Bates College Top Questions

Academics at Bates is definitely rigorous. You wont get away with not reading the required readings and then expect to ace the final, its just not going to happen! The most intense class I've ever taken was International Politics, the professor was so adaman

The academics at Bates are what you make of them. If you want, you can get by taking easy classes and not do much. However, if you chose a hard major and hard classes, you will definitely need to work to do well. The kids are studious and you won't find too many slackers. The students are not competitive with each other, and everyone minds their own business about grades. Because Bates is small, you can establish relationships with your teachers IF you make the effort.

very small classes, all professors knew my name. Many professors were informal and friendly and acted like 'real people,' not beings who were on an altogether higher plane than their students. Discussions occurred during almost every class period, and were frequently heated. The students are completely uncompetitive, almost every student would help, rather than hinder, a fellow student. My favorite departments were Physics, German/Russian, and Music My least favorite was Mathematics (widely accepted as a poor department) Physics is a very friendly, small department. Their were 7 professors for 7 majors in my graduating class There was definitely a physics camaraderie, developed from small classes, jointly accomplished homework assignments, frequent lectures by outside speakers, and shared lab space Education is definitely geared towards learning for its own sake, as opposed to towards getting a job.

I've taken 16 classes, and all but 2 of my professors knew my name. I've been so impressed with the professors, especially in the psychology department. Every professor is so enthusiastic about the classes that he or she teaches, and that has a huge impact on the students. I'm a psych major, and I took a class called Motivation and Emotion (a biopsych class) which was the best class I've taken at Bates. I never had any interest in the biological bases of psychology, but this class and my professor's enthusiasm and encouragement turned me into a biopysch major. Professors are very accessible and willing to help--they want you to come to them when you're having trouble. It shows them that you care and that you really want to understand the material. I honestly don't think I would have made it through some of my classes if I didn't stop by my professors' offices on several occasions. I think it's also important to note that professors are equally as excited to talk about your interests and experiences; I've spent a great deal of time talking to my professors about mutual interests and aspirations. One of my professors, who's the chair of the neuroscience department, suggested that I (not a neuro major) speak to him about figuring out a potential path for the rest of college and beyond. I don't know why he took such an interest in my choices, but it was so encouraging and reassuring and made me realize how special Bates is. In my experience--and maybe this is just because I'm a psych major--the education is geared toward learning for its own sake. I've taken some classes that will not help me at all in terms of getting a job, but that have broadened my scope of interest and knowledge. It's refreshing to see professors teaching classes on subjects that may not lead directly to successful careers, but that they are passionate about. For the most part, students are very focused on their studies and spend a lot of time working. Students are competitive, but I find that we're competitive more with ourselves than with our peers. I always study in groups, and have found that everyone is willing to share their opinions, knowledge, and everyone is eager to help each other.

My professors always know my name- but it's the students that help me learn. Everyone loves to have intellectual conversations all of the time. It's not a competition, though, it's a free spirited sharing of ideas. I have know idea how I'm going to get a job, but I'm only a freshman so...

Some really great professors but the average Bates student is of only moderate intellect. Most Bates kids cheat and the library is a joke. Yes classes are usually small but all the professors live in Portland so they are never around.

Most people spend several days relaxing, and then spend an night frantically catching up. But it all gets done, and generally done well, because Batesies are good under pressure.

Students at Bates are not very competitive, but they are certainly studious and extremely hardworking. Bates's academic requirements are not strict and are easy to satisfy. Professors know your name. The biggest class you can possibly have at Bates would have 70 students, and that would happen only in a big science lecture. My average class size thus far has been under 20.

Every professor you've ever had (even for a big lecture class three years ago) remembers your name. Some professors even study their students' ID pictures before the first day of class so that they can call on people by name during the first few minutes of the first class. Creepy? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely. There are a lot of high-achievers here, but they're competitive with themselves, not with their classmates. You don't usually share your grades on individual assignments with friends unless you did poorly and want to ask for help. People usually only discuss grades they got in a course after they've completed the course and it's over and done with. For example, two of my closest friends won prestigious awards for academic achievement during the first year. I didn't even know about their honors until about a year later when I accidentally fell upon the press release! They were never grade-obsessed, always modest, just like everyone else. You can always find a friend in the library on a weeknight, but I feel like I've had more intellectual conversations in a friend's dorm room and in Commons (the dining hall) than in the library. The library's the place where most of the high-achievers spend lots of time pouring over their readings and notes. Of course, sometimes this is necessary. But students also work through their academics by discussing class topics over lunch with friends.

