Information for Counselors
Bates College is a rigorous liberal arts and sciences college in the heart of Maine. We have extraordinary success in athletics, see fantastic achievements from our faculty, and welcome an academically prepared and diverse incoming class every year.
The Bates Admission team prides ourselves in practicing holistic review of our applicants, and to that end, we’ve been test-optional for nearly four decades. With a commitment to opportunity and excellence, we meet 100 percent of our students’ calculated financial need, and ensure that every student has the opportunity for a funded internship that aligns who they are with what they do. We look forward to learning more about your students.
Connect with Us
Counselor Visits
Please complete this form if you’re a high school or independent counselor (or representative of a community based organization) interested in scheduling a visit to Bates. Note that Bates Admission gives priority to visiting student requests, and we do not provide tours or information sessions on some dates.
Submission of the form is not a confirmation. An Admission staff member will reach out to you within five business days after the submission with a confirmation for your requested date.
Counselor Events
Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin (CBB) Counselor Tour
About the Tour
The Colby Bates Bowdoin (CBB) Counselor Tour affords school and community-based organization (CBO) counselors the opportunity to explore our three liberal arts and sciences institutions, connect with our communities, and experience fall in Maine. Following the experience, counselors leave better able to inform and advise their students about these three selective colleges.
Program Details
Applications for the 2025 tour will be live mid spring and can be found on Bowdoin’s website. All transportation and lodging will be paid for by the CBB consortium, and travel arrangements will be made with your input. The three-day program includes campus tours, panels with admission staff and current students, information sessions, and time to connect with other school counselors. With limited time and so much information, the robust schedule leaves little time for personal or other professional work.
Selection Process
The application constitutes your request to attend the CBB tour. All applications will be reviewed together following the application deadline; note that applicants are not selected based on when their application is submitted. Next, notification of selection will be sent via email. Please note that only one counselor per school or organization may attend the CBB tour. Recent participation from your school/district or organization will be considered when selecting final participants. Geography will also be a consideration. As such, counselors located within three hours of campuses are encouraged to contact the institutions to arrange individual visits whenever is most convenient.
Prologue to Bates
Prologue to Bates will be held on-campus this fall from
Sunday, October 12 – Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Bates College was founded on the principles of civic engagement, inclusivity, and the transformative power of our differences. As we continue to realize our mission of inclusive excellence, we’d love to open our doors to your students through our all-expenses-paid student access fly-in program, Prologue to Bates.
Prologue promises to be a unique and engaging few days of conversation and community for students. Together, we’ll talk about tips for the college application and financial aid processes, connect your students with current Bates Bobcats so they can get a sense of the student experience, introduce them to our devoted faculty and staff, and much more! Prologue is aligned with our larger Fall Visit Day, when students from around the country and the world come to visit and learn more about Bates. Prologue to Bates covers the costs of transportation to and from our campus, meals, and overnight accommodations for program participants.
Applications are welcome from students intending to enter college in Fall 2026 who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or undocumented/DACA students residing in the United States. Prologue is designed to serve students who are first-generation-to-college students and low-income students.
Please see our Prologue to Bates page for the student application, more information on application requirements, and answers to frequently asked questions. The deadline for students to complete their application for the 2025 event is Friday, August 8, 2025.
Admission Fairs at Your Location
If you are organizing an event at your location that you believe would be a good fit for a Bates Admission member to attend, please share the details with us at admissionfairs@bates.edu.
Counselor Advisory Board
The Bates Office of Admission established a Counselor Advisory Board in 2022. More information about the purpose and composition of this select group of school counselors and college access advocates can be found on our Counselor Advisory Board webpage.
Ask the (College) Experts
We asked you about the commonly asked questions from your students and families. Your helpful insights, coupled with feedback from our programming led us to create of a series of (very) short videos affectionately called “Ask the (College) Experts”.
These videos are neither meant to provide all of the answers, nor are they meant to focus solely on Bates. Rather, it is our hope that these small bites of information will be a helpful starting point for you, your students, and your families as the college search process is navigated.
We hope you enjoy our answers to some commonly asked questions. Share them widely!
Bates at a Glance
- Learn more about Bates and explore facts and figures.
- Find ways to connect with Bates, virtually or in person.
- Read details about our academic programs.
- Learn about our history and mission.
Counselor Resources
We look forward to supporting you and your prospective students. Click through the resources below or connect with us today.
Application Dates & Deadlines
What’s the difference between Early and Regular Decision? When are student transcripts due? Read about our application plans and timeline here.
Affording Bates
Use the MyIntuition Financial Aid calculator and read about our financial aid initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to your frequently asked questions regarding visiting campus, application materials, and more.
Viewbook
Life is full of pre-established lanes and rules. But there’s a lot of freedom at Bates. We believe the best way to approach college is to find what makes you tick, and then build the coming years around it.
Outcomes
At Bates, enabling students to lead lives of meaningful work is at the heart of our liberal arts mission.