Location: Brunswick, Maine
Established: June 24, 1794
Enrollment: ~1,900
Admit Rate: 7.1% (Class of 2028)
Yield Rate: 54%
Endowment: $2.4 Billion
Academic Calendar: Semester
School Colors: White and Black
School Mascot: Polar Bears
Undergraduate Tuition and Fees: $64,300 USD (2024–25 Tuition)
Typical SAT Scores: Reading and Writing 720–770, Math 730–790
Motto: Ut Aquila Versus Coelum (As an eagle towards the sky)
Notable: Famous "Offer of the College" manifesto. It is consistently ranked as having the best college food in the nation.A selective powerhouse on the Maine coast promoting the "Common Good."

Quick Facts Snapshot
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Founded: 1794
Enrollment: ~1,900
Admit rate: 7.1% (Class of 2028)
Yield rate: 54%
Endowment: $2.4 Billion

Why This School Fits the Little Ivy Profile
Bowdoin is often cited as the friendliest of the elite colleges. It fits the profile by combining single-digit acceptance rates with a historic campus and a deep commitment to the liberal arts "for the common good."

Selectivity & Admissions
Approximate admit rate: 7%
Selectivity trend: Extremely competitive; consistently in the top 5–10 liberal arts colleges nationally.
SAT/ACT ranges: SAT 1430–1540 (optional but high for submitters)

Academic Strengths
Signature programs: Government and Legal Studies; Arctic Studies; Environmental Studies.
Faculty ratio: 9:1
Key differentiator: The Coastal Studies Center. A dedicated marine lab and research preserve located 20 minutes from campus on Orr's Island.

Outcomes
Salary or placement overview: High median salaries driven by strong placement in finance and tech despite the rural location.
Alumni influence: Historically massive (Hawthorne, Longfellow); currently strong in government and environmental policy.
Where grads typically go: Boston consulting firms, environmental NGOs, and top-tier PhD programs.

Campus Culture
Traditions: Lobster Bake. The opening feast for new students features authentic Maine lobster.
Social environment: "College House" system replaces fraternities, creating inclusive living-learning communities.
Notable athletics or arts strengths: Consistently top-ranked campus food; fierce rivalry with Colby.

How It Compares
• [Bowdoin vs. Dartmouth: The Rural Elite]
• [Bowdoin vs. Bates: The Maine Rivalry]

FAQs
Is it too cold? Winters are long, but the college embraces it with activities like ice skating and outing club trips.
What is the "Offer of the College"? A famous poetic mission statement by college president William DeWitt Hyde that is still cited today.
Do I need a car? Not strictly; the Amtrak Downeaster stops just blocks from campus, connecting to Boston.

Further Reading
‍Bowdoin College – Fast Facts & History (official)
https://www.bowdoin.edu/about/fast-facts/
Bowdoin College – Institutional Research / Common Data Set
https://www.bowdoin.edu/ir/common-data-set/
Bowdoin College – Financial Aid, Tuition & Endowment
https://www.bowdoin.edu/admissions-aid/tuition-aid/
NCES College Navigator – Bowdoin College Profile
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=161086
Bowdoin College – Academics & Coastal Studies Center
https://www.bowdoin.edu/academics/
https://www.bowdoin.edu/coastal-studies-center/