Bowdoin College vs Swarthmore College

Bowdoin College is the more selective of the two at 7%, versus 7% at Swarthmore College. Here is how they compare on selectivity, test scores, and what they weigh, plus a free way to estimate your odds at each.

Bowdoin College and Swarthmore College are almost equally selective (7% vs 7%), so neither is a clear safety relative to the other. Your odds at each come down to fit, not headline difficulty.

The two also read applications a little differently. Bowdoin College leans more on geographical residence, state residency, volunteer work, while Swarthmore College puts more weight on class rank, standardized test scores. The same profile can land differently at each, which is why a per-school estimate matters more than a single GPA.

On test scores, Bowdoin College's admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1520 and Swarthmore College's is around 1530. Admitted students at Swarthmore College post somewhat higher scores. Run your own numbers below to see where you stand at each.