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Hi Sophia,

Ready for a deep dive into what Bates has to offer? Join us for Bobcat Chats next week!


(Top left) Lab partners in Professor Holly Ewing''s class "Soils" in the Environmental Studies Department head to their first dig site; (top right) Junior Advisor Kama Boswell ’23 (right) of Bellevue, WA, plays a game of Battleship with each of her first-year students in Page Hall; (bottom left) Beverly Vari and Hoi Ning Ngai, colleagues at the Bates Center for Purposeful Work, hold their weekly check-in meeting on the Historic Quad; (bottom right) a student on Ladd Plaza adds to the voter-registration tally on the library wall on National Voter Registration Day.

Each night at 7pm EST we''ll be hosting casual conversations with students, alumni, faculty, and staff, on topics like the arts, athletics, campus life, internships, sustainability, and what makes our community special. See below for the full schedule! 

Hello Sophia, 

With thirty one varsity teams and nine club sport teams (plus intramural opportunities), athletics are a vibrant part of Bates student life. From the indoor pool and tennis courts to the ice rink, Bates boasts a wide array of athletic facilities open to all students and staff. Getting active may look a bit different this year, but Bates and our Bobcats are committed to teamwork. 



Want to learn more? Join us this Tuesday, October 27, at 7:00pm EST for a casual conversation with current students and coaches about the active athletic community at Bates! 

Dear Sophia,

Join admission deans from Bates College, Colgate University, and Wesleyan University for a virtual information session on Tuesday, September 1st at 10:00 EDT. 

Hi Sophia,

Here’s the what: Virtual Explore Bates Open House Series

Here’s the when: July 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
                              August 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Here''s the how: RSVP to attend

And here’s the why:
We want to provide you with a wide range of opportunities to better understand Bates, our community, our culture, and why we think you will be a great fit — even if you can''t step foot on our (beautiful) campus. 


 
And, most importantly, we want to bring you into the discussion — about what it’s like to thrive and learn in our community of irrepressibly enthusiastic, unapologetically smart, boldly individual, and radically aware people. This program is a chance for you to hear from current students and the campus partners who help shape the student experience — from community engagement to purposeful work.

For more information about the Explore Bates Open House Series, check out the details by clicking the button below.  Space is limited, so register for sessions today:

Hello Sophia,

At Bates, every student is a scholar. From across the globe, to outer space, to our hometown of Lewiston, Bates students and faculty are tackling the big questions about ourselves and the world around us. In fact, every student will engage in independent, high-level research in their field through a senior thesis or capstone project.


(Top left) This anonymous Maine man was a research subject in The EngAging Project, created by Grace Ellrodt ''20 to address loneliness in old age; (top right) Hannah Johnson ’20 and Emma Wheeler ’20 pose in survival suits during safety training at the University Centre in Svalbard, prior to the start of summer 2019 fieldwork for their honors senior theses; (bottom left) Samuel Mironko ’21 photographs two friends he met during his semester abroad in Accra, Ghana, where he combined his sociology major and passion for photography; (bottom right) “Teamwork is key,” says Ariel Lam ’20 (right, in gray sweater), a member of "Topics in Industrial Mathematics" during an apple-picking excursion in October 2019. The class performed data-analysis projects for two nonprofit community partners, Lewiston Public Schools and Tri-County Mental Health Services.

With a 10:1 student to faculty ratio, grants to fund research year round, and financial aid that travels abroad, Bates doesn''t simply encourage students to ask questions. We help them find their own answers.

What big questions do you think about? 

Dear Sophia,

Join admission deans from Bates and ten other highly selective colleges and universities for a virtual fair for international students on:

 Wednesday, November 11 at 8:00 EDT 

Dear Sophia,

Join admission deans from Bates and ten other highly selective colleges and universities for a virtual fair for international students on:

 Wednesday, October 14 at 8:00 EDT 

Hello Sophia, 

This year has presented great challenges to prospective college students, their families, and the counselors who support them. In recognition of these extraordinary circumstances, Bates College has made a few updates to our application process: 

Application Deadline: Early Decision II and Regular Decision application deadlines have been extended to Monday, January 11, 2021.

Second Teacher Recommendation: While Bates requires 2 teacher recommendations, we understand that this may pose a burden to some applicants. If you would like to request one of your required teacher recommendations to be waived, email: admission@bates.edu.

And while they''re nothing new, we''d like to remind you of a few policies and resources you may find helpful: 

Optional Testing: A leader in the movement since 1984, Bates College does not require standardized testing, such as the SAT or ACT. Find our average test scores for admitted students plus an message on optional testing from Dean of Admission and Financial Aid on our website! 

