Admissions data checked October 9, 2026 by Florida Test Prep.
Bowdoin College reports a middle 50% SAT of 1470 to 1540 (enrolled, fall 2024 CDS 2024-25). We use 1500 as a first planning target, then adjust it to the student's diagnostic and timeline. It is not an admission requirement or a guarantee.
| Middle 50% SAT | 1470 to 1540 (enrolled, fall 2024 CDS 2024-25) |
| Middle 50% ACT | 33 to 35 |
| Acceptance rate | 7.1% (fall 2024, 13,265 applicants) |
| Testing for 2026-27 | Test optional (SAT/ACT not required for admission) |
| Type | Private university |
Source: Bowdoin official admissions data. A middle 50% describes the central half of the reported group, not a cutoff.
Bowdoin admitted 946 of 13,265 applicants for fall 2024; Bowdoin was one of the first colleges in the country to go test optional (1969) and gives no merit aid, need-based only.
| School | Middle 50% SAT | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|
| Bowdoin College | 1470 to 1540 | 7.1% |
| Bates College | 1410 to 1490 | 13.3% |
| University of Maine, Orono | 1080 to 1320 | 94.2% |
Cohorts differ by school (admitted vs enrolled, and year). See every school with its cohort and source on SAT Scores for Maine Colleges.
Maine has no statewide SAT-cutoff scholarship: the Maine State Grant Program, run by FAME, is purely need-based (capped by a student's Student Aid Index) with no GPA or test-score component, and Maine's elite private colleges (Bowdoin, Bates, Colby) give no merit aid at all, need-based only. The closest things to score-tied money in the state are the University of Maine's own full-tuition competitive programs, one of which is tied to National Merit status from the PSAT rather than a raw SAT cutoff.
UMaine National Merit Award: Covers 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for National Merit Semifinalists/Finalists who enroll at UMaine; no separate application beyond National Merit status.
Maine Top Scholars: Covers 100% of tuition and fees for a small number of UMaine's highest-achieving admitted students who complete a separate application.
The full rules, deadlines and class years are on our Maine SAT prep page.
| College | State | Middle 50% SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Amherst College | Massachusetts | 1470 to 1540 |
| University of Southern California | California | 1470 to 1540 |
| Brown University | Rhode Island | 1470 to 1550 |
| Emory University | Georgia | 1480 to 1540 |
A score that is competitive at Bowdoin lands in the same part of the range at these schools. Cohorts differ by school, so read each page's notes before comparing.
Free tool
Which of these numbers is your teen's target? Pick the Maine colleges on their list and get a target score and the gap from today's score in under a minute.
Find my teen's target scoreThere is no published minimum; the middle half of the reported group scored 1470 to 1540. A score at or above 1540 puts a student in the top quarter of that group. A score near 1470 is within the range, and grades, coursework and the rest of the application still decide the outcome.
Yes. Bowdoin lists its policy as: Test optional (SAT/ACT not required for admission). A score inside or above the range can still strengthen an application, and some scholarships and programs use scores separately.
7.1% (fall 2024, 13,265 applicants). Rates vary by program and residency, so read the overall figure as context, not a personal prediction.
No. A middle 50% is a description of last year's group, not a cutoff in either direction. It tells you where a score is competitive, which is the useful part for planning test dates.
Want to know what your teen needs for Bowdoin? Their target, their gap and the weeks to close it are what we map in the free Strategy Session.
Book the free Strategy Session. You leave with your teen's target score, their gap, and a 6 to 12 week plan. Yours to keep either way.
Book your free Strategy Session