Volume CXXXII, Number 4 October 4, 2002 f

Red carped rolled out for Mainers
ANN SULLIVAN
STAFF WRITER

As part of Admissions' half-day program, Maine high school seniors and juniors were acquainted with the campus through tours, above, as well as student panels, and faculty discussions. (Hans Law, Bowdoin Orient)

Maine Day at Bowdoin is one of Admissions' main promotional events, catering specifically to Maine high-school students. Monday's Maine Day, which invites students from all over the state to the College, is a tradition dating back several years and, according to Assistant Dean of Admissions and Coordinator of Special Events Wendy Thompson, the reasoning behind the open house is "to bring Bowdoin to a greater awareness for Maine kids."

Specifically, this event gives these students the opportunity to get a more personal look at the school. Generally the program draws 70 to 95 seniors along with a few juniors; however, this year saw an overall boost in junior attendance.

The fall Maine Day is "open," as opposed to the invitational spring Day, where participants are selected by their high school guidance counselors; however, the idea of the invitationals is in the process of being reconsidered, as Bowdoin does not want to risk omitting important candidates who might have been overlooked by guidance counselors.

The half-day program included a welcome by President Barry Mills, a campus tour and an admissions and financial aid discussion, as well as the opportunity to attend classes and a student and academic life panel-all of which were followed by lunch in Thorne Dining Hall. The day of events was designed so that Bowdoin could reach out and in a sense "sell itself" to Maine students who may take the school for granted due to the fact that Bowdoin is in their state. Thompson emphasized that Admissions wanted them to, "realize really how terrific a school it really is."

Does the idea of Maine Day work? Thompson revealed that "well over half the kids [specifically between 53-64 percent of participants] who have come to Maine Day in the last couple of years have applied."

More positive feedback comes from a Maine Day visitor herself. Jessy LePage said that "it is good to reach out to Maine students because [it makes them] feel special." As for the potential drawback of Bowdoin being in her state, LePage said, "my dad lived in Brunswick and he went to Bowdoin, but he says that although he went to school in his hometown, it was really a world away."