Self-Submitted Scores: Submitting your testing scores can be expensive and time-consuming. If you do want to submit your testing to Bates, we are happy to accept self-submitted scores in the following ways: 

• Enter scores in the testing section of the Common Application or Coalition Application
• Submit screenshots or scanned copies of score reports via email (admission@bates.edu) or fax (207-786-6025)
• Please note that official test scores will be required upon enrollment

Hi Sophia,

A few weeks ago we asked you how you''d like to explore institutions in this new virtual reality. Overwhelmingly, you told us that you preferred low key conversations with multiple community members to traditional formal presentations. That''s cool, because so do we! Without further ado, let us introduce Bobcat Chats [insert fireworks here]. 

Hello Sophia, 

Bates'' home of Lewiston, Maine, and its twin city, Auburn, are former mill towns with French Canadian and Irish American roots, a vibrant African diaspora community, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Together they make up the second largest urban center in Maine, and people here call the two cities L/A. They’re nothing like Los Angeles.

So what are they like? They’re working, residential towns surrounded by striking natural beauty. There’s a farmer’s market, a monthly art walk (now gone virtual), tasty and globally-inspired restaurants, and lively town halls. And on any given day, you can find Bates students. They shadow at the local hospital, assist at the county courthouse, student teach in the local schools, tend the community garden, get out the vote, and so much more. 

Take a peek at Lewiston-Auburn through the eyes of two Bates community members:


Ariel Abonizio ’20 of Cuiabá, Brazil, used a Purposeful Work internship and his extensive experience with the college’s Digital Media Studios to create virtual-reality tours of two major exhibitions at Museum L-A in downtown Lewiston.


Leigh Weisenburger, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, gave us a brief guided tour of her favorite Lewiston spots to visit on a summer Sunday morning. 

Lewiston-Auburn is an integral part of the Bates experience. Looking for a school engaged in its hometown?

Hi Sophia,

Here’s the what: Explore Bates Open House Series. 

Here’s the when: Monday, August 17 through Friday, August 21.

Here''s the how: Schedule your virtual visit.

And here’s the why:
We have lots to share! Hear from current students and the campus partners who help shape the student experience — from community engagement to athletics to life after Bates.


 
And, most importantly, there will be discussion — about what it’s like to thrive and learn in our community of irrepressibly enthusiastic, unapologetically smart, boldly individual, and radically aware people. 

For more information about our Explore Bates Open House, check out the details here.

To schedule your virtual visit, click below:

Hello Sophia,

We recently celebrated the Bates Class of 2020 in our first ever virtual series of commencement events, and we wanted to share some uplifting words of wisdom we received from the Alex Onuoha ''20, this year''s Senior Speaker.



Alex, a double major in psychology and dance, hails from Malden, MA. Her speech, "Stay Strong & Walk Like You Got Some Sense," was inspired by words her mother, Vinette Gayle, once said. Bates became Alex''s second home because it allowed her and her peers to enact the values her mother instilled in her: consistency, activism, initiative, and warmth.  

Interested in learning more about the Bates experience? Get to know us!

• Register for a Virtual Information Session
• Take the Virtual Campus Tour at any time
• Follow our virtual travels at Bates Visits You
• Connect with your regional admission representative or a current student

Hi there, Sophia,

We understand that getting to know colleges and universities this year will be different for you. Before we send you invitations to a million Zoom meetings (that you may or may not be interested in), we''d love for you to tell us what you want. 

Dear Sophia, 

You likely aren''t certain what your major will be, or even which college you will attend, let alone what your career might look like. I just wanted to let you know: that is totally fine!  At Bates, students have conversations, experiences, and opportunities that help them start to shape a life of meaning and purposeful work from their first semester. And it works! Over 98% of recent graduates are placed (in jobs, internships, fellowships, or grad school) within six months of graduation. 


(Top left) Jesse LaFlamme ’00, owner and CEO at Pete and Gerry’s Organics, poses for a Facetime portrait in Quechee, VT. (Top right) A Bates student passes the Center for Purposeful Work, conveniently located in Chase Hall. (Bottom left) Ella Knowles, Class of 1884, also know as Bates'' most dangerous woman, was a suffragist and a trailblazing lawyer. She was the first woman to argue a case before the United States Supreme Court. (Bottom right) Jesus Carrera ’20, a math major from Waco, TX, poses with his laptop open to an app called Overleaf and his team’s final presentation to the Lewiston public schools.

Here are a few stories from current students and alumni to inspire you as you continue to investigate your interests and explore opportunities. 

• Jesse Laflamme ''00, owner and CEO of Pete and Gerry''s Organics, on the egg supply chain during COVID-19
• Recent Bates alumni offer their advice on navigating a tough economy
• Career advice from six Bates alumni working in the environmental field
• Over 150 years of impressive female Bates graduates
• Purposeful Work internships go remote and include graduating seniors
• At home, Bates math students take on real-world projects

Rest assured, your degree will make a difference.  

