What are students at Bowdoin called?

Students at Bowdoin College are unofficially called Polar Bears, after their mascot, while officially they are known as Bowdoin students or sometimes referred to by their affiliation with the NESCAC conference or "Little Ivies". Their athletic teams are known as the Polar Bears, a symbol of Arctic exploration linked to Bowdoin alumni like Robert Peary, notes Wikipedia and The Bowdoin Orient.

What kind of students go to Bowdoin?

Academic life at Bowdoin spans thirty-three departments, and is cooperative, not competitive: so we tend to attract students who like brainstorming with faculty, working in teams, and welcoming big, new, difficult questions. We value kindness, diversity, creativity, and hard work.

What is the slogan of Bowdoin College?

The Common Good | Bowdoin College.

Why is Bowdoin go-u bears?

Bowdoin's “Go U Bears!” chant unifies athletes and fans alike to support their team. Bowdoin's mascot was chosen in the early 20th century after Bowdoin alum Robert Peary, Class of 1877, led several expeditions to the North Pole and recorded his sightings of Arctic animals, one of which was the polar bear.

Is Tufts or Bowdoin better?

Neither Tufts nor Bowdoin is definitively "better"; they offer different experiences, with Tufts providing a larger, more urban (Boston area) setting with strong pre-professional/STEM options alongside liberal arts, while Bowdoin offers a smaller, more intimate liberal arts college feel known for its strong community, excellent food, and close professor-student relationships, with both having strong academics and alumni networks. Your choice depends on whether you prefer Tufts' diverse, bigger-school energy or Bowdoin's cozy, tight-knit liberal arts environment. 

What is the Bowdoin Hello?

Is Bowdoin a mini ivy?

Yes, Bowdoin College is considered a Little Ivy, often grouped with Bates and Colby as the "Maine Big Three," known for high selectivity, strong academics, and prestigious liberal arts education, similar in quality to Ivy League schools but smaller.
 

What is the Bowdoin hello?

The Bowdoin Hello

Back in the 1960s, Bowdoin fraternity pledges would be in trouble if they didn't give a vigorous "hello" to each other, even from the other side of campus. In the present day, our fraternities are gone, but our friendly greeting is here to stay.

What US president went to Bowdoin?

Novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, a lifelong friend of Pierce, wrote the biography Life of Franklin Pierce in support of Pierce's 1852 presidential campaign. In fall 1820, Pierce entered Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, one of 19 freshmen.

Is Bowdoin an elite school?

Yes, Bowdoin College is considered a highly prestigious institution, consistently ranked among the top National Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News & World Report and known for its extreme selectivity, strong academics, and influential alumni network, placing it among elite schools like the "Little Ivies". Its prestige is reflected in its low acceptance rates (around 7%), high-achieving student body, and strong reputation in the academic world, notes College Advisor and PrepScholar. 

What is the average family income at Bowdoin College?

Bowdoin College. The median family income of a student from Bowdoin is $195,900, and 69% come from the top 20 percent.

Who is the biggest donor to Bowdoin College?

Bowdoin College's biggest donor is Netflix co-founder and alumnus Reed Hastings '83, who made the largest gift in the college's history with a $50 million donation in March 2025 to launch the Hastings Initiative for AI and Humanity. Other notable donors mentioned include Elizabeth Aaroe '81, D. Ellen Shuman '76, and Kary Antholis '84, who support various funds and scholarships, though their specific gift amounts aren't detailed in the same way as Hastings' record gift, notes a Bowdoin College page. 

What do Bowdoin students do for fun?

The Office of Student Activities, in collaboration with other campus partners, puts on a number of annual events throughout the semester including Student Nights at the Museum, the Student Activities Fair, Junior/Senior Ball, Spring Gala, and Ivies.

What is the easiest little ivy to get into?

The "easiest" Little Ivy to get into depends on your definition, but schools like Union College, Lafayette College, and Connecticut College generally have higher acceptance rates (around 40-50% or more) compared to highly selective ones like Williams or Amherst (often 7-10%), making them more accessible target schools for strong applicants. However, all Little Ivies are selective, so "easiest" is relative; look for schools with acceptance rates above 20-30% if you're aiming for the less exclusive end.
 

What kind of kids go to Bowdoin?

Bowdoin is a coeducational, residential college, with about 94% of students living on campus in typical years. The student gender split is 47% men, 53% women; 10% of students are from Maine; 39% are of color; and 6% are international.

What is the most prestigious non-ivy league school?

There isn't one single "most prestigious" non-Ivy League school, but Stanford University, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and the University of Chicago are consistently ranked at the very top, often considered alongside or even above many Ivies due to their exceptional academics, research, and selectivity. Other top contenders include Caltech, Northwestern University, Duke University, and strong public universities like UC Berkeley and UCLA. 

Who famous went to Bowdoin?

Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow attended Bowdoin College—both class of 1825—at the same time as Franklin Pierce, who was a year ahead of them. The fourteenth president of the United States was at Hawthorne's side when the author died in 1864. Longfellow served as a pallbearer at the funeral.

Why is Bowdoin College being sued?

Bowdoin among schools sued for alleged price fixing in early decision admissions. A class action lawsuit filed over the summer alleges that Bowdoin, among other schools, has used its early decision admissions program to raise the cost of attendance.

What president ran over a lady with a horse?

Furthermore, his wife, who was very religious, feared that the accident was a punishment from God for Pierce's election as president. Pierce's bad luck continued into his presidency when he was arrested for running over an old woman while riding on horseback. The charges were later dropped.

Are students at Bowdoin happy?

Bowdoin likes to make sure its students are happy, and is nationally ranked for doing so (in the top 5).

What is the dress code for Bowdoin College?

Business casual is appropriate (dresses, skirts, polos, button-up shirts, dress or khaki pants, etc.) Please keep in mind that May weather in Maine can be extremely variable. Plan to bring clothing appropriate for rain and cool temperatures, as well as for warm weather.

What are the 63 hidden Ivies?

The 63 "Hidden Ivies" are a list of excellent, selective colleges outside the traditional Ivy League, known for strong academics, often with liberal arts focuses, broken down into Northeast (37), South (12), Midwest (11), and West (3) regions, including schools like Amherst, Williams, Carleton, Duke, Emory, Stanford, Pomona, and UChicago, offering Ivy-level education without the traditional Ivy League name. 

What is the #1 liberal arts college?

There isn't one single "#1" liberal arts college, as rankings vary by source, but Williams College is consistently at or near the top in major rankings like U.S. News & World Report, often followed closely by Amherst College, Pomona College, and Swarthmore College. Other highly-ranked schools include Bowdoin College, Claremont McKenna, and Wellesley College, with some rankings like LinkedIn highlighting career outcomes, placing schools like Bucknell University highly. 

What are the three Little Ivies?

The "Little Three" are Amherst College, Williams College, and Wesleyan University, an elite group of New England liberal arts colleges known for fierce rivalries, akin to the Ivy League's "Big Three" (Harvard, Yale, Princeton). They are often part of the broader "Little Ivies" group, which also includes schools like Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, Middlebury, and Swarthmore, all recognized for top academics and selectivity.