due January 5. ED II Applicants will recieve their decision before February 15.

The early decision acceptance rate at Bowdoin College is 26%, compared to an overall acceptance rate of 9%. Last year, Bowdoin College admitted 267 of the 1009 students who applied early decision.

Some students apply to college early to help their chances of acceptance. When you apply early, your application is considered before all the regular decision applicants apply. Applying early may increase your chance of being admitted, since it is a way to show your interest in a school.

➡️ Discover a list of some selective colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

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More on Bowdoin College Admissions

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How Hard Is It To Get Admitted to Bowdoin College?

Getting into Bowdoin College is extremely difficult. Bowdoin College evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2022, Bowdoin College accepted 9% of students, approximately 862 from the 9,376 applicants.

Schools that are extremely difficult to get into, like Bowdoin College, accept fewer than 30% of all applicants. At least 75% of admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1310 on the SAT or over 29 on the ACT.

Transferring to Bowdoin College

Transfer student admissions is extremely difficult.

For Students Waitlisted to Bowdoin College

Bowdoin College has not reported data for waitlisted and admitted students.

What's Most Important for Getting Into Bowdoin College?

Colleges consider a range of factors when deciding who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college decides which factors are given the most weight in the admissions process. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that put the most emphasis on the areas where you shine.

Admissions Factors at Bowdoin College

What does Bowdoin College consider during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.

Admissions Factor	Level
Character/Personal Qualities	Very Important
Class Rank	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
Talent/Ability	Very Important
Academic GPA	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Interview	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Standardized Test Scores	Considered
State Residency	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
Level of Applicant's Interest	Considered
First Generation	Considered

Make sure to check with Bowdoin College for more information on admission factors.

Bowdoin College 2022-2023 Application Requirements

To apply to Bowdoin College, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with Bowdoin College's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Interview	–	–	–	–
Transcript(S) of College Record	–	–	–	–
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S)	–	–	–	–
Letter(s) of Recommendation	3	–	–	–
Written Essay or Personal Statement	√	–	–	–
Transcript of High School Record	√	–	–	–

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GPA and Testing

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What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Bowdoin College?

Bowdoin College has not provided an information about GPAs of accepted students. Any questions regarding applicant expectations should be addressed directly with the school.

Out of all students that were admitted, 34% submitted a class rank. At Bowdoin College 83% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 95% were in the top 25% and 99% were in the top 50%.

GPAs of Admitted Students

At Bowdoin College, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.

GPA	Percent of Students
4.0 GPA	–
3.75 and 3.99	–
3.50 and 3.74	–
3.25 and 3.49	–
3.00 and 3.24	–
2.50 and 2.9	–
2.00 and 2.49	–

This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.

Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to Bowdoin College directly.

About GPAs

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Standardized Test Scores

Bowdoin College is a test optional school. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2022, 58% of Bowdoin College's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 30% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What is a Good SAT Score for Bowdoin College?

To be competitive with other Bowdoin College applicants, you should aim to earn between 1340 and 1520 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Bowdoin College 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1520 and 25% of scored lower than 1340, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Bowdoin College student is 1422.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Bowdoin College students scored 780 or higher and 75% of students scored 670 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Bowdoin College students scored 760 or higher, and 75% scored a 670 or higher.

To be most competitive at Bowdoin College, you should strive to earn between 31 and 35 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Bowdoin College's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.

A 31 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Bowdoin College students. Only one out of every four students scored below 31.

More Information on Transferring to Bowdoin College

For transfer students, it is extremely difficult to get admitted to Bowdoin College.

For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by May 15.

Transfer students can enroll in Bowdoin College during the following terms:

• Fall Term

• Winter Term

• Spring Term

• Winter Term

• Summer Term

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Bowdoin College Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Bowdoin College?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Bowdoin College.

Does Bowdoin College accept transfer credits?

✅ Bowdoin College accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does Bowdoin College accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

✅ Bowdoin College accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Bowdoin College?

❌ No, Bowdoin College is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If you have higher than average scores, you may want to send them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.

What is Bowdoin College's acceptance rate?

✅ Bowdoin College has an acceptance rate of 9%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Bowdoin College?

✅ Bowdoin College's early decision acceptance rate was 26% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Bowdoin College?

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