Bowdoin College
Admissions
Interested in attending Bowdoin College?
On this page, you'll learn how difficult it is to get into Bowdoin College, we'll dig into high school grades and test scores, and you'll find out the factors the school considers when reviewing applications.
Admission Rates
Is it difficult to get into Bowdoin College?
Using the most up-to-date data on record, Bowdoin accepted 8% of applicants. We classify this as most selective.
In the most recent year, 10,966 people applied and 879 were accepted.
Applied/Accepted
Acceptance rates at colleges can change over time, with some becoming more competitive and others accepting more students. Here’s a look at the acceptance rate trend for the past 3 years at Bowdoin College:
Acceptance rates at schools can vary depending on if the student is in-state, out-of-state, or international.
Of those accepted, 57% ended up enrolling at Bowdoin College, making their yield rate Very High. The yield rate is the percentage of accepted students who enroll at the school. You can use the yield rate to find out how coveted a school is for the students who apply to it.
Application Factors
You can increase your chances of getting into Bowdoin College by looking at what the school considers during the application process.
Here are the things Bowdoin considers:
Very Important
- Academic GPA
- Application Essay
- Character/Personal Qualities
- Class Rank
- Extracurricular Activities
- Recommendation(s)
- Rigor of Secondary School Record
- Talent/Ability
Considered
- Alumni/AE Relation
- First Generation
- Geographical Residence
- Interview
- Level of Applicant's Interest
- Standardized Test Scores
- State Residency
- Volunteer Work
- Work Experience
Not Considered
- Religious Affiliation/Commitment
Grades & Testing
Do you have the grades and test scores to get into Bowdoin College?
Grades
86% of freshmen who attended Bowdoin were in the top 10% of their graduating high school class, and 97% were in the top 25% of their graduating high school class.
Bowdoin is Test Optional. This means scores are considered if they are submitted, but applicants do not need to submit scores.
Applicants submitting SAT Scores
Applicants submitting ACT Scores
SAT Math Scores
SAT Verb Scores
SAT Composite Scores
Application Deadlines
These are the deadlines for applying to Bowdoin College. Application deadlines are subject to change, so please verify all deadlines with the school.
Regular Admissions
Early Decision
Early Decision is a program in which students commit to attend a school if they are accepted. Some schools have a higher acceptance rate for Early Decision than regular decision. Bowdoin's Early Decision acceptance rate is 18%, compared to 8% overall. If you’re sure you want to attend Bowdoin College, you might consider applying Early Decision.
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