What are Bowdoin students like?

FrogMom · 08-26-2009, 02:12 PM

I've noticed a couple of comments in these threads about "type-A" students at Bowdoin - my impression was that Bowdoin is more a school for smart but non-competitive students who are focused on learning for learning's sake. Is there a lot of academic pressure? Could anyone offer a "nutshell" description of the academic atmosphere there? How would it compare to, for example, Oberlin?

morandi · 08-26-2009, 03:21 PM

this impression is from the parent of a bowdoin student. my son is anything but a 'type-A' personality. most of his friends are also rather laid back. but here's the beauty of it, many of his friends ARE slightly more aggressive, but that doesn't translate into competitiveness when it comes to academics. his description, to me, is they are very smart, nice, hard working, and don't talk about grades. he is now a junior and i've had the honor of meeting his roommates, and other friends, during these last two years and left with that very impression myself. i doubt any school is filled with a certain 'type' of person, especially since diversity is something most are striving for, and bowdoin is no different. my son, absolutely, describes the academic atmosphere as collaborative rather than competitive. btw, he's a biology and chemistry major, but has taken government and philosophy classes as well.

and remember, this is just one opinion.

cfuser · 08-28-2009, 01:58 AM

While there are outliers in every group, in general, Bowdoin students are not very grade-focused and are not at all competitive. I can honestly say that I do not know a single grade that a friend has gotten on any assignment or test (much less for the semester) in my two years at Bowdoin thus far, and I don't think that I'm an exception. People just don't talk about grades that much. I will say that people are pretty competitive with themselves. That is, they study hard and some people get pretty frantic around exam times, but your classmates are allies and not enemies in this self-competition. I can't compare Bowdoin to Oberlin b/c I don't go to the latter, but I'd say that a laid-back person who's into learning for learning's sake will feel quite comfortable at Bowdoin.

govman · 09-03-2009, 01:09 AM

As cfuser said, their will be outliers in every group and I'm friends with one. But even she admits how different she is in being so academically-obsessive from most Bowdoin students. Please don't misunderstand me: students here take grades and school seriously (who wouldn't at $50,000+ a year?). But something that really attracted me to Bowdoin was that after the hyper-competitive nature of high school and the admissions process, students at Bowdoin didn't fixate on their grades. They work on them and work hard, but when its time to hang out or relax, they do. It not only creates a comfortable academic environment but also teaches valuable ways on how to balance a work load and social life. At least in my experience.

Ronbo1960 · 09-03-2009, 09:32 AM

I agree with the above posts. I toured the campus this summer and the description of smart students who don't overly concentrate on grades is on the money. It is the perfect place for people who love to learn but are not driven to "beat the curve."

morandi · 09-03-2009, 03:31 PM

just to add, it seems that much of the learning is done outside the classroom anyway. as i suspect is the case in many good LAC's. in those cases it's never a competition, it's a shared experience, and from what i hear, bowdoin students love their 'outside of class' time! they are quite an energetic group.

zfox001 · 09-28-2009, 07:39 PM

People here definitely work and do a good job on their assignments. Not to scare anyone away from Bowdoin, but honestly if you go to the library on any night of the week, excluding thursday nights you are bound to run into friends and people you know. In terms of grades, people are definitely concerned with how they do but I don't feel like that is the motivation for most people. Most people study because they are eager to learn and interested in the subject.
Everyone here is very very friendly and helpful. I have asked upperclassmen for help and they will literally stop what they are doing and help. There are always groups of students studying together and helping each other out. This sort of atmosphere makes learning very cooperative and non cutthroat at all.
Now after saying this, it seems like all Bowdoin students do is have study parties but that isnt the case. It is definitely a work hard play hard type of school. People let loose on the weekends and have a good time.

celibidache · 10-16-2009, 11:57 AM

I feel Bowdoin is not a place for thinker,just my feeling.

SDonCC · 10-16-2009, 12:48 PM

celibidache, do you go to Bowdoin or are you just saying that?

bobow98 · 10-20-2009, 11:20 PM

We are very cool.

ctyankee · 11-02-2009, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rombo1960

I agree with the above posts. I toured the campus this summer and the description of smart students who don't overly concentrate on grades is on the money. It is the perfect place for people who love to learn but are not driven to "beat the curve."

So, you toured the campus when classes weren't in session, when the bulk of the student body wasn't there and came to that conclusion? How informative.

Ronbo1960 · 11-03-2009, 12:34 PM

Well you got me! Having only been posted and read stuff on this web site for several months it still is amazing the degree to which people will prowl this site for a chance to make an inane comment. No, the entire campus was obviously not there when we visited but there were still a good amount of students there to talk to and they gave me the impression I noted. It was neither a thesis defense nor a thoroughly investigated treatise. It was, and remains simply an opinion. If you take the time to read the other posts you will see that it matches other peoples OPINION regarding students at Bowdoin.