Bates: The Big Picture
Bates is a very fun school, the classes are fun, the parties are fun, the students are fun. This is not to say that Bates is a huge party school, we take our academics very seriously, its just that the environment of the college lends itself to not take many things too seriously. We do party though, and if the night is right, we party like Division I Football Players.
Most people at Bates love Bates, the only major complaint is the town of Lewiston, which has be reemerging as a cultural center in recent years, and is starting more and more to mesh better with the college. Lewiston is nicely situated about 40 minutes from everything (Portland, Freeport, the Beach, Great Skiing, Colby, Bowdoin)
Bates Academic Life
Bates is great for academics and generally underrated in the college books for reasons we Bates students don't understand. Most classes at Bates are very very small, and all are taught by professors. Most professors like to interact with students outside of class, and it is not uncommon to see a member of the faculty playing IM sports, acting in a play, or having lunch with a student in commons. Often professors work under their first names, and are very easy to work with. Class participation is the name of the game at Bates. The professors at Bates are there because they want to teach, and they are very passionate about that.
Bates's Student Body
In general, Bates students are very open and accepting of anyone regardless of background. However, because of recent tensions between Minority students at Bates and the 1 or 2 percent that make the "in general" necessary in the first sentence, there is increasing cynicism on campus. That being said, Bates students are really pretty funny. I can think of at least 10 people I know well that could be successful comedians.
Students at Bates are more than likely liberals, from New England, and want to change the world.
Bates Student Activities + Social Life
Students at Bates love Bates, love Partying, love Electronic music, and love dancing. Radio is really big at Bates, and listenership is up among students, and in the local communities. There are no Frats or Sororities, so clubs mean a lot. People at Bates get out and support their friends, at Shows, Games, etc. Its a great place to be.
