College Profiles/ Bates College
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Bates College Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Lewiston, ME · 1,736 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Bates College for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Bates College admitted 14.9% of 9,660 first-year applicants.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 33.5%.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $97,185.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $59,701.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, Early Decision II Jan 10, Regular Decision Jan 10.[3]
14.9%
Overall admit rate[1]
33.5%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
32 to 34
Middle 50% ACT[1]
$97,185
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$59,701
Average need-based grant[1]
$485M
Endowment, FY2025[1]
Bates College at a Glance
- Location
- Lewiston, ME
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 9:1[1]
- Endowment
- $485 million (FY2025)[1]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir), QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 92.0%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Bates College
The ConnectPrep take
Bates describes its education as open-minded, open-hearted and open-ended, and students need not declare a major until March of sophomore year. The admit rate is 14.9% on 9,660 applicants. Early Decision helps: 33.5% of 949 ED applicants were admitted, about 2.2 times the overall rate, though early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies. ED I closes Nov 15, and ED II and Regular Decision close Jan 10. Bates has been test optional since 1984, and only 20.9% of enrolled students sent the SAT; for those who do, the middle 50% section ranges are 710 to 760 in reading and writing and 690 to 770 in math, so aim for the upper half of each. One useful quirk: Regular Decision applicants can convert to ED I by Dec 1.
What to do this fall
- If Bates rises to first choice after applying RD, file the ED agreement by Dec 1 for ED I or Feb 1 for ED II.
- Send SAT scores only when both sections reach the midpoint or higher of Bates's ranges.
- Upload one arts or creative writing portfolio within five days after the application deadline; only one type gets faculty review.
- Submit aid by Nov 15 for ED I or Jan 10 for ED II and RD.
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Bates College Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
9,660 |
1,443 |
14.9% |
| Early Decision[1] |
949 |
318 |
33.5% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 22% of all admitted students, so a large part of the class is filled before Regular Decision applications are read (ConnectPrep calculation from the figures above).
- The Early Decision admit rate is about 2.2 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the true advantage for a typical applicant is smaller.
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 33.4%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
710 to 760 |
| SAT Math[1] |
690 to 770 |
| ACT composite[1] |
32 to 34 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
21% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
10% |
| Ranked in top 10% of high school class[1] |
54% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 760 in Reading and Writing and 770 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 34 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Bates College looks for
In its own words: Bates describes its education as open-minded, open-hearted, and open-ended, and the college has been test-optional since 1984.[4]
Bates College Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 15 |
by Dec 20 (ED I); by Feb 15 (ED II) |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 10 |
|
| Regular Decision |
Jan 10 |
by Apr 1 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Bates College’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Financial aid |
Nov 1 (QuestBridge); Nov 15 (ED I); Jan 10 (ED II, RD) |
QuestBridge aid is due Nov 1; ED II and RD aid share the Jan 10 application deadline. Page shows no academic year label.[5] |
| Supplemental portfolio |
within 5 days after application deadline |
Portfolios in art, creative writing, dance, film, music or theater are due within 5 days after the application deadline. Upload them in the portal after applying; only one type gets formal faculty review.[6] |
| Convert to Early Decision |
Dec 1 (ED I); Feb 1 (ED II) |
RD applicants can convert to binding ED I by filing the ED agreement by Dec 1 (notified by Dec 20), or to ED II by Feb 1.[3] |
See how Bates College compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Bates College Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$97,185 |
| Tuition[2] |
$73,760 |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$59,701 |
| Average share of need met[7] |
100.0% |
First-year resident student: single fee for tuition, food and housing ($94,560), first-year fee, books and supplies, personal expenses, and the low end of the transportation estimate; excludes optional student health insurance.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $97,185 cost of attendance down to roughly $37,484 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
- Bates College states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[7]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[8]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$2,397 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$8,958 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$11,336 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$19,468 |
| Over $110,000 |
$45,886 |
| All aided students |
$29,351 |
Academics and Majors at Bates College
Signature programs
Short Term
Bates runs a 4-4-1 calendar of two traditional semesters plus a four-week spring Short Term.[9]
Senior Thesis
Bates describes the senior thesis as the chance to end the undergraduate experience on an intellectual high note.[9]
Purposeful Work
Courses and programs that connect classroom learning to a future of meaningful work.[9]
Harward Center and community-engaged learning
Students, faculty, and staff engage with the Lewiston community through community-engaged learning and research.[9]
Engineering Combined Plan
Students study at Bates and then at a partner engineering school such as Case Western, Columbia, Dartmouth, Rensselaer, or Washington University in St. Louis.[4]
Choosing a major and getting in
Bates students do not have to declare a major until March of sophomore year, and the First-Year Seminar professor serves as the initial academic advisor. Students can also propose an individual interdisciplinary major.[9]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision.[4]
- QuestBridge partner.[4]
- Engineering Combined Plan (dual degree with partner engineering schools, pursued after enrolling).[4]
Bates College Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
92.0% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
82.8% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
88.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[8] |
$69,498 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[8] |
$14,275 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[8] |
12% |
Make Bates College a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Bates College FAQs
What is the Bates College acceptance rate?
Bates College admitted 14.9% of first-year applicants (1,443 of 9,660). The Early Decision admit rate was 33.5%.
When are the Bates College application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 15; Early Decision II Jan 10; Regular Decision Jan 10.
How much does Bates College cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $97,185. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $59,701. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
Can you switch to early decision at Bates after applying?
Yes. Regular Decision applicants can convert to binding ED I by filing the ED agreement by Dec 1, with notification by Dec 20, or to ED II by Feb 1. Bates admitted 33.5% of its 949 ED applicants against 14.9% overall, though early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies.
Is Bates test optional?
Yes. Bates has been test optional since 1984, and 20.9% of enrolled students submitted the SAT. Among submitters, the middle 50% ranges were 710 to 760 in reading and writing and 690 to 770 in math, with an ACT of 32 to 34. We advise submitting only when both sections sit at or above those midpoints.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bates College. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
