Choosing The Right College School Spotlight: Bowdoin College Written by Elyse Krantzon January 16th, 2018 I became interested in the college admissions process after serving as a student tour guide in the admissions office of my alma mater. After graduating, I accepted an admissions counseling position at Bennington College in Vermont where I evaluated applications and reviewed art portfolios from students across the country. Three years later, after pursuing my master's degree in New York City, I joined the admissions staff at Barnard College where I served as a senior admissions officer. At Barnard, I directed Long Island and Boston recruitment in addition to managing the College's alumnae interview program, coordinating admissions statistics, and editing various college publications. Having also served as an alumni interviewer for Dartmouth College and visited over 75 colleges, I feel especially well-equipped to help students prepare for admission interviews and campus tours. Learn More About Elyse choosing the right college, college lists, There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school! School Spotlight: Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME Have you ever wondered why the polar bear is Bowdoin’s mascot? An 1877 alumnus was the first explorer to reach North Pole; the polar bear was chosen to honor his achievement. As a highly selective (and SAT/ACT-optional) liberal arts college, Bowdoin is dedicated to the undergraduate experience. The 1,800 students enrolled here enjoy an active campus life as well as access to passionate faculty members and scholars. All freshmen are assigned to a College House, each of which serves as a “living room” for residential life, sponsoring events, study breaks, and special meals for its community members. There are eight general education requirements at Bowdoin, and they can be easily satisfied through a diverse range of courses. “Physics of Musical Sound,” for example, fulfills the Inquiry in the Natural Sciences requirement, while “Gender, Body, and Religion” meets the Humanities requirement. Students looking to pursue more than one academic field will have plenty of options for discovery. In addition to strong interdisciplinary programs, such as “art history & archaeology” and “mathematics & education,” Bowdoin offers double majors (which almost a third of graduates take advantage of) and student-designed majors. Image Credit: Top, Courtesy of Michele Stapleton Related Resources Read | Posted on December 10th, 2024 Navigating Medical School Applications: The Three Types of Letters Applicants Send Read | Posted on November 12th, 2024 Unlocking College Admissions: The Power of the Common Data Set Read | Posted on October 3rd, 2024 Does Where You Go To College Matter?