Bates College Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA

Bates College is a highly selective private liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 17.8%. Located in Lewiston, Maine, Bates was founded in 1855 by Maine abolitionists. Bates typically ranks among the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the country and is one of the top colleges in New England. The college has an impressive 10-to-1  student/faculty ratio, and two-thirds of students participate in study abroad. Students can expect a lot of interaction between students and faculty as the college places a strong emphasis on seminar classes, research, service-learning, and senior thesis work. Bates College was awarded a chapter of  Phi Beta Kappa  for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences. Students may apply to Bates College using the Common Application or the Coalition Application. In addition, applicants must include letters of recommendation from 2 teachers and a high school counselor as well as a high school transcript. SAT and ACT test scores are optional.  Prospective applicants in the arts (music, theater, dance, art, film, and creative writing) may submit an optional art or performance portfolio. Considering applying to this highly selective school? Here are the admissions statistics you should know. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Bates College had an acceptance rate of 17.8%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 17 students were admitted, making Bates admissions process highly competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 7,688 Percent Admitted 17.8% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 38% SAT Scores and Requirements Bates has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Bates may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 46% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 640 720 Math 650 740 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted test scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Bates admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Bates scored between 640 and 720, while 25% scored below 640 and 25% scored above 720. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 650 and 740, while 25% scored below 650 and 25% scored above 740. Requirements Bates does not require SAT scores for admission. For students who choose to submit scores, note that Bates participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. ACT Scores and Requirements Bates has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Bates may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 32% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile Composite 29 32 This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted test scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Bates admitted students fall within the top 9% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Bates received a composite ACT score between 29 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 29. Requirements Bates does not require ACT scores for admission. For students who choose to submit scores, note that Bates participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all ACT test dates. GPA In 2018, the average weighted GPA of Bates Colleges incoming class was 3.91. This data suggests that most successful applicants to Bates have primarily A and B grades. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph Bates College Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Bates College. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances Bates College, which accepts fewer than one-fourth of applicants,  is a highly selective liberal arts college. Bates uses a holistic admissions process which is based on much more than numbers. A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. Most successful applicants had high school averages of A- or higher. Youll see a wider spread for standardized test scores, but nearly all applicants self-reported above average scores—often above 1200 for the SAT (ERWM). Bear in mind that Bates College is test-optional, so students with scores outside of the reported range need not submit their scores to Bates. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Bates College Undergraduate Admissions Office.