Caroline Berlin
Assistant Dean of Admission

P.S. Interested in learning more about Bates?  Register for one of our virtual events today: https://www.bates.edu/admission/visit/

Dear Sophia,

Thank you for jumping in! 

Aligning who you are with what you do is at the heart of the Bates experience. We know that no two students'' paths are the same, which is why we have 37 majors and 25 minors, over 100 clubs open to everyone, and a unique Purposeful Work program that helps students find both meaning and success. So whether you''re diving into a frozen lake in the dead of Maine winter (we promise it''s more fun than it sounds), or diving into all that Bates has to offer, we have you covered. 

We''ll be in touch with information about Bates, upcoming events, and visits to your area. In the meantime, we encourage you to:

• Check out our virtual tour
• Schedule a campus visit
• Meet your regional admission representative
• Watch our (brief) informative videos on the college search and admission process
• Estimate your financial aid with our online calculators 

Sincerely,
Bates Office of Admission

Hi Sophia,

Still working on applications? There''s no need to panic!

We''re not sure if you saw, but because of the unprecedented circumstances the past months have presented, Bates has moved our application deadline to Monday, January 11.

That''s right: you have seven more days to take a deep breath, decide if Bates seems like a good fit for you, and press "submit" on that application.

A few things that might be helpful to you in the coming days:

1. We don''t have a supplemental essay, so you don''t have to worry about telling us what type of fruit you''d like to be or how you are going to change the world (we know you can figure that stuff out once you get to college).
2. We have been test optional for over 35 years -- so you *really* don''t need to worry about not submitting your scores. And if you do want to submit, we accept self-reported scores!
3. Finding it hard to get two letters of recommendation from your teachers? This year you can request one of your letters to be waived by emailing admission@bates.edu.
4. We meet 100% of your demonstrated financial need for all four years, and our students graduate with an average of $13,552 in loan debt (that''s less than half the national average).
5. Speaking of awesome things, 99% of our alumni are placed in a job, fellowship, or continuing education within six months of graduation.
6. Not sure if Bates is right for you? Email a current student, fall into a YouTube rabbit hole, scroll through our Instagram, check out one of our new Spotify playlists, or see campus through our virtual tour

So, deeeeeep breath. You got this!



We''re looking forward to reading your application.

Liz

N. Elizabeth McGonigle
Senior Associate Dean of Admission

P.S. Interested in knowing what happens after you press "submit"? Check out this video from Senior Associate Dean of Admission Johie Seltzer ''03. In brief: We laugh. We cry. We read every. single. application. 

Hello Sophia,

You indicated that you''re interested in studying one or more languages in college. While Bates students have until March of their sophomore year to declare their major, and all four years to explore interesting classes, we''re big advocates of researching your interests! Below you will find some recent stories and information on these areas of study: 


(Top left) Professor of Politics James Richter received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2019 (along with some 20 Bates seniors and young alumni) to teach in the Czech Republic; (top right) Yankshuo, China, pictured by Owen Greenwood ''21 was selected as a winner in the annual Barlow Off-Campus Photography Exhibition; (bottom right) Professor Jane Costlow and some of her students (aka The Babushkas) pictured at Optina Pustyn, a monastery that has been enormously important for Russian culture, has taken students to Russia for 26 years; (bottom right) Professor of French and Francophone Studies Kirk Read speaks to students in his oral French class as they prepare to perform a play about a young Algerian woman. The French curriculum’s focus on francophone Africa, plus numerous study-abroad opportunities, helps prepare students to be effective legal translators for refugees and asylum seekers from the continent.

The Languages
Bates offers instruction in seven languages. Here''s some things each course of study has in common: incredible opportunities to study abroad, a robust set of learning resources, and like all department at Bates, the opportunity to take courses even if if you ultimately decide not to declare a major or minor. To learn more and to connect with current faculty or students, we encourage you to check out these pages:

Ancient Greek & Latin
Chinese
French
German
Japanese
Russian
Spanish

Relevant GECs
General Education Concentrations challenge students to develop significant expertise outside their major. Each concentration consists of four courses chosen from a faculty-designed menu that is structured on the basis of a clearly articulated organizing principle. Some concentrations focus on a particular issue or topic or area of inquiry identified by several professors working across different disciplines; others are formed within a single discipline. 

GECs:
Chinese Society and Culture
Colonialism
French and Francophone Studies 
Globalization
Japanese Society and Culture
Post-Colonial Issues in French and Spanish
Writing in Spain
...and more!

The Next Steps
We hope this collection of links and resources are helpful as you continue to explore! If you are interested, feel free to reach out to a current student focusing on these areas to dive a little deeper. And, if you like the idea of being a part of our community, you can learn more about applying here. 

Warmly,
The Bates Office of Admission