Bowdoin College is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. The school is old; like Nathaniel Hawthorne went there old… like older than the state of Maine-old. With such a long legacy, Bowdoin has made a name for itself as one of the top liberal arts schools in America. With about 1,800 students, Bowdoin is also very small. But if you are looking at top small schools, Bowdoin should be on your list.
While many schools are currently test-optional, Bowdoin was doing it before it was cool. It has been test-optional for over 50 years and usually, only about half of the class submits scores. However, don’t assume that it is easy to get into because they don’t need your test scores. Last year, their acceptance rate was only 7%... their lowest ever. This means your application, which includes your supplement, needs to shine.
Bowdoin’s supplemental essays are technically optional, but remember, 7% acceptance rate. If you are serious about getting into Bowdoin, it isn’t optional. There are only two essays, but Bowdoin puts them in different sections of the supplement, so just be warned: they aren’t next to each other for some weird reason. Make sure to find them both.
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?*
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
The first step here is to choose a line and really understand it. There is no wrong answer on which one to choose. However, you want to choose one that you can connect to your own life through a good story… because that is what the next question asks you. Read through the poem a couple of times and really ruminate on which line you connect with most.
Optional: The Offer represents Bowdoin’s values. Please reflect on the line you selected and how it has meaning to you. (250 words)
This poem is about all the things that a Bowdoin education will give you. The trick here is to connect it to yourself and your experiences. Why is the specific gift essential to you personally? You want to show, not tell, here, meaning you must tell a personal story.
The point of this supplement is to illustrate the overlap between you and Bowdoin. So, not only should the line you choose resonate with you, but it should evoke a story that exemplifies a commonality between you and Bowdoin. Remember, every supplement is an opportunity to share another piece of who you are.
For example, if you choose “To make hosts of friends... who are to be leaders in all walks of life,” maybe you could tell a story about organizing a group of friends to attend your bestie's opera recital and being amazed by a talent you didn’t fully understand before you saw it. Tell us about how valuable the experience was and how your friends’ various interests add to your life. It should feel personal and like a story.
Bowdoin believes that only through building a more diverse and inclusive campus community will the College best prepare 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. (250 words)
Again, this one really isn’t optional. This is a broad question that everyone should be able to answer. We assume you can come up with a good story about navigating a difference. It can be anything. Maybe you and your sister share a room but get up at different times. How did you work it out? Maybe your best friend is vegetarian, and you love meat, but you both can still cook together. Maybe you are the president of your robotics team, and you had to mediate a conversation between two board members who disagreed on how to approach a project.
Notice that all of our examples here are pretty every day. This essay is 250 words max. Try not to bite off more than you can chew. Sometimes, students think they have to write about politics or high-stress situations and they really don’t need to. Honestly, it is kind of better if you don’t.
ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Bowdoin also allows applicants to submit a video or an optional arts supplement. If you are thinking of doing those things, we can help (but these depend more on the applicant).
Again, while these essays are marked as “optional,” there is really only one option: do them and do them well. Take time to do this application right if you are serious about Bowdoin. As always, if you need help, we have you covered.
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