<p>I was accepted to Bates recently. I have to admit, it was at the bottom of my list for colleges, but so far it’s one of the only institutions kind enough not to waitlist me. </p>
<p>My big fear about Bates is that I’ve heard nothing but bad news about the campus surroundings. Is Lewiston really a gross place to live, or do people just hate it because it’s not a country club setting like the college itself? I’m from a big city, so I’m not scared of being around places that don’t cater to the super-rich (I’m LL Bean-less and J Crew-less, myself)–but I don’t want to be in a depressing or boring city, either. So…what is Lewiston REALLY like?</p>
<p>(Also if anyone knows ANYTHING about the quality of vocal music and theater at Bates, PLEASE let me know.)</p>
<p>Lewiston is pretty ugly and poor-but it has personality/lots of opportunities to get involved.
You don’t have to go far in any direction, however, to see really beautiful parts of Maine, the ocean, the mountains, lakes.<br>
It’s not all that far to get to Portland either-and that is a wonderful city.
The Bates campus itself is lovely.</p>
<p>The campus itself is quite lovely. However, Lewiston is definitely the armpit of Maine. It’s an old mill town that is rotting away. A far cry from the picturesque seaside resorts toursits flock to. Portland is your best bet for anything entertaining. There is literally nothing in Lewiston except decaying buildings.</p>
<p>Lewiston is working class and parts are run down but there is lots happening at Bates itself and most students find things to do in the town as well as getting involved in community service. Lewiston has art galleries, museums, vintage clothing shops and some upscale restaurants, some of which are located in renovated mills along the Androscoggin. There are also tiny ethnic restaurants if you’re more adventurous. There’s a nature preserve that’s a short walk from campus and you can see bald eagles along the river. Within a bike ride or short car ride you can canoe or kayak on a lake, swim in Range Ponds, pick apples, go to a farmer’s market, or have lunch at an organic farm. If you ski, there are weekend shuttle buses to the slopes. The outing club organizes trips locally to surf, boulder, showshoe, climb things. The college subsidizes Zip Cars that you can use to get to Freeport or Portland which have lots going on culturally. Bates also runs shuttle buses on weekends to the movie theatres and shopping areas across the river in Auburn where there are malls, chain restaurants, and big box stores. The school admissions web site has student blogs where you can read more about how people spend their time.</p>
<p>lewiston is really not that bad. although it does get a bad reputation, it has lots to offer and there are some great restaurants and coffee shops really close to campus. and bates is so awesome there’s no need to go off campus.</p>
<p>“and bates is so awesome there’s no need to go off campus.”</p>
<p>I’d like to second this sentiment. Students rarely go off campus, not because of the quality of Lewiston, but because there is always something happening on campus. Over 90% of students live on campus and student life at Bates is almost entirely centered around the campus.</p>
<p>Lewiston is ugly and doesn’t regularly offer a lot to Bates student life besides volunteer opportunities and the occasional off-campus dining excursion. I love it, though–it has great character, and isn’t so pretty and pretentious like other cities in lovely New England. And, yes, most Bates students spend the majority of their time on campus because 1) it’s easy to do so and 2) there is never nothing happening, so the perceived ‘badness’ of Lewiston doesn’t have to encroach upon your happy, dreamy college experience.</p>
<p>But I’d really encourage accepted students to make the effort to get off campus, anyway. Go into Lewiston! Or visit Portland! Study abroad for the year! Beware the Bates Bubble! It’s trapping.</p>
<p>And, OP, the theater program at Bates is really respected on-campus (though I’m not sure how it compares to other schools). I don’t know much about vocal music, unfortunately. :)</p>