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Bowdoin College is among the most selective and respected liberal arts colleges in the United States, right up there with schools like Amherst, Swarthmore, and Claremont McKenna. These schools may lack the global name recognition of Ivy League universities (at least for the general public), but鈥攎ake no mistake鈥攊nstitutions like Bowdoin College sport single-digit acceptance rates and present a massive admissions challenge even for students at the very top of their high school class who earned just-about-perfect SAT/ACT scores.

Bowdoin has always had high admission standards, but the quest to gain acceptance into this Maine-based liberal arts gem has never been tougher. Bowdoin’s acceptance rate has gone from 20% acceptance in the early years of the millenium to less than 7% in a recent application cycle.

To give prospective Bowdoin applicants a better sense of their admissions chances, this blog will touch on the following topics:

• Bowdoin College acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
• Bowdoin College Early Decision acceptance rate in 2025
• SAT, ACT, and class rank of accepted Bowdoin College applicants
• Bowdoin admissions trends for the Class of 2029
• Bowdoin College鈥檚 system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of current Bowdoin College undergraduates
• The percentage of accepted students who attend聽 (yield rate)
• Tips for applying
• A look at the Bowdoin essay prompts
• How to assess whether applying to Bowdoin College is even worth the $65 application fee (for you)

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Bowdoin College Acceptance Rate 鈥� Class of 2029

Bowdoin received 14,045 applications for a place in the Class of 2025鈥攁n all-time high鈥攁nd accepted just 952. This means that the Bowdoin College acceptance rate was just 6.8% in 2025 — an all-time low.

Historical Bowdoin acceptance rates are as follows:

Bowdoin Early Decision Acceptance Rate

Though Bowdoin hasn’t released the official numbers yet, but they received about 2000 ED applicants for the Class of 2029. Of those applicants, 296 ED (across both rounds) were accepted, for an ED acceptance rate of 14.8%. For perspective, the acceptance rate was 18% two years ago.

The College offers an ED1 and ED2 option.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Bowdoin?

Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, nearly 94% hailed from the top quarter of their graduating class, while an impressive 85% placed in the top tenth.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Bowdoin?

Bowdoin, of course, has long been a test-optional school. Accordingly, less than half of the enrolled Class of 2028 submitted test scores.

According to Class of 2027 statistics, the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1470-1540. The mid-50% ACT range was 33-35.

Admissions Trends & Notes 鈥� Class of 2029

• There were 14,045 applications for the Class of 2029, a 6% increase from the prior year and an all-time record.
• 24% of the Class of 2029 are the first in their family to attend college.
• Class of 2029 students came from 50 states and 42 countries.
• 25 students were admitted through the program.
• 58% of the Class of 2029 attended public or charter high schools.

How Bowdoin College Rates Applicants

Bowdoin uses a truly holistic admissions process and views eight factors as 鈥渧ery important鈥� to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load, class rank, GPA, application essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. Keep this in mind when considering Bowdoin’s acceptance rate.

As a result of the number of applications Bowdoin has received in recent years, they’ve changed their approach slightly: “To better manage this year鈥檚 volume of applications, Admissions switched to a team-based approach in which two admissions officers read and discuss an application together. Previously, only one admissions officer read an application in its initial review.”

Straight from the Bowdoin admissions office:

• 鈥淏owdoin seeks students who are bright and engaged inside and outside the classroom, and who demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to take intellectual risks.”
• 鈥淲hile there is no specific set of secondary school classes required for admission, most successful applicants have pursued the strongest program of study available at their secondary school鈥攖ypically including four years of study in English, math, science, social studies and foreign language鈥攁nd have achieved the highest levels of academic performance.鈥�
• “The decisions on some applications will be rendered after the second read is completed. Two-thirds of the applications, on the other hand, will be put through a committee process, during which applications are individually discussed and adjudicated by a group of admissions staff.”

Who Actually Gets Into Bowdoin?

Let鈥檚 look at the demographics of the Bowdoin College undergraduate student body. The following are the U.S. states that sent more than ten students into the Class of 2028:

1. California
2. Connecticut
3. Florida
4. Illinois
5. Maine
6. Massachusetts
7. Maryland
8. New Jersey
9. New York
10. North Carolina
11. Pennsylvania
12. Texas
13. Virginia
14. Washington

11% of the Class of 2028 are international students. Overall, the greatest percentage of international students come from the following countries:

1. China
2. Canada
3. Brazil
4. U.K.
5. Thailand

In terms of ethnic identity, the breakdown is as follows:

• White: 53.8%
• Asian: 9.5%
• Hispanic: 16%
• African American: 5.7%
• Two or More Races: 7.6%

A look at the gender split reveals that the university enrolls a slightly greater number of women than men on campus:

• Men: 46%
• Women: 54%

In a recent admissions cycle, students attended the following types of high schools:

• Public: 57%
• Private: 31%
• Parochial: 12%

Bowdoin College鈥檚 Yield Rate

Bowdoin College鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted鈥攊s 54%. This places them well above other top liberal arts schools such as Williams College, Pomona College, and Swarthmore College. Keep this in mind when considering Bowdoin’s acceptance rate.

Tips for Applying to Bowdoin College

If you plan on joining the 14,000+ Bowdoin College hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• If Bowdoin is your top choice, you鈥檒l want to strongly consider applying ED I by November 15 or ED II by January 5. The Regular Decision deadline falls in the first week of January, but the acceptance rates are significantly lower in this round.
• Bowdoin does recommend that students sit for an . These can be in person or virtual.
• Your counselor and teacher recommendations will be key. Visit our blog for tips on requesting high school letters of recommendation.
• Bowdoin College does not consider 鈥�demonstrated interest鈥� so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
• You can apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application.
• You鈥檒l need to submit a Mid-Year Report in late February so remember to keep those grades up throughout your senior year of high school.
• Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay prompts offered by Bowdoin College. In the 2025-26 cycle, there were two essays, both of which are technically optional (but don鈥檛 skip them):

Bowdoin Supplemental Essays

Required

1) How did you first learn about Bowdoin? (140 characters)

Recommended

2) Generations of students have found connection and meaning in Bowdoin鈥檚 鈥淭he Offer of the College,鈥� 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 鈥�
This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.

Which line from “The Offer” resonates most with you? The Offer represents Bowdoin鈥檚 values. Please reflect on the line you selected and how it has meaning to you.聽(250 words)

3) 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.聽(250 words)

Should I apply to Bowdoin?

Just about everyone accepted to Bowdoin finished at or near the top of their high school class and boasts many special talents both inside and outside of the classroom. If you have sparkling credentials, excellent recommendations, and take the time to complete Bowdoin’s optional but encouraged application components鈥攍ike the interview and essays鈥攜ou could have a solid shot at acceptance (especially if you apply ED).

Bowdoin College Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts

Given the single-digit acceptance rate, any student applying to a school of Bowdoin College鈥檚 caliber also needs to have a proper mix of 鈥渢arget鈥� and 鈥渟afety鈥� schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here.

Looking for additional resources as you craft your college applications? Consider checking out the following:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topic Ideas
• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?