<p>Is the drinking at Bates College out of control? Do people do it all the time? Are there things to do for students who do not drink?</p>
<p>I don’t have a kid at Bates… yet anyway… My S is apppying now, but my best friends daughter just started there this year and she is having the time of her life and she doesn’t drink. She said that of course there is drinking, but if you don’t drink there is no problem finding plenty of fun things to do. I think my friend said that when she was there, one night her daughter and dorm mates all snuggled up together in the common area and were watching Zoolander… of course this is just one small example.</p>
<p>I think most small isolated schools have a drinking culture. I think Bates has some high academic standards, so it can’t be drinking all the time. At least I hope so , as my daughter just applied ED1!</p>
<p>I’ve heard that many of the students who attend the colleges in Maine (Bowdoin, Bates and Colby) resort to drinking and partying for entertainment, due to their isolated settings. My friend’s older sister attended Colby for a year and said that it was difficult to find much else to do except drink. How does the drinking at Bates compare to the drinking at the other Maine colleges?</p>
<p>My son is a freshman and on the weekend there is drinking at parties - like at any other college anywhere. My son does go to the parties but he also goes to concerts, cultural events on campus and dances on campus. He also studies a lot, as do most all of the students at Bates because they need to if they want to succeed there. In addition, something like 70% of the student body participates in a sport so a lot of their free time is spent at practice and/or competing. </p>
<p>I don’t know where people get the idea that Bates and Bowdoin are in isolated areas. Bowdoin is in a lovely town about 15 minutes from Portland and Bates is 30 minutes away and in a city of 50K+ people.</p>
<p>stand corrected on using the word isolated. Is it really 70 % are athletes, My d is not athletic, but has many interests…hope this is ok.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about her not participating in a sport. There are so many other things to get involved in. My son is on the sailing team but he also is one of two Reps to student council from his dorm and on the Mock Trial team.</p>
<p>My Daughter has always wanted to go to a small liberal arts college. She is a junior in High School this year. We visited Connecticut College and she didn’t love it. Thought it was too isolated and not social enough. What about Bates? Lewiston? Thanks.</p>
<p>If she thinks Conn College is too isolated she might not like Bates. Lewiston/Auburn is a city of about 50K and on the depressed side. There is not alot off campus (a few nice restaurants, a few small malls) but the good thing about that is they dont need a lot of spending money. Portland is 30 miles away and Freeport 20 and the kids do go both places occasionally. That being said, there is a lot to do on campus (dances, concerts, etc., ) and parties in the campus owned houses on the weekends. The kids are also very friendly and happy - serious students for sure just not grinds. They are also very active, lots of kids involved in sports and outdoorsy stuff like skiing and hiking. </p>
<p>Imo, it is really a school you need to visit to feel the vibe to decide if you should apply. </p>
<p>pm me if you would like any additional info.</p>
<p>Lots of athletes, lots of drinking at Bates. But they are smart.</p>
<p>How do non-drinking athletes get along at Bates? Son is into athletics, art, and music, but not into drinking or the behaviors that go along with drinking in excess. Doesn’t like the parties at his high school where, to use his blunt description, “the girls go out to vomit in the alley.”</p>
<p>I think there is some confusion on the percentage of athletes at Bates. It is roughly a third that participate in intercollegiate athletics. I’m not sure where the 70 percent came from (perhaps that includes anyone who participated in any intramural games).</p>
<p>Given the size of the schools, I think you will find a decent percentage of athletes at all the elite NESCAC schools.</p>