Bates College Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Jasmin

My classmates are always willing to help with anything if u ask.

Catherine

My classmates and independent, intelligent students who are not too competitive to lend anything from notes to time to help others succeed as well.

Anna

Laid-back, friendly, intelligent, hard-working, conscientious.

Meredith

IThe are intelligent, laid back, focussed, artistic, friendly, and generally, "all of the above."

Rachel

My classmates became my best friends, family, and mentors who challenged me to be the best I could be.

Jonathan

Smart.

Andrew

Most kids are pretty easy going and are always willing to help you or other kids out. No one at Bates College is out to get someone else.

Donelle

Bates has every type of nationality you can think of. We have a pretty good population of international students but we still have an overwhelming majority of upper-class white students, although the administration is working hard to change that. Everyone at Bates is pretty accepting and supportive, no matter what your nitch is, you'll fit in fine.

Rebecca

I have a great group of friends, all coming from different socio-economic and religious backgrounds. Everyone is very accepting of others' backgrounds and beliefs, and I've certainly never experienced any prejudice. I remember I once brought my blond-haired Christian friend from Texas to a Hillel (the Jewish organization) meeting; although she blatantly stuck out and I think she felt slightly out of place, everyone welcomed her and nobody questioned why she was there.

John

As a gay individual, I've really felt accepted by my friends at Bates. It's nice after coming from a fairly conservative hometown. Allot of student's are politically aware, but they don't rally or anything. It's just something that people are conscious of. Most students are from 'the boston area' You'll hear this over and over again when you meet new people, still, there are allot of people from all over.

Jesse

I think I addressed this above.

Rachel

The only person who would feel out of place at Bates is someone who doesn't accept other types of people.

Laura

Bates's fashion typically falls under a few categories: the more preppy dressers, the crunchy granola dressers, and the athletic edged dressers. Different types of students interact, but for the most part, the extremes from each clique stay within themselves.

George

There really is no such thing as a typical Batesie. That sounds like a college guidebook cliché, but it’s true. Most students are active in many different facets of the college experience. I have one friend who works as a tour guide, captains intramural teams every season, volunteers down the street at a hospital, plans to major in neuroscience, participates in student government, and loves seeing theater productions (especially Shakespeare.) On top of all this, he’s a genuine guy who always has time to make you laugh. Though of course sports teams and other groups sit together for dinner sometimes, we do a lot of table hopping. It’s not uncommon to spend a couple hours in Commons (the dining hall) for dinner, moving from table to table and chatting with acquaintances you run into in the pizza line. Mostly just because it's located in Maine, Bates isn't the most diverse school in terms of racial and geographic heritage.

Mel

The student body is awesome - I really believe that the Bates student body is the best thing about the school. A fair amount of Batesies are from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and the vast ethnic majority of the student body is white. However, there are a lot of international students and they are totally involved socially with the regular Americans. There are a lot of very well-to-do Bates students, as tuition is around 45 grand and rising, but Bates also does a fantastic job of giving financial aid. The majority of the student body is towards the left politically.

Gene

The student body ranges from preppy students to very hippie students and covers a lot in between. There is one dining hall where all students gather for every meal. Most students are from New England, New York or California

Alex

As a gay Latin American at Bates, I can say I didn't have a hard time adapting at all. People are open and respected about their sexuality and background. However, there are very few African Americans (ridiculously few), and few Latins, for that matter. Thus, these groups tend to stick together. Most students are from Massachusetts. Many are politically active - the vast majority of us are very liberal democrats.

T-Pain

There's some diversity on campus. THough there are a lot white upperclass kids there. A lot of different groups interact. Students are predominantly more left winged, but it seems there are some republicans.

Nina

Bates student body is increasingly diverse in interests, religious beliefs, political interests, and cultural background. The one unifying characteristic of the Bates student body is attitude. Much of the student body is very friendly and open.

Amy

When you first get to Bates you feel like everybody on campus is from, "20 minutes outside Boston," which seems lame if you don't want to hang out with similar people all the time. But I found out that it's definitely not true. A lot of Bates kids are from the northeast, but a lot are also from everywhere else, including abroad, so it is actually geographically diverse.

