Though the College's belief in the importance of need-blind admissions appears firm, maintaining this practice continues to be a balancing act.
But while Bowdoin has taken steps to increase financial aid funding, including a $76 million capital campaign allocation, the College's official aid policy remains non-committal, particularly towards international students.
"It has been the goal and practice of Bowdoin to meet the full calculated need of all enrolled students," said Director of Student Aid Stephen Joyce, "but if at some point, the College encountered a financial aid call that exceeded the budget, we would be able to proceed with fiscal prudence and financial responsibility."
For the last decade, Bowdoin has been able to maintain need-blind admissions for U.S. applicants. But officials say this is not a guaranteed policy, but a "practice"?and not apply to students applying from outside the country.
Though admissions officers can see whether a student will need financial aid on the Common Application, officials say admissions decisions are made without taking a domestic applicant's financial needs into account.
International applicants are not as fortunate. Bowdoin's Web site advises foreign students that "competition for funding is intense and funding is limited."
"A large portion of international applicants come from humble surroundings," said Joyce. "It becomes a difficult question on whom you spend the resources on."
One international student, who is on full financial aid and wished to remain anonymous, said he would like to see the College commit more aid to international applicants. He said he thinks that Bowdoin's reluctance to expand its financial aid program internationally has adversely affected the international applicant pool.
"Bowdoin is not a priority school for international students," the student said. "They don't apply because they feel they have no chance."
Bowdoin's tuition, room, board, and activities fees for the 2007-2008 academic year came to $46,260.
Although some schools are able to offer need-blind financial aid to international students, Joyce said that these are generally "wealthier schools or schools with funding resources specifically invested in international students."
Professor of Religion and Asian Studies John Holt said international students should be better represented at the College. At a recent faculty meeting, Holt brought this issue up.
"My point simply is that if the College is truly interested in diversity and wants to embrace globalization, they will invest more into international students," he said.
"We are a national college," he added. "It is a question of whether we want to be more than that."
Joyce said that at schools that have firm need-blind policies, students receiving aid can be overburdened by work-study obligations and loan repayments .
"It is better to be a school that has a quality financial aid program rather than to be need-blind," he said.