Admission & test scores

Bowdoin College SAT scores and acceptance rate

Admitted students scored 1470–1550 on the SAT. Bowdoin College admits 7% of applicants — highly selective. 97% of first-year students return for a second year.

SAT range1470–1550middle half of admits
ACT midpoint—admitted students
Acceptance rate7%highly selective
First-year retention97%return for year two

Reading the score band These are the scores admitted students had — not a cut-off.

25th percentile
1470
Average
1520
75th percentile
1550

A quarter of admitted students scored below 1470 and a quarter above 1550. Being under the lower figure does not rule you out — it means the rest of the application has to carry more weight — and being above the upper one does not secure a place at a selective university. This intake sits inside a student body of about 1,873.

Universities with similar scores Useful for building a realistic application list.

UniversityAvg SATACTAcceptanceIn-state tuition
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana 1520 34 11% $65,025
New York University New York, New York 1520 34 9% $62,796
Barnard College New York, New York 1520 33 9% $69,888
Wellesley College Wellesley, Massachusetts 1520 33 14% $67,176
Emory University Atlanta, Georgia 1520 33 11% $64,280
Carleton College Northfield, Minnesota 1517 33 20% $68,892

Getting in is the first question, not the last

Admission data says nothing about what the degree costs or returns. Before accepting an offer, read the net price for your family's income and the earnings of previous graduates — a place at a selective university financed with heavy borrowing can be a worse outcome than a place at a less selective one that costs little.

Bowdoin College admission: common questions

What SAT score do you need for Bowdoin College?
The middle half of admitted students scored between 1470 and 1550 on the SAT, with an average of 1520. A score inside that band is competitive; below it you would be relying on the rest of the application.
What ACT score does Bowdoin College require?
ACT figures are not published for this institution.
How hard is it to get into Bowdoin College?
Bowdoin College admits 7% of applicants, which is highly selective. Of those who enrol, 97% return for a second year.
Does Bowdoin College require SAT or ACT scores?
This page reports what admitted students scored, not what the university requires. Many US universities went test-optional and have not returned to a requirement — always check the admissions page before deciding to skip a test.
What it costs Student loan record Debt vs graduate salary Highest SAT universities Highest acceptance rates SAT & ACT preparation

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — SAT/ACT scores of admitted students, acceptance rate and first-year retention as most recently published. Scores describe past intakes and are not an entry requirement.