This is the official thread for those applying ED to Bowdoin College.
List your unweighted GPA, any SAT /ACT scores, and ECs. What majors are you going into?
Ask your questions, the CC community is here to help!
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I have a strategy question: How are people deciding whether to submit scores to Bowdoin or not?
The prevailing wisdom for college admissions generally seems to be that one should submit scores if they fall between or above a school’s 25%-75% range. But, unlike most schools, Bowdoin’s CDS expressly publishes the test scores of all students, even if they applied test optional. So we don’t really know the score ranges of the admits who submitted their scores. Per last year’s CDS, Bowdoin’s ACT range was 31-33-35, which is probably a little lower than the score range of the Bowdoin admits who submitted scores.
I’m guessing that Bowdoin’s actual 25%-75% range for students submitting their ACT scores would be closer to 33-35 if the test-optional scores were omitted. My guess is based on the ranges of Bowdoin’s peers–e.g., Pomona (33-35), Swarthmore (32-35), Hamilton (33-34), Dartmouth (32-35), Cornell (33-35), Wesleyan (33-35). But I thought I’d tap into the collective wisdom of this forum.
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Bowdoin appears to have made a transition to a required submission policy (for matriculation) for the fall of 2016. By comparing these figures to those of the prior year, it would be feasible to draw inferences about its current standardized scoring ranges at various stages of the process (SAT scores also included for greater context):
Fall 2016
SAT Middle Ranges, 54% submitting
CR: 650–750
Math: 640–760
Combined: 1290–1510
ACT Middle Range, 44% submitting
30–34
Fall 2015
SAT Middle Ranges, 42% submitting
CR: 680–765
Math: 685–770
Combined: 1365–1535
ACT Middle Range, 36% submitting
31–34
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This figure appears to represent all accepted applicants (i.e., it includes information for those who chose to attend college elsewhere). By CDS information, Wesleyan’s most recent middle range for attending students is 30.5–34.
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in a test optional world, wouldn’t one withhold test results unless they scored at/above the 75% line, or at the very least the 50% line?
since it’s superscored, and one can take it as many times as necessary to reach the line, money permitting, it would sound like a decent strategy.
This approach would place an applicant with, say, a 32 ACT score in the same apparent position (by this criterion) as an applicant with a score of, say, 30 (if both students applied TO). This wouldn’t seem to be propitious for the applicant with the higher score.
People get so caught up on the send/don’t send if the are on the bubble.
I certainly rather show a 1490 than let them wonder if I got a 1300. If you don’t get in with that score, I highly doubt you would get in TO.
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Does anyone know the ED release date yet??
Haven’t seen anything posted yet. Last year it was the 10th
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I looked back on their admissions instagram and going back several years it seems they announce the Friday before the 15th. (My kid is not an applicant, but her best friend is an ED applicant, so I am on tenterhooks by proxy and was searching!)
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Soo what are we thinking now?
My best guess is next Friday now! Which would be the latest they’ve done it in several years. My D24 is having the same angst for her friend that I am having for her first choice decision day!
Any idea when the decisions are coming out? The most popular date online is DEC 9th 7 pm EST. I think that should be correct based on the fact that other higher LACs have released theirs a day before. Bowdoin might follow in the same manner. They were supposed to send an email about the decisions’ date but I haven’t received any.
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Maybe Friday? Still no email telling release date
Received email it is Friday 7pm EST
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Instagram post says the same (in Bowdoin Admissions stories!)
It’s today. Good luck everyone! Bowdoin is a great place!
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DS got in ED2! So thrilled. GPA 3.9+ UW, ACT 34, from CT boarding school. Varsity soccer (started every game) but not recruited. Applied as Environmental Sciences major. Any tips on spring/summer activities to prepare for Bowdoin?
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Congratulations! During the summer before freshman year my son started hiking more to get in better shape and I bought him more winter clothes, I don’t think this advice would apply to a varisty athlete who went to school in CT. The Outing Club is a great way to avoid the freshman 15 and he will be amazed at the all the foods that taste better with blueberries. Lastly, the fencing club is trying to rebuild is he wants to pivot sports.
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