Blake

As I said a large majority of students are white. I am not religious and I never felt uncomfortable going to this school. Many of my friends did go to church, temple etc but it was nothing that made me uncomfortable. This school was founded by abolitionists therefore its a very welcome school in the sense of freedom of speech, religion etc. Most students were casual clothes. During the fall you will see girls wearing a variety of clothes from dresses to sweatpants. Guys were about the same from khakis to sweatpants. During the winter you have to bundle up so its rare to see dresses. Its a relaxed school. You can dress up and wear high heels if you want of you could wear uggs/flip flops and its totally acceptable.

Lily

I feel like all types of students could fit in at Bates. It is a very open and accepting environment. Students don't fall into one click, but rather there are many different types of students. The campus is not very racially diverse, but there are many international students. A lot of students are from the northeast but you will find that people really do come from all over. Some of my closest friends are from California, Paraguay, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Sri Lanka. Students are pretty politically aware and active. This year I attended a caucus for the democratic party and a huge number of bates students were there to support Hillary and Obama. Students are predominantly left.

Alvin

Rich, white, liberal elitists from just right outside of Boston dominate because the College has got to make money somehow. However, the Admissions office is working hard to get diversity on campus, but a lot of minorities and poor kids still feel sort of marginalized on campus(can´t help the lack of cultural capital one has compared to upper white liberal elitists)...You see the tables in the dining hall form out by class and race as well as the typical college arquetypes: the awkward geeks (quite a lot of them), the rich white kids and jocks, and the articulate academic assholes. Most of us look like we care, but we really don´t do much of anything when it comes down to it because we know we don´t have much say in the academic or real world. No one´s going to leave and become a famous alum (our most famous alum is one of the Gumbels) or get really rich (just look at our endowment compared to the rest of the NESCAC), but people use their education in their life for the most part and are happy for it.

Parker

Bates students are a pretty chill bunch. The socioeconomics of Bates' student body certainly looks nothing like that of the US but this is a systemic problem not something I fault Bates for - but still something that needs to be fixed! As I said before, students are generally very friendly and welcoming. I had the opportunity to become close friends with people from all over the world. My sophomore year, my close Korean and Japanese friends cooked all manner of foods that were completely alien to me but, after some persuading, I have become quite a fan. If you go to Bates and want to hang out with people like you, you will prbably manage. If you have an open mind and seek to learn about people who are nothing like you, I'm also sure you will succeed - I did. Politically, Bates is definitely left leaning but there are very active student groups on the right as well. I have friends from all over the spectrum but I suspect the lefties feel better accepted.

Morgan

Although ethnically Bates is relatively diverse for only having 1800 students, socio-economically everyone is generally the same. Because everyone tends to be in the upper-middle class there are oftentimes conflicts with the town of Lewiston people who tend to not have a lot of money. As a result it is always advised to not really leave campus to walk around, especially at night.

Shannon

students are casual, even going out on a friday night. groups of friends seem pretty diverse. bates offers a lot of different kinds of people with different backgrounds. studnets seem to be pretty financially secure, although there are a lot of job opportunities on campus for those who need extra income. politically, there are roughly an equal number of left and right students. bates republicans and democrats are active and heard on campus.

Doug

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.

Erin

Bates students are predominately white, upper-middle class students from "30 minutes outside Boston" who want to make a difference in the world. They don't tend to flaunt their wealth, but you can still tell who is wealthy and who is not by whether or not they work a campus job. The college is looking to change some of this, primarily to make the college more economically and racially diverse. The college used to have a "granola" feel, with wonderful students who did not fit the typical popped-collar image. This group has dwindled in the past few years, but those who are still there are a vibrant part of the active campus. We have a strong LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Queer, Advocate) society who is determined to question the stereotypes. They are not obtrusive, but quietly affect the mindset of students through example. It is not a very religious campus, but those who are find support with the multi-faith chaplain and are accepted regardless of their religion. The center of student life is the on-cmapus dining center "New Commons." It is the heart of conversation. The meal plan is: eat as much as you need, enter as often as you want, just don't take any food out of the building. It is a warm environment and the commons workers are the most delightful, consistently joyous people on campus!! The tables are set up to include as many people as possible. There are certain "areas" of students (athletes, quiet ones, eclectic groups) but they are not set and tables are a fluid intercourse of students joining and departing tables. You can sit there for two hours and sit with several groups during that time.

