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Bowdoin College

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME · 1.9k students

ElitePrivateTownBachelorCampus-basedbowdoin.edu
83.3/100

Trajecta score

+6.9 since '20

Ranked #19 of 2,375

5-year trend

'20'24

77.7 · #32

2020

82.6 · #15

2021

82.2 · #13

2022

82.1 · #18

2023

84.6 · #7

2024

AcademicCareersSuccessAfford.Invest.Access

Academic Profile

95/ 100

Career Outcomes

82/ 100

Student Success

95/ 100

Affordability

75/ 100

Academic Investment

96/ 100

Access & Equity

51/ 100

Academic Profile

95

Career Outcomes

82

Student Success

95

Affordability

75

Academic Investment

96

Access & Equity

51

AI Fit Analysis

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Cost / Net Price

$85k / $14k

SAT Avg

1,520

Retention

97%

Grad Rate

95%

Admissions

7%admission rate
EliteH.SelSelectiveModerateOpen

Test Scores

SAT Range1,520
4001000120014001600
25th: 1,470Average: 1,52075th: 1,550

Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.

Finances

Tuition

In-State Tuition

$67,832

per year

Out-of-State Tuition

$67,832

per year

Aid & Debt

Pell Grant Share

17%

undergraduates receiving Pell

Federal Loan Share

8%

students borrowing

Median Debt

among completers

$18,500

Admissions Factors

What Bowdoin College says it weighs

Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.

Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Bowdoin College reports weighing in admissions.

FactorVery ImportantImportantConsideredNot Considered
Rigor of secondary school recordRigor of secondary school record: Very Important
Class rankClass rank: Very Important
Academic GPAAcademic GPA: Very Important
Standardized test scoresStandardized test scores: Considered
Application essayApplication essay: Very Important
Recommendation(s)Recommendation(s): Very Important
InterviewInterview: Considered
Extracurricular activitiesExtracurricular activities: Very Important
Talent/abilityTalent/ability: Very Important
Character/personal qualitiesCharacter/personal qualities: Very Important
First generationFirst generation: Considered
Alumni/ae relationAlumni/ae relation: Considered
Geographical residenceGeographical residence: Considered
State residencyState residency: Considered
Religious affiliation/commitmentReligious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered
Volunteer workVolunteer work: Considered
Work experienceWork experience: Considered
Level of applicant's interestLevel of applicant's interest: Considered

Supplemental Essays · 2025-26

school's admissions site ↗

Bowdoin College essay prompts

Bowdoin Supplemental Essay (The Offer of the College)

Optional250 words

Generations of students have found connection and meaning in Bowdoin's "The Offer of the College," written in 1906 by Bowdoin President William DeWitt Hyde. To be at home in all lands and all ages; To count Nature a familiar acquaintance, and Art an intimate friend; To gain a standard for the appreciation of others' work And the criticism of your own; To carry the keys of the world's library in your pocket, And feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake; To make hosts of friends...who are to be leaders in all walks of life; To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms and cooperate with others for common ends – This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life. Which line from The Offer resonates most with you?

Navigating through Differences Essay

Optional250 words

Bowdoin believes that its broadly diverse and inclusive campus community prepares graduates to be contributing and useful citizens of the world. Every graduate of this institution should be confident in their preparation to be able to navigate through differences and in all sorts of situations. A Bowdoin education does not guarantee these skills, but it does impart a set of tools necessary to bravely enter unfamiliar conditions with the confidence to deal effectively with ambiguity. If you wish, you may share anything about the unique experiences and perspectives that you would bring with you to the Bowdoin campus and community or an experience you have had that required you to navigate across or through difference.

Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →

Methodology

How these rankings work

The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.

Read the full methodology

Selectivity tiers

EliteUnder 10% admit rate
Highly Selective10–20% admit rate
Selective20–40% admit rate
Moderate40–65% admit rate
Open65%+ admit rate

Score dimensions & weights

Career Outcomes25%

Median earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.

Academic Profile22%

Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.

Affordability15%

Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.

Student Success13%

Graduation rate and first-year retention.

Academic Investment12%

Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.

Access10%

Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.

Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.

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