<p>what are your thoughts on the differences between these schools? what makes them similar? what makes them unique? im not looking for which one is better im just trying to figure out what types of students would be attracted to each one. thx</p>
<p>According to local conventional wisdom, Colby is a bit preppier, Bates is less conformist. Academically, I guess they are viewed as fairly close, with Bates a bit higher on the scale. (Bowdoin, the third of the holy trinity of Maine LACs, is viewed as the top one of the three academically, also fairly preppy, more conformist than Bates, and in by far the nicest location.)</p>
<p>Bates has a nice campus, but it is located in a dying mill town. I've never been to Waterville, but I gather that Colby's campus is very pretty. Waterville is a bit more remote than Lewiston/Auburn.</p>
<p>Bates is more chill and relaxing. I don't want to say hippie, but yeah a lot of the kids there are hippies. I have a friend who goes there and that is what she says it is like. Colby is very preppy, lot of kids from my school end up going there. As Proud Dad would say I go to the most preppy private school in the mid west so that tells you what Colby is going to be like.</p>
<p>Bates has a 4-4-1: Colby has 4-1-4: How do you feel about January in Maine? At Bates, that isn't a choice.</p>
<p>Bates also requires that you have two concentrations as well as a major, I believe. </p>
<p>Colby is more preppy than Bates.</p>
<p>Colby may still have some town/gown issues associated with student alcohol consumption. The campus is somewhat isolated from Watertown. Bates is more integrated into Lewiston-which is a larger place. Colby recently got a huge donation to their art museum on campus, which matters if that interests you.</p>
<p>I suggest you go online to each school's student newspapers and read a few issues of each. It will give you a feel for the student body, what's on students' minds, and the kinds of activities available.</p>
<p>Bates had very significant issues with the "locals" in Lewiston--which was, and still may be, a haven for Somalian immigrants. Over the past decade, Bates has twice erected & twice removed fencing from around the campus to keep the locals out and reduce crime on campus. The captain of Bates' ice hockey team was stabbed to death several years ago on the streets of Lewiston, a rape on campus & a lot of property crime.
Colby is very preppy, heavy drinking school in an isolated location.
One popular college guide suggests that a large portion of the studentbody at Bates dislikes bathing.
The isolated location is a frequent complaint of students at both schools after a year or two. Junior year abroad might be a good change of pace.
If you like a bit less isolation, then consider St. Lawrence University. Bowdoin is the best of the four academically & socially & Brunswick is a nice town.</p>
<p><<bates had="" very="" significant="" issues="" with="" the="" "locals"="" in="" lewiston--which="" was,="" and="" still="" may="" be,="" a="" haven="" for="" somalian="" immigrants.="" over="" past="" decade,="" bates="" has="" twice="" erected="" &="" removed="" fencing="" from="" around="" campus="" to="" keep="" locals="" out="" reduce="" crime="" on="" campus.="" captain="" of="" bates'="" ice="" hockey="" team="" was="" stabbed="" death="" several="" years="" ago="" streets="" lewiston,="">></bates></p>
<p>Okay, I really have to correct a false impression which this appears to give. Somali immigration in no way has a negative effect on Bates. In fact, Bates was the site of a 7,000-person demonstration IN SUPPORT of the Somalian community several years ago. I know, because I was there! (The demonstration came about because the mayor of Lewiston sent a letter to the Somali community asking them not to encourage more Somalis to come. Lewiston was experiencing an influx of Somali refugees who were relocating there from Atlanta and other high-crime cities where they had initially been placed. Lewiston was in rough financial shape, as a dying mill town, and its social services were being stretched. The mayor, I might add, actually had a black grandchild, so I don't think he was motivated by racism. Nevertheless, when this letter was publicized, an out-of-state white-supremacist group announced that their leader was going to hold a meeting in Lewiston. The counter-demonstration turned out to be at least a hundred times the size of the tiny hate group meeting on the outskirts of town.)</p>
<p>It is true that in 2002 a Bates student athlete was stabbed to death by a local thug--who may have been Laotian, judging by his name, not Somali--when he attempted to intervene in a street altercation. Generally, people at Bates refer to the "Bates bubble," and if you go to the campus you will find that it is quite separate from most of Lewiston, except for some middle-class residential neighborhoods.</p>
<p>Bowdoin
10char</p>