Caroline

Bates is not hugely racially diverse but are at the moment pushing for greater diversity. That being said i have many friends from different religions, races and differing socio-economic. I would imagine that black students would feel most out of place because they are in the greatest minority. You will find white middle and upper class as the most prevelent.

Alex

Batesies are pretty accepting of all types of people. LGBT are embraced... especially with "Lick it", a *cough* interesting dance before Gala. There used to be more distinction between "types" of students in Commons... but now everyone is smushed together. But there are definitely the jocks, the artsy kids, and the sciency kids on campus. The PreMed kids are scary.

Ryan

The Bates student body can not be called diverse. The student's are predominantly white, upper middle class from the New England area.

Marie

This has been my biggest issue with Bates. It is extremely difficult to "do your own thing" at Bates as the predominant culture, which can seem inescapable due to do the campus size and unfortunate location, is, for lack of a better word, fratty. Lots of PBR, D3 sports and congratulating oneself over who-can-avoid-work-the-best. While there are, of course, interesting creative people, they often get lost in the fray as there is little structure to absorb and expand them. Overall, the type of student that makes up Bates is the institution's biggest failure.

Royce

There have been some tensions and hate crimes against LGBT, although students do not come across as racist or prejudiced. Although Bates is now making significant efforts to recruit minority groups, the {4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of minority students is slim. Most minorities, international students and upper class students remain within their groups. Most Batesies are from New England. Students are active in promoting environmental sustainability.

Sam

The best part about Bates. The campus is open and friendly. The only complaint that has been made about Bates is the lack (relative to other comparable schools) of ethnic diversity, but this is an issue that admissions is actively working to ameliorate. People tend to be rich, but this is unfortunately par for course at an institution is nearly $50,000 a year. It should be noted that a higher percentage of Bates students receive financial aid than comparable small colleges in Maine (colby & bowdoin). What's more, many Bates students are working to join socially conscious fields (not for profits, social justice, education), and so the campus is not so focused on money as one might think.

Sarah

Wow, where to start. My experience with the Bates student body has been tumultuous, to say the least. I am extremely bitter about several aspects. I think way too many students at Bates are apathetic and myopic, involved in their own little preppy party scene and ignorant of the greater world around them. This invests itself in evidence such as rampant dorm damage, lack of intellectual engagement, and minimal activism on campus. On the other hand, there are some wonderful students at Bates, tucked in little nooks that you have to find. It took me a long time to find my way here, but now I have great friends that I admire and respect. I would like to see more diversity here - financially, racially, sexually, politically, etc. If you appreciate these things, please come to Bates! There are wonderful, welcoming niches for you - I promise!

kevin

This is always a touchy topic for most people. Why i really can't seem to understand. Everyone is unique to them in their own little way. Of course you have certain people who want to be alike in every way, but that's cool. you'll probably find that at every school no matter where you go. Overall, the students here represent the world we live in. They're from all over. the best thing about Bates' Student body now is that we're becoming even more diverse as we speak. Times have changed, and so has Bates. Believe it or not.

Melissa

Bates's student body overall is diverse but to be honest the majority of the student body is white kids from new england. Thats not to say there is not a fair share of people from diverse backgrounds ranging from kids from thailand, jamaica, or LA, but thats not the norm. Students who are use to dressing up for class and even friday nights would feel out of place at Bates. The attire is very casual, most likely a result of unpredicable Maine weather.

Rob

The student body is generally outdoorsy and athletic. There are definitely cliques of preppy and jocky types, but there is little animosity between groups. Most students are liberal and not afraid to talk about real issues.

Devin

Bates' Student Body is the best thing about Bates. We are a small enough campus that everyone feels included, we only have one dining hall so it definitely is a social center on campus. Bates students are largely from New England but it still feels diverse. The only thing that Bates students definitely have in common is that for the most part we are pretty outgoing and very involved.

Kate

Let's face it, with only 1700 kids there is not much diversity at Bates. It's a really expensive school, so there are a lot of wealthy white kids. But there are a relatively good number of international students; I've met some of them, but they do tend to stick together in a group. Bates is sort of a kooky place; anyone who isn't afraid to show the kinks in their personalities will fit right in. Also, anyone who likes their alcohol will fit right in...more about that later. Like I said, the atmosphere here is very relaxed-no one cares about being on time (we often talk about "Bates time" as being five minutes slower than a normal clock), people don't really care about their schoolwork, and most of the athletics aren't intense at all (except cross country and track of course-we're the best team on campus in my opinion!). So if you are high strung and intense (it's not a bad thing-I'm like this, too) Bates will be a difficult place for you. Also, Bates is an exceptionally liberal and secular campus...but it's also very tolerant.

