Bringing Bates To you
Meet us here, wherever you are.
How to Use This Page
You have an exciting four years ahead of you. We know there is much you still need and want to know about Bates, and we’re working hard to bring as much information as possible online to you and your family. We’re creating new content regularly to help answer your questions and create opportunities to connect you with the Bates community and your future classmates.
This Summer
In the summer, you will begin to receive key information from your deans and staff in Student Affairs regarding your Bates email, housing, course placement and registration, and much more. We know you are eager to embark on this next step of your Bates journey, and we appreciate your patience in the coming months.
Connect With Us – Virtually or On-Campus
Connect with us anywhere, any time!
To your right, you will find a multitude of ways to connect with our students and staff, as well as your future classmates.
On Campus Opportunities
Information on campus events can be found on our Campus Visits page. In addition, we have reserved several days just for admitted students: April 1, April 4, April 11, April 15, and April 22. Register to visit campus on these select days in The Den!
Virtual Opportunities
Information on events for all virtual visitors, including information sessions, campus tours, and student-led Bobcat Chats, can be found on our Live Virtual Programming page.
In March and April, faculty, staff, and students will host dozens of virtual events in The Den. Upcoming events include:
- Student Experience Discussion: Live and Learn at Bates
- Alumni Panel
- Faculty spotlights
- Bobcat Nation: Life as a student athlete
- Activism at Bates
For FAMILIES
We look forward to getting to know you and your student, and answering your questions.
Below, you will find registration for virtual programming most relevant for parents and guardians. Your student may register for these events in The Den. Recordings of these events will be available on this web page as soon as possible.
| Class of 2026 Welcome (Recording) | March 21, 8pm ET |
| Parent and Family Panel (Recording) | April 5, 8pm ET |
| Student Support Panel (Registration) | April 18, 8pm ET |
| Ask Me Anything with Dean of Admission (Registration) | April 25, 8pm ET |
Academics
Bates students tend to be up for just about anything. It’s a good thing we have about three dozen majors and two dozen minors.
Some are liberal-arts classics (history, mathematics, philosophy). Some are STEM-focused (neuroscience, engineering, geology). Many draw from more than one discipline (American cultural studies, environmental studies, biochemistry, gender & sexuality studies). And some won’t exist until you invent them — by designing your own major with the help of a faculty mentor.
Life on Campus
You’ll have many chances to dive into the unexpected at Bates.
Learn to surf with the Outing Club or perform a spoken-word piece at the weekly Village Club Series showcase. Test your technical skills with the High-Altitude Ballooning Club. Or your sense of rhythm with the Bollywood Dance Team. Find your zen through Yoga Kula and practice mindful meditation with the Multifaith Chaplaincy.
With nearly 100 student-run clubs, you’re sure to find something of interest. What you won’t find are fraternities or sororities. We’ve never had them. Never will.
Virtual Campus Tour
We think visiting campus is a great way to get to know Bates, but we recognize that not everyone can visit — so we’re bringing a little bit of Bates to you!
Launch ExperienceWhere You’ll Live
With a combined population of about 60,000, Lewiston and its twin city of Auburn offer the best of both worlds: A safe, close-knit community and a vibrant downtown.
Inside former factories that once powered the industrial revolution, you’ll find startups and brewpubs. Lisbon Street, Lewiston’s downtown shopping district, has cafes, bike shops, and galleries, all within minutes of campus.
While many families who live here have French Canadian roots, more than 34 languages are spoken in the halls of Lewiston High School. Lewiston enjoys a growing community from Somalia, Togo, and other African nations, as well as many other new Americans.
For arts lovers, L/A offers a professional theater company, a film festival, museums, and an underground music scene.
Outdoor lovers will fully appreciate that L/A is nestled in the Androscoggin River valley with easy access to the lakes, mountains, and the ocean that Maine is known for. Bates even has its very own conservation area on the coast, just a short drive from campus.
In other words, you could find many ways to get involved and make a difference here — and L/A could make a difference for you.
Why does Bates Love Lewiston?
Purposeful Work
When you understand what drives you to learn, grow, and thrive, you’ll have a more satisfying relationship with work throughout your life. That’s the idea behind Purposeful Work at Bates.
Most colleges offer career counseling and help with job applications. Our Center for Purposeful Work goes way beyond jobs or careers. We focus on the whole person — your beliefs, your strengths, your interests — and infuse concepts of meaningful work into all aspects of your time at Bates.
With each new Purposeful Work experience, you’ll consider whether a given role feels right for you, and why. By the time you graduate, you’ll have a clear idea of the values you want reflected in your life after college. And you’ll have a professional network and the practical experience to help you make it happen.
2020 Outcomes:
92% of new graduates are settled in a job, graduate school, fellowship, internship, or other opportunity within six months of graduation.
100% of Class of 2019 graduates who applied were accepted to law school.
81% of students and alumni who worked with the Medical Studies Committee were accepted to medical school.
100% were accepted to dental school.
24 earned prestigious Fulbright fellowships. Bates topped all U.S. bachelor’s colleges — including the most selective liberal arts institutions — for the second time in three years.
Take the Plunge
Puddle Jumpers
Are you brave enough to make the leap? You have an opportunity each January to join your classmates in Bates’ own version of a polar plunge.
The Den
To help you get to know what makes Bates special and a great fit for you, we are setting up a community of current students, faculty, staff, and alumni that are waiting to connect and chat with YOU! It’s all part of our admitted student platform, The Den.
The Den is easy to use and will serve as your one stop shop for all things Bates:
- See and register for exclusive admitted student events
- Search for and chat with other admitted students
- Search for and chat with current students, faculty, and staff
- Join groups based on your academic and extra curricular interests
- Dive deeper into the Bates experience with pre-Orientation resources
An invitation to The Den has been sent to all admitted students. You may also find the link to The Den on your Applicant Status Page.
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