Bates College

Date: Apr 11 2010
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
I have never regretted my decision to attend Bates. I had many of my high school peers puzzled as to why I would choose a small, liberal arts college in ME in all places! But, after visiting Bates I knew it was a great school! The students are great—a real mix of creative, intellectual, and sporty types-and thus, the activities on campus range from outing events to cultural performances. My only complaint would be the surrounding town. Lewiston is a bit run-down and there is some sketchy areas surrounding campus. You would not feel particularly safe venturing off campus or walking after dark anywhere off campus. Other than that, my experience has been AMAZING! I have had the most engaging, devoted professors! Each one is unique in their own right—incredibly knowledgeable and totally brimming with enthusiasm. They make going to class fun! They are accessible and seem to want you to succeed (they do not want to 'break your spirit' but rather want you to get 'it' and they build you up! It has been amazing to be their students. In other regards, I would say that housing is not that great. Particularly for what you pay in tuition. There are nice dorms, but they are for upper classmen. The other dorms are not that great. I have seen much (MUCH) nicer dorms at state schools. Also, there is a pretty big party scene. Sometimes the dorms are really noisy—even dorms designated as quiet dorms. The drug/drinking scene is very prevalent.I find that annoying—it is almost overdone (can that be possible at a college? YES!!!!!) Overall, I have been very pleased with my experience at Bates. The classes are challenging, you feel like you have worked hard, and hard work is rewarded. The downside is that there isn't much to do in Lewiston and that some students abuse alcohol and drugs to excess.