Lewiston, ME · Private · 1,760 undergraduates · urban
Bates College
Highly selective
Bates punctuates its semesters with a one-course Short Term while concentrating much of residential social life around a single dining commons.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in academic standing, and solid in student experience.- Admission
- 13% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 92.3%
8,937 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$69,498 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Bates apart
Academic design
Short Term isolates one focused May course or approved academic experience after the regular semesters.
Campus pattern
Bates uses one main dining hall, Commons, with an unlimited meal plan.
A signature opportunity
Short Term
Can I get in?
13% admitted
The strongest case shows why this structure fits a student who likes concentrated one-course experimentation, substantial senior work, and a compact campus with shared social routines.
Recent applicant pool
8,937About 13 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 14% submitted an SAT, and 8% submitted an ACT. Very few of the admitted class reported a score at all, so the SAT and ACT ranges describe those students rather than the class.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Bates, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Bates weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Short Term isolates one focused May course or approved academic experience after the regular semesters.
Make institutional fit specific
A student who likes concentrated one-course experimentation, substantial senior work, and a compact campus with shared social routines.
Use the application route carefully
Keep the academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Use the application to show a clear academic direction and a specific reason this institutional structure fits.
Check eligibility for a fee waiver
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Bates
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read the outcomes panel as a whole: completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together matter more than one headline number.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Economics
Political Science and Government
Research and Experimental Psychology
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Biology, General
What is campus life like?
Bates beyond the classroom
Bates uses one main dining hall, Commons, with an unlimited meal plan. Winter Carnival and the Puddle are recognizable campus traditions.
The academic structure
Short Term isolates one focused May course or approved academic experience after the regular semesters.
How the community is organized
Bates uses one main dining hall, Commons, with an unlimited meal plan.
Daily campus life
Winter Carnival and the Puddle are recognizable campus traditions.
What shapes an ordinary week
Bates uses one main dining hall, Commons, with an unlimited meal plan. Winter Carnival and the Puddle are recognizable campus traditions.
Use the campus beyond class
A student who likes concentrated one-course experimentation, substantial senior work, and a compact campus with shared social routines.
Fit the community in practice
The single-dining-hall model concentrates meals and social traffic.