Bowdoin College Acceptance Rate (7.1%) & SAT/ACT Scores

Q: What is the acceptance rate at Bowdoin College?

Bowdoin College's acceptance rate was 7.1% for fall 2024: it admitted 946 of 13,265 first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Acceptance rate: 7.1% for fall 2024

SAT, middle 50%: 730–770 reading and writing, 740–780 math

ACT, middle 50%: 33–35 composite

Average net price: $23,110 a year (2022–23)

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Add a test score to compare it with what Bowdoin College reported: an acceptance rate of 7.1% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 33–35.

Plan the grades I need

A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Bowdoin College reviews each application.

Bowdoin College GPA requirements

Bowdoin College doesn't require a high school GPA from first-year applicants but considers one if it's submitted, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Bowdoin College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.

Bowdoin College acceptance rate

Bowdoin College admitted 946 of 13,265 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 7.1%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Bowdoin College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Brunswick, Maine, with 1,881 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered Bowdoin College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing	730	750	770
SAT Math	740	770	780
ACT Composite	33	34	35
ACT English	35	35	36
ACT Math	30	32	34

31% submitted SAT scores and 17% submitted ACT scores, as Bowdoin College reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1520 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What Bowdoin College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factor	Status
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.	Required
College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school.	Required
RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors.	Required
Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application.	Required
High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average.	Considered if submitted
High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class.	Considered if submitted
Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores.	Considered if submitted
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.	Considered if submitted
Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations.	Considered if submitted
Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work.	Considered if submitted
Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college.	Considered if submitted

Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with Bowdoin College's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

Bowdoin College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

It doesn't award credit for life experience.

Average net price

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $23,110 a year at Bowdoin College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 3.5 GPA good enough for Bowdoin College?

GPA alone can't tell you here. Bowdoin College admitted 7.1% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It considers a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.5 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.

What are Bowdoin College's SAT and ACT score ranges?

The middle 50% of Bowdoin College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 730–770 in reading and writing and 740–780 in math; ACT composite 33–35, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.

How much does GPA matter at Bowdoin College?

It's one factor among several: Bowdoin College requires high school record, college preparatory program, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school GPA, high school class rank, test scores, other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status if you send them. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

What GPA does Bowdoin College look for?

Bowdoin College doesn't require a high school GPA but considers one if submitted, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.

What is the acceptance rate at Bowdoin College?

Bowdoin College's acceptance rate was 7.1% for fall 2024: it admitted 946 of 13,265 first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Is Bowdoin College test optional?

Yes. Bowdoin College considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 31% sent SAT scores and 17% sent ACT scores.

How selective is Bowdoin College?

Very hard: fewer than 1 in 10 applicants got in, which makes it one of the hardest colleges to get into. Bowdoin College admitted 7.1% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

What do students pay at Bowdoin College after grants?

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $23,110 a year at Bowdoin College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Does Bowdoin College look at legacy status?

Yes. Bowdoin College considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Can you get college credit for AP scores at Bowdoin College?

Yes. Bowdoin College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

Before you apply, check Bowdoin College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.

Sources

College Navigator: Bowdoin CollegeU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

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