Brunswick, Maine-where all the students are above average.
Above average with respect to graduation rates, that is. Bowdoin was ahead of the pack by a wide margin after a recent National Center for Education Statistics study found that 54.4 percent of college students graduate within six years.
Here, it is almost twice that rate. Ninety percent of Bowdoin students have diplomas in hand after the same time period.
"From what I understand, our rate is exceptionally high," Dean of First-Year Students Margaret Hazlett said. "We hear that a lot when we're doing searches for [faculty and staff] positions."
The numbers may not be universally comparable, according to Dean for Academic Affairs Craig McEwen. "We're in a different place-we are highly selective of students, and the students who do come to Bowdoin have a strong commitment to education," he said.
According to the administration, Bowdoin's selectivity and size are key determinants of its high retention and graduation rates.
"The difference between us and public universities is that we're so selective to begin with. Students are not leaving because they can't succeed here academically," Hazlett said. "There is a broader and fuller spectrum of academic talent and ability at a bigger school. Some of that higher attrition is due to that."
Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley indicated that the nature of Bowdoin's applicant pool also influences the graduation rate. "We have a significant percentage of students for whom Bowdoin was a first choice," he said. "It meets their expectations, and that's a good thing.
"Students can form relationships with faculty, deans, and coaches; they have the sense that it is not an anonymous experience for them. I think that's why people self-select to come to Bowdoin; they want a personal experience."
Dean for Academic Affairs Craig McEwen said that of the Bowdoin students who do not graduate within the measured six-year period, about one third are still working toward their degrees. The rest end up resigning from the College.
"Many of those students are likely to transfer rather than to drop out of college altogether," he said. "The question for most is whether they can find the things they need here for the education they seek-in the academic program or social life.
"It's the small scale of the institution; the capacity to connect to individuals who provide support and encouragement for students, and to embrace the institution and appreciate the experience here," McEwen continued. "That is inevitably less the case at a larger school."
Hazlett indicated similar feelings about the College. "What has impressed me working here is the communication between faculty, coaches, the dean's office, the health center," she said. "Everyone is in touch with each other with the same mission-to do whatever we can to support students."
Despite the availability of support systems for students, a few decide each year that they would rather be elsewhere. Bradley said that students take time off for various reasons, including personal or medical concerns. "In general, those students return and graduate," he said. "It's a small proportion; only about two or three percent will transfer."
The students who do transfer from Bowdoin typically switch to larger schools. "They decide it's too small, so they go to Ivy League universities or more urban settings; places like Brown and Northwestern," Bradley said. "These students may be seeking a larger environment academically and socially."
According to Hazlett, ten to 20 students go through the transfer application process each year and roughly five end up transferring. "That's typical," Hazlett said. "It's generally students who want a larger place."
Though it may not be a critical factor in Bowdoin students' decision-making, the NCES study cited rising costs as a reason for low graduation rates across the country. "Finance has become more of an issue," Hazlett said. "But it is important for us to be need-blind and to be committed to meeting student needs for the full four years. An unforeseen financial emergency shouldn't mean an interruption in someone's Bowdoin career, though it might mean one elsewhere."
It does not appear that financial concerns have significantly influenced potential transfers or dropouts. "We have had a few students, maybe two or three over the six years I've been here, who have left for financial reasons," Hazlett said.
Both Bradley and Hazlett asserted the benefits of a college degree in today's market. "I think it's critically important," Bradley said.
"The job market is so competitive these days, especially when you think about the jobs in the service industry and industrial jobs that are being shifted overseas," Hazlett said.