Casey

The students at Bates are some of the best, real people I have ever had the pleasure of associating with. The only negative aspect of Bates is its lack of diversity but I feel that has only a minor effect on the student body.

Ben

My experience with most campus groups is that they love to get new members and take on new projects (definitely true for those I am part of), but that most groups prefer to be autonomous rather than working with other student organizations. I can also attest to the fact that it is relatively easy to form a new student organization and receive funding from the student government, having headed up an effort to start a woodsmen team. We are currently in our first year of existence and have just purchased equipment, but we have ambitious plans to be competing in the fall. Different types of students absolutely interact--when classes are small, it's all but impossible not to meet all kinds of people that Bates has to offer. And there are all kinds of people--though plenty hail from New England, that in itself means a pretty wide range of experiences, and on the whole, people are from all over, and from a broad scope of backgrounds. Many of us are on financial aid, but--by and large--finances are not a divisive topic, with most students electing to keep those matters private. Students are largely liberal, though some vocal right-wingers make their presence known, and on the whole we are largely aware and active when it comes to politics.

David

Some students are amazing, some are not people I want to associate with. There is not a very diverse population of students. They are mostly white, middle-upper class students. There can often be an unspoken tension between different racial groups, especially since they often group together. Basically, if you are a kind accepting person, it doesn't matter who you are friends with.

Alex

Students at Bates feels confortable with everyone. Disregard of our backgrounds, students at Bates belongs to one name and family: Bates College. Therefore, everyone feels the same.

Jenny

Bates is made up of three types of people: People who got rejected from ivy leagues and think they are way too smart to go here, people who were ecstatic to get in and love their life, and athletes who got in on some miracle and do no work.

Stuart

think i may have covered this a lot in other sections. Batesies are very liberal generally (thank god) and not very religious at all. Most come from middle class and higher backgrounds. Often times the athletes, especially baseball, basketball and football sort of remain in a seperate category that is often disdained by other members of the Bates community. Bates is very very white and could use a lot more diversity. Bates is so liberal being lesbian or gay is a complete non-issue.

Mallory

There is a large variety in the types of people you meet here, but the majority of campus is white. Bates is trying to change this but Maine itself is not diverse and despite magnificent attempts, there are not very many minorities here, although the few that come are well integrated into the community here. People are mostly from New England, but there are people that are peppered around other parts of the country, too. Most students are liberal although the republican group on campus is very active and outspoken. Most people have money but don't talk about it and finances are never really an issue or barrier among students. Everyone seems to be very independently minded when thinking about the future and it is hard to generalize people here because there are not many stereotypes.

April

Mostly white. I am a Black female, and the percentage of africans, afro americans, latinos, mexicans, alaskia natives, native americans,indians, and other, is much higher than the percent reflected state wide. When I say more minorities I mean that they are mostly from US. So we do have a percentage of international student but majority of the minorities are from the US.

Anna

It's not a very diverse student body, but Bates is working on improving that and finding some success. Most are from New-England--the typical home locale being "20 minutes outside of Boston", and over a third went to private school. However, there's a surprising number of international students from a really wide range of countries. We've got a really active LGBT population--my gay friends feel very safe and accepted here.

Sasha

Like i've mentioned, Bates students are all very similar. The kind of person that I dont think would "fit in" the most on campus would be a disabled person. Aside from being completely different from everyone, the campus isnt very equipped and accommodating if there was someone in a wheelchair, for example. Most of the time, its hard for a person on crutches to get around as easily as everyone else. Also, the student body can, very quickly, become extremely clique-y. Sometimes I feel its more clique-y than my high school was, and in the most ridiculously stereotypical ways (aka the dining hall can be divided into the jocks, the preppy's, the hippies, etc). Bates students, I feel, are predominantly left, and the rest in the center. Although I'm sure in discussion a lot are extremely politically aware, rarely any are politically active here. Students rarely talk about how much they want or will earn one day, but its very clear that we will all probably do very well and be very well off.