Bowdoin College's wording, checked October 26, 2026Generations of students have found connection and meaning in Bowdoin’s “The Offer of the College,” written in 1906 by Bowdoin President William DeWitt Hyde. To be at home in all lands and all ages; To count Nature a familiar acquaintance, and Art an intimate friend; To gain a standard for the appreciation of others' work And the criticism of your own; To carry the keys of the world's library in your pocket, And feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake; To make hosts of friends...who are to be leaders in all walks of life; To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms and cooperate with others for common ends – This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.“Which line from The Offer resonates most with you?”
How to approach it
- 1Pick the line that matches something you already do.
- 2Show that in a moment, then look forward to Bowdoin.
A structure that works
One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.
- 1The line, quoted.
- 2Where it already lives in your life.
- 3What it would mean for you at Bowdoin.
Where the 250 words go
| Part | Words |
|---|---|
| Your first, most specific reason | about 90 |
| A second reason, tied to your experience | about 90 |
| What you would do or add there | about 80 |
Mistakes to avoid
- Explaining the line in general.
- Choosing the line about friends who will be leaders as a networking pitch.
The checklist our grader uses for this question
When you check your Bowdoin answers, this answer is read against these 5 areas. Each comes back Met, Partly or Missing with a quote from your draft as evidence, and together with the 250 words limit they set its readiness verdict.
| Area | What a reader looks for |
|---|---|
| Answers the question | The opening sentences answer what was asked, plainly, before background or a hook; every part of a multi-part question is answered. |
| Specific to this college | It names at least two concrete things that exist at this college (a program, course, research group, tradition, place, way of teaching) and could not survive a swap of the college's name. |
| Connected to you | Each thing named is tied to something the applicant has done, asked or wants, so the reader sees why it matters to THIS student, not why the college is good. |
| What you would do there | It shows how the applicant would use those things and what they would add (join, start, research, contribute), not only what they would receive. |
| Bowdoin's ask | Names one line of The Offer of the College and what it means to the applicant. |
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Questions
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