As a junior whose looking at various liberal arts colleges in the northeast (skidmore, f&m, dickinson, lafayette, union) I was wondering if I’d be competitive for bates. From my public high school outside of nyc only 12 of the past 53 kids who have applied to bates over the past five years have gained admission. My grades are not exceptional but decent , have a 30 ACT, and lots of above average ecs like Habitat for Humanity president and Eagle Scout. According to naviance my stats are a little below the average, which is fine, but I’m not sure if I’ll make the cut for a very competitive school like this coming from my high school (which usually helps). Do any current students have anything to say about bates admissions wise??
Bates has a reputation for holistic review but it is still very difficult to gain acceptance. Read through the 2019 class thread to see the profiles of accepted and rejected students. Look at other schools as well.
I had a similar situation to you and ended up getting deferred/waitlisted before finally getting admitted. I’d definitely focus on getting your grades up- those are what will make or break your application in the end. Best of luck!
I’m not a student, but my son is a sophomore at Bates. He had a higher ACT than yours, a good but not perfect GPA and what I considered to be just okay essays. He didn’t have an interview because there were no alumni nearby. He came from a STEM magnet high school in the South where few students applied to Bates. Your ECs are better than his were. It sounds like NY is a state where many students apply, and there’s more competition. There are so many variables! But I do think Bates looks for a certain kind of student, and if you really want to go there and can make a case for yourself, I’d say go for it as a reach. You might be surprised.
This school often rejects the top candidates and is very holistic. If you really want to go there, consider applying ED. I think you’d be competitive if you did.
@DeadHead17 You have to interview at Bates and apply Early Decision if that is your top choice.
I would also add Gettysburg, Bucknell, TCNJ , Muhlenberg and St. Lawrence to your list for schools in this region. I would also stretch a little geographically with a school like Furman in Greenville, SC which is a really smart application for you.
One thing you really need to understand is that being below average at a super selective school takes you out of the average acceptance rate which in this case is 21% overall and 17% in Regular Decision, already very difficult.