Current Surveys
The process begins with the Survey of New Students which incoming First Years take before they arrive on campus and concludes with alumni surveys after they graduate. In addition, at some point during their time at Bowdoin, students participate in surveys asking for their opinions and experiences about issues such as advising, health, safety, and belonging. Periodically, IRAC also surveys faculty and staff.
For over 50 years, incoming First Year students have been surveyed the summer before they arrive on campus. Students are asked about high school experiences, academic and personal preparedness for college, expectations for college, and values and goals. Prior to 2013, Bowdoin administered the CIRP Freshman survey and now uses its own instrument. The survey response rate is approximately 99%.
The Senior Survey asks graduating seniors to reflect on their time at Bowdoin and provide feedback on their experience. It covers academic and non-academic aspects of a liberal arts education. The survey includes questions about student satisfaction, self-assessment of knowledge, skills and abilities, and post-Bowdoin plans, including graduate school and employment. The response rate is 99%.
In 2012, Bowdoin began surveying alumni who had graduated from Bowdoin one, five and ten years earlier. The surveys collect information about post-Bowdoin careers and graduate school. In addition, alumni are asked about skills and abilities, balance and priorities in their lives, and their opinions of Bowdoin. Beginning in fall 2018, only graduates who are one year out of Bowdoin will be surveyed annually. Graduates who are five and ten years out of Bowdoin will be surveyed periodically. Recent survey response rates have been about 30%.
Integrated Health Survey (2023)
The Integrated Health Survey was developed in 2023 with Student Affairs to combine two prior surveys (Health & Wellness Survey and Bowdoin Experiences and Attitudes about Relationships and Sex), which were last fielded in 2018. The survey covers the following five topics: stress management; alcohol and other drugs; mental health; sexual health; and relationships, boundaries, and consent. Knowing the physical, mental, and emotional health of Bowdoin students will inform program design, prevention planning, and campus safety measures.
B.E.A.R. Wellness Survey (2026)
Since 2018, Bowdoin has surveyed students about health and wellness on a three-year cycle. The survey instrument has been adapted to reflect the emerging information needs. In the Spring of 2026, all enrolled students at Bowdoin College were invited to participate anonymously in the Bowdoin Experiences and Attitudes about Relationships (B.E.A.R.) Wellness Survey to share their thoughts and ideas about relationships and health behaviors. The 2026 survey instrument keeps most of the questions used in the 2023 Integrated Health Survey, with some newly crafted questions based on feedback from campus partners (e.g., Counseling Services, Health Services, ResLife) and student leaders. Prior versions of the survey were Integrated Health Survey, Health & Wellness Survey, and Bowdoin Experiences and Attitudes about Relationships and Sex (B.E.A.R.S.). Response rate for the 2026 survey was 42%.
The Social Census (2024)
In the Spring of 2024, all Bowdoin students enrolled on campus received individualized survey links to participate in the College’s inaugural Social Census. The Social Census questionnaire was developed with important feedback from both the student body and key partners across campus. In the end, the Social Census received responses from the majority of the student body, achieving a 69% response rate. With five topics – Social Life and Support, Mattering and Representation, Spaces, Learning, and Campus Climate, the Social Census 2024 asked about students’ life in the classroom, in their residential space, and how they enjoy their evenings and weekends, aiming to capture an accurate and complete snapshot of Bowdoin students’ campus experience.
Digital Excellence Commitment (DExC) Faculty Survey (2022)
On behalf of the Digital Excellence Commitment (DExC) Subcommittee of the Committee on Teaching and Classroom Practice, the faculty were surveyed in December of 2022 about DExC. Specifically, faculty and instructors who taught in the fall were asked about the effect DExC had on their teaching, how students used the MacBook Pros and iPads for their courses, and to comment on the Digital Excellence Commitment. The survey had a 47% response rate.
Faculty and Staff Transportation Survey (2015, 2018, 2022)
Bowdoin periodically surveys faculty and staff to support efforts to promote better public transportation options for the Bowdoin College and Brunswick community. Most recently, all Bowdoin faculty and staff were surveyed in fall of 2022 with a response rate of 39%.