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In 1970, the institution stopped requiring SAT scores for admission. In 1971, the first coeducational class matriculated. Just a few years ago the school received national recognition for converting the long-standing fraternities system to "the social house system," under which incoming freshmen are automatically assigned a house affiliation.

Roughly 1600 students attend Bowdoin College, nestled in the pine trees of Maine. They study hard during the week and on the weekends enjoy supporting Bowdoin athletic teams, especially against rivals Bates College and Colby College. Activist groups are beginning to gain momentum in light of the rapidly changing world situation, and publications such as Ritalin, a controversial humor magazine; Naked, an opinion/literature mag; and the Disorient and the Patriot, respectively the liberal and conservativeConservatism or political conservatism is any of several historically related political philosophies or political ideologies. There are also a number of Conservative political parties in various countries. All of these are primarily (though not necessaril newspaperBrookgreen Gardens Pawleys Island, South Carolina A newspaper is a lightweight and disposable publication, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint, containing a journal of current news in a variety of topics. These topics can include politicals, are reflections of the ever-broadening student perspective. The Bowdoin Orient is the main student newspaper and is the largest one on campus; it claims to be the "oldest continuously published college weekly in the United States." Brunswick doesn't offer a bustling night life for students under 21, but the larger city of PortlandPortland is the largest city in Maine with a population of 64,249 citizens as of 2000. It is the county seat of Cumberland County. Nearby cities include Boston, Massachusetts, Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Manchester, New Hampshire. It is known as a haven is just a half hour away.

The Bowdoin Dining Services has a high reputation, and was rated the best college food service in the country by the Princeton Review in 2003.

Among several well-rated departments, Government, Economics, Biology and Environmental Studies stand out as excellent.

1 Alumni

• Ralph Owen BrewsterRalph Owen Brewster ( February 22, 1888 December 25, 1961) was an American politician from Maine. Brewster, a Republican, was solidly right-wing and was a close confidant of the infamous Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. Brewster was born in Dexter, the son o, congressman
• Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Civil War General (later President of the college)
• Kenneth Chenault , American ExpressAmerican Express ( NYSE:) is a diversified global financial services company headquartered in the United States. The company is mainly known for its credit card and charge card business. It is also a large player in the travel services, mutual fund, broke CEO
• William CohenWilliam Sebastian Cohen (born August 28, 1940) is an American Republican politician from Maine. He was born in Bangor, Maine, and attended the public schools, receiving his B. from Bowdoin College in Brunswick; and his law degree from Boston University., U.S. Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton
• Melville Weston Fuller, Chief Justice of the United States of America
• Nathaniel Hawthorne, novelist
• Alfred Kinsey, sex researcher
• Lawrence Lindsay , President George W. Bush's economic adviser.
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet
• George J. Mitchell, former Senate Democratic Leader
• Robert E. Peary, Arctic Explorer
• Franklin Pierce, President
• John Brown Russwurm , abolitionist
• Joan Benoit Samuelson, Olympic gold medalist
• Lorenzo De Medici Sweat, congressman