How to get into Bowdoin
What 69 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 279 Bowdoin results that students posted for the 2016 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to Bowdoin? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
Bowdoin admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.96
Middle half 3.89 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,530
Middle half 1,478 to 1,563
Median ACT
34
Middle half 33 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.50
Middle half 4.36 to 4.70
Results posted: 69 admitted, 138 rejected, 72 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Bowdoin acceptance rate; the official rate is in Bowdoin’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.96 | 3.85 |
| SAT | 1,530 | 1,520 |
| ACT | 34 | 34 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What Bowdoin admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service68%
- Music42%
- Advocacy/Politics41%
- Work/Job39%
- Athletics36%
- Internship36%
- Debate/MUN/Speech35%
- Journalism/Writing35%
Held a leadership role
88%
Founded something
36%
National or intl. award
75%
Did research
23%
Intended majors of Bowdoin admits
- Math10%
- Biology9%
- Political Science9%
- Engineering7%
- English/Writing7%
- History6%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 38% first-generation, 33% low income, 22% underrepresented minority, 10% legacy, 0% recruited athlete and 7% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 19% chose Bowdoin.
Three recent Bowdoin admits
2026 cycle · RD · Environmental
First-gen immigrant with mental health research, volunteer leadership, and humanities summer programs.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1570 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Engineering
First-generation biomedical engineering applicant who founded a women-in-engineering chapter and led STEM clubs.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1370 · ACT 35 · Original post
2026 cycle · Engineering
First-gen musical theatre performer who also pursues calculus, physics, and engineering.
GPA 4.00 UW · ACT 34 · Original post
Where else Bowdoin admits got in
Bowdoin admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Bowdoin?
- Among 69 applicants who posted a Bowdoin admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.96 and the middle half reported 3.89 to 4.00 (45 reported a GPA). Bowdoin sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Bowdoin?
- Among 69 applicants who posted a Bowdoin admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,530 and the middle half scored 1,478 to 1,563 (44 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 34.
- What extracurriculars do Bowdoin admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (68%), music (42%), advocacy/politics (41%), work/job (39%). 88% held at least one leadership role and 75% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Bowdoin acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Bowdoin in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Bowdoin?
A Specialist who got into a school like Bowdoin can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Bowdoin. All colleges