Maine LAC Trio: Bowdoin, Colby, Bates
Source: bowdoin_colby_bates.md
Maine LAC Trio: Bowdoin, Colby, Bates
Overview
Three elite NESCAC liberal arts colleges in Maine. All are test-optional, highly selective, and have extremely high varsity athlete participation (~35-44% of student body). All compete in NCAA Division III (Colby's skiing teams compete in Division I).
| Metric |
Bowdoin |
Colby |
Bates |
| Acceptance rate |
6.8% |
7.0% |
13.0% |
| ED rate |
14.8% |
~20% |
42% |
| RD rate |
5.4% |
n/a |
n/a |
| SAT middle 50 |
1470-1540 |
1470-1530 |
1410-1490 |
| ACT middle 50 |
33-35 |
32-34 |
30-33 |
| Class size |
515 |
530 |
500 |
| Total applicants |
14,045 |
20,144 |
10,027 |
| Yield rate |
54% |
46% |
34% |
| Top 10% HS class |
85% |
95% |
60% |
| Athlete % |
44.3% |
37% |
43% |
| Total enrollment |
~1,880 |
~2,410 |
~1,750 |
Bowdoin College
- Location: Brunswick, ME
- Acceptance rate: 6.8% overall (Class of 2029); ED 14.8%, RD 5.4%
- SAT middle 50: 1470-1540; ACT 33-35
- Yield: 54% (highest of the three)
- Test-optional since 1969 (pioneer; 50% of Class of 2029 did not submit scores)
- 31 varsity teams, 833 athletes (44% of student body)
- Demographics: 52.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 10.2% multiracial, 5.5% Black, 6.5% international, 53% women
- Net cost: $2,706 (lowest bracket) to $38,863 (highest bracket)
- NESCAC founding member (1971)
Sources
Colby College
- Location: Waterville, ME
- Acceptance rate: 7.0% overall (Class of 2029); ED ~20% (estimated from historical data; Colby does not publish ED rate)
- SAT middle 50: 1470-1530; ACT 32-34; median SAT 1520, median ACT 34
- Yield: 46%
- 95% from top decile of graduating class
- 32 varsity teams, 812 athletes (37% of student body); skiing in Division I
- Demographics: 53.5% White, 10.7% Asian, 8.3% Hispanic, 7.1% multiracial, 5.4% Black, 10% international, 51% women
- Net cost: $2,335 (lowest bracket) to $38,621 (highest bracket)
- Major endowment expansion; DavisConnects career program; 20,144 applicants (record)
- Largest enrollment of the three (~2,410)
Sources
Bates College
- Location: Lewiston, ME
- Acceptance rate: 13.0% overall (Class of 2029); ED ~42%
- SAT middle 50: 1410-1490; ACT 30-33
- Yield: 34% (lowest of the three)
- First major college to go test-optional (1984) -- 40 years before most peers
- 31 varsity teams, 766 athletes (43% of student body); smallest NESCAC school
- Demographics: 61.4% White, 8.8% Hispanic, 8.4% multiracial, 6.6% Asian, 4.4% Black, 9.5% international, 51% women
- Net cost: $4,512 (lowest bracket) to $45,686 (highest bracket)
- ED acceptance rate is notably high (~42%) vs 13% overall -- strong ED advantage
Sources
Simulation Notes
- All three are
top_lac category, private type.
- All offer ED only (no EA). Bowdoin and Bates offer ED I and ED II.
- NESCAC athletics is a major admissions hook -- athlete recruiting is significant at all three.
- Bowdoin and Colby are now comparably selective (~7%); Bates is somewhat less selective (13%) but still highly competitive.
- The ED advantage varies dramatically: Bowdoin 2.2x, Colby ~2.9x, Bates ~3.2x (ED rate / overall rate).
- All three are test-optional, with Bowdoin being the longest-running test-optional school among selective colleges.
- Net cost is very low for low-income students at all three (all meet 100% of demonstrated need).