Is Boston College or Bowdoin College more fun for student life?

Neither is universally more fun, but Boston College tends to suit students who want a larger, more spirited campus scene with regular access to Boston, while Bowdoin tends to suit students who want a close-knit residential community where social life is built around the college itself. BC has prominent athletics, a strong school-spirit culture, and Chestnut Hill’s location makes it easy to add city restaurants, concerts, internships, and outings to campus life. Bowdoin’s Brunswick setting is quieter, but its smaller undergraduate community can make it easier to know people across classes, clubs, and residence halls.

At Boston College, students who enjoy game days, campus traditions, larger student organizations, and the option to leave campus without making every weekend a major trip may find the social environment especially energizing. The school has a distinctly preprofessional and active feel, and students can choose between campus-centered events and Boston-area plans. It is not in downtown Boston, though, so students still need to make an intentional trip into the city.

Bowdoin is appealing for someone who values a highly communal, less anonymous social experience. Students often socialize through meals, dorms, campus events, arts programming, clubs, and outdoor activities such as trips along the Maine coast or into the surrounding area. Because Brunswick is a small town, the college community plays a larger role in weekend life; that can feel wonderfully cohesive or somewhat limiting depending on your preferences.

Both schools have strong student communities, and neither relies on a traditional Greek-life scene.