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Comparable Schools'
Diversity Grades:
College Prowler Take
Bates was founded by abolitionists on the principles of egalitarianism, and Benjamin E. Mays, a Bates alumnus, was an important figure in the human rights movement. Still, Bates is a college in Maine, and the vast majority of students are white. Students here tend to come from two kinds of backgrounds: those who are able to afford the nearly $50,000-per-year comprehensive fee and those who are paying for their education through scholarships. Over the past few years, diversity has been a big issue at Bates, and after a swatstika and racist comments were seen drawn on walls and dorm room white boards, many students formed a rally to end existing discrimination and further diversity on campus. The administration was very receptive to the students’ views, and organized several forums about how to improve diversity at the College. In 2008-09, for the first time ever, the number of minority students on campus was in the triple digits. Bates also offers a rigorous Hughes scholarship program for first years interested in the sciences, and the program, which takes place over the summer, attracts many minority students, allowing them to acclimate to Bates, make friends, and get a leg-up on their science credits and GPA before their semester even begins. The program is selective and pays the participating students. Politically, Bates is mostly liberal, but there is a small conservative following, as well. Bates, without a doubt, is a two-party college—while there may be some independent party voters on campus, the break-down is mostly Democrat and Republican. Bates students who aren't able to visit the school before they come here may be surprised by the uniformity of the student body. Even students who aren’t minorities but are used to living in a more diverse environment sometimes feel uncomfortable in such a homogenous student body. But despite the small numbers of minorities on campus, the International Club and other minority clubs are a definite presence. Many students, not just internationals or minorities, attend events organized by these clubs, such as the International Fashion Show and the Asian Dinner. Considering its location and the fact that Bates is a small, private school, the College is about as diverse as you’d expect it to be—which just isn’t very much. Students Speak Out
Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:
BatKS says: Bates College 2015 Social Sciences  |
Bates is not the most diverse...
Bates is not the most diverse school. Economically, the campus is home to middle-upper-class students. The dominant ethnicity is Caucasian, but Bates is working very hard to gather students from all walks of life. Ideologically, students are generally very liberal, which brings about a comfortable discussion environment.
Diversity: March 05, 2009
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BatAF says: Bates College 2016 Social Sciences |
Bates is more economically diverse...
Bates is more economically diverse than it seems. There are definitely individuals who are on near-full or full aid, but there are also the millionaires' children, and everyone in between. Ethnically, it's mostly white North Eastern Americans, but there's been a lot of push for more diversity. Ideologically, Bates is very liberal by American standards; however, they are very mainstream. It seemed like everyone was for Obama, and third-party activism is nil on campus. It's just the two-party system. I would probably describe Bates as a sexually diverse assortment of really friendly, bright people, who all love Bates, may wear Birkenstocks or Uggs, and could be from anywhere in the world,
Diversity: February 18, 2009
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BatMS says: Bates College 2016 English Language and Literature |
There are people of many different...
There are people of many different races and religions at Bates, but it's a small percentage compared to the dominantly white students from New England. Consequently, Bates has a reputation for being a school full of white private school kids. There are those types of people, but there are also students from more than 30 different countries that are active in campus activity and share their cultures with the rest of us. Bates students are typically politically liberal-but then again, during the election in 2008, we did have students selling "Joe The Student" T-shirts for John McCain's campaign.
Diversity: February 16, 2009
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BatCB says: Bates College 2013 Other |
Most of the students are white and...
Most of the students are white and come from wealthy backgrounds. However, Bates does a good job of bringing in a diverse range of racial backgrounds, as well as a ton of international students from all over the world.
Diversity: February 15, 2009
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Anonymous says: |
Bates is pretty diverse,...
Bates is pretty diverse, considering that we are a liberal arts college in New England, or Maine even. But it’s not terribly diverse. |
FactsEconomic Status
The student body contains representatives from many different economic groups. However, a majority of students are from wealthy families. This has led to some tension between Bates students and Lewiston “townies,” but on campus, differences between students’ economic backgrounds are hardly noticed, especially since many wealthy students choose to hold jobs on campus, which leaves few opportunities for differences in economic backgrounds to become apparent.
Gay Pride
Bates has a gay-straight alliance called OUTfront. OUTfront organizes events such as Lick-it, a dance in which students wear next to nothing, as a symbol of freely accepting sexuality in all its forms. As Bates is mostly liberal, students are generally accepting of the gay population. Many of the gay/lesbian students on campus came out for their first time to friends at Bates or in OUTfront, so there is support from students who are willing to share their experiences with each other.
Minority Clubs
Bates has a Multicultural Center which is affiliated with the school's 11 cultural and ethnic groups. These include Amandla! which aims to promote understanding of African culture, the American Indian Awareness Organization, the Francophone Club, Solidariad Latina, and the Women of Color Organization.
Most Common Religions
The campus has an ecumenical Christian Fellowship Group with a very diverse membership. Hillel services and events are also well-attended by the Jewish community. The chapel runs a variety of programs representing many different religions. Bates has a chaplain who welcomes religious diversity, organizes services for the different religions and often hosts dinners at his home. He and students run a multi-faith club on campus for people of all religions, including agnostics. There is also a group for the non-religious students on campus. A number of Bates students choose to attend religious services off-campus. The population of Lewiston is largely Catholic and several area churches offer masses in both English and French due to Lewiston’s large Franco-American population.
Political Activity
The campus is overwhelmingly liberal, and many students are politically active. Many travelled to Washington D.C. to protest the war in Iraq, as well as to attend President Barrack Obama’s inauguration. The Bates College Democrats and Republicans help organize voting for students in local and national elections.
Most Recent Contributing Author
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Hometown: Farmington, CT
Major: English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a Spanish minor As a journalist, Jessie has interviewed two contestants on "The Bachelorette," Doug Gray (lead singer of The Marshall Tucker Band), bestselling novelist Elizabeth Strout, Pete Francis and Bradiggan of Dispatch, and actor Patrick Dempsey Contributing Author Internship  College Prowler is actively seeking talented students to be "Contributing Authors," and assist with updating
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