Bowdoin College
What Bowdoin College's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.
See your odds at Bowdoin College →All 5 insights at Bowdoin College PRO
InternationalBowdoin College
International applicants face 5.4× tougher odds at Bowdoin College.
1.3% of international applicants are admitted, against 6.8% overall.
Overall6.8%
International1.3%
Source: Bowdoin College's Common Data Set 2025-26
Early DecisionBowdoin College
Bowdoin College's ED number is inflated.
15% of Early Decision applicants get in, but that pool includes recruited athletes and legacies, admitted at far higher rates. Without them, our estimate is about 11%. Everyone else: 5.5%.
ED, as reported15%
ED, without hooks (estimate)≈11%
Everyone else5.5%
Source: Bowdoin College's Common Data Set 2025-26; hooked share is an estimate (A12)
MoneyBowdoin College
Bowdoin College meets 100% of need.
The average need-based grant is $70,186 a year, against tuition of $71,070.
Average grant$70k
Tuition$71k
Source: Bowdoin College's Common Data Set 2025-26
Early DecisionBowdoin College
57% of Bowdoin College's class is filled in Early Decision.
That leaves about 219 seats for 12,060 applicants outside ED.
Admitted Early Decision57%
Everyone else43%
Source: Bowdoin College's Common Data Set 2025-26
ApplicationsBowdoin College
Applications to Bowdoin College are up 55%.
From 9,081 in 2018-19 to 14,045 in 2025-26.
2018-199,081
2025-2614,045
Source: Bowdoin College's Common Data Set 2025-26
7 more things the data says PRO
- The admit rate has moved down steadily, from 9.0% in 2019-20 to 6.8% in 2025-26. If the trend holds, expect about 6.7% in 2026-27.
- After ED, 219 of 515 seats were left for 12,060 other applicants: about one seat for every 55.
- ED applicants were admitted at 15%, against 5.5% for everyone else: 2.7 times the rate.
- Early Decision filled about 57% of the 2025-26 first-year class, more than 64% of similar colleges.
- It reports meeting 100% of financial need for first-years who have need.
- Only 35% of enrolled first-years sent an SAT score, so its SAT range describes a minority of the class.
- Applications rose 55% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (9,081 to 14,045), faster than 70% of colleges here.
What students say PRO
From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.
- Most admits who named a round (13 of 16) applied Regular Decision; 3 applied Early Decision.
- Most admits (about 12 of 30) founded or led a club, programme, or nonprofit, not just joined one.
- Many admits (about 9) had family caregiving, a family business, or paid work alongside school.
- Several admits had published or awarded creative work: books, poetry, art awards, a festival film, or a literary magazine editor role.
- Admits typically had very high scores: SAT 1400 to 1590 or ACT 33 to 35, with GPAs around 3.9 to 4.0.
- Students describe Bowdoin as extremely selective, turning away many qualified applicants, with a single-digit acceptance rate cited.
- Students report Early Decision odds look lower than at some peer colleges, based on the Common Data Set (about 270 admitted from 2,005).
- Students describe the financial aid as very generous, even making Bowdoin cheaper than higher-sticker-price offers, including for low-income and international students.
- International odds are low (about 50 a year), and students disagree on whether international aid applicants are need-blind or hurt on the waitlist.
- Students report waitlisted applicants asking about letters of continued interest, with some waitlist offers reported late in the cycle.
Every number, year by year: Bowdoin College on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.