The academics at Bates are stellar. If you're worried about a small student population, just sit in on a class here. While introductory psychology class had about 90 students, the professor to student ratio is 10:1. Meeting with professors to discuss a class, how you plan to graduate, or the weather couldn't be easier at Bates. The numbers aside, the actual professors are also exceptional across all disciplines. I've taken psychology, philosophy, Roman history, neuroscience, french and English classes and each professor has not only been accessible but often actually inspiring. I didn't know I wanted to be a psychology major until I took my second class, but the professor's enthusiasm and expertise made me realize I could spend the next four years studying this stuff.

Academics play a fairly big role in student life at Bates. My biggest class as far as class enrollment went was around 40, and even in that class my professor knew my name. I'm a history major, so I'll probably take a few more 40 person survey type courses, but usually classes are much smaller, and the professors are able to not only remember your name but actually come to know you as a student and a person. You can always contact professors be it through email or phone, and they are almost all friendly and approachable. The professors at Bates are there to teach rather then to do research for the most part, which you won't find as often at big universities, and so they are so invested in their students which really shows. The classes are hard, and there's a lot of work, but Bates kids for the most part aren't competitive about grades.

There are very small class sizes. Teachers always know your name and you will be responsible for the material covered in the previous classes and in the assigned readings. There is one on one help and faculty are always available. Students are very driven but willing to help one another out. The psychology classes are some of the best classes at bates.

The professors are not only great at what they do - they are great people, and many of them become your very good friends. It would literally be hard for me to pick a favorite professor or a favorite class. The student:teacher ratio is small. Class participation is high. Professors are approachable and personable. The variety of classes you can take is limited, though, since the college itself is small. I was frustrated to know, for example, that I could not study Portuguese because it isn't offered at Bates. Courses on Latin America are also scarce. Study abroad is common and encouraged. Research grants and fellowships abound.

The proffessors are pretty nice though like all schools some profs are bitches or dicks but overall it's pretty good. The academic requirments aren't that bad . class participation is pretty random. There's not that many intellectual conversations outside of politcal debates that i've noticed. Students study a lot during the week but like to party on the weekend.

I could not say enough about Bates academics. From the professors to the classes to the plan of study, Bates academics rival the best in the country. For the start of one's Bates career, the first year seminar provides a unique academic opportunity. The classes are very interesting topics, class size is limited to 15 and the class is writing intensive. The first year seminar allows freshman to create a strong relationship with a particular professor as well as 14 other students. Additionally, the class's writing focus prepares students for the challenges that will follow in their academic career. The Bates professors, beyond one's first year seminar professor, continue to build strong relationships with many of their students. The strong relationships between professors and students emerge through the research opportunities provided to students as well as recommendations for graduate schools and jobs. Another unique Bates experience involves short term. Many departments require certain short terms for majors. Within many of these short terms, majors are provided the opportunity to experience highest level within their respect focus. For instance, math majors study abstraction during their short term, which is generally not offered for many undergraduate experiences. This exposure provides majors with small sample of the work of the highest academics within that field. The capstone project at Bates, the senior thesis, is most likely the best academic experience provided for undergraduates. To graduate students must complete a thesis, which is traditionally not completed until graduate study. The completion of a senior thesis and the research involved with the completion of a thesis, give Bates graduate an advantage when applying to graduate programs. Another important part of the Bates academic experience is the Mount David Summit. The Mount David Summit is an event held to allow Bates students to showcase the research completed throughout the year. I believe the Mount David Summit shows the school's dedication to providing students unique academic opporunities.

I dig academics at Bates. That sounds super geeky and so incredibly lame, but its true. I have had a great time in nearly all of my classes. Admittedly, that night class I took in Art History one fall was probably a mistake, and Psych Stats sometimes took over my life, but overall, most of my classes have been great. Even though I'm a psych major, I take a lot of classes in a lot of departments: Art History, Geology, Math, Theater, Anthropology, Religion, Rhetoric, German, Studio Art, and Chemistry, along with a ton of Psychology. That's why the whole liberal arts approach is so appealing. I will graduate as a psych major, but have a certain amount of knowledge in any field I want. Bates makes it really easy to take classes in pretty much anything. Recently, they changed graduation requirements and it is supposedly easy to follow. It doesn't apply to me because it's new, but it looks super confusing. But first years seem to know what's going on. In my experience, it takes a little bit of work to figure out just what is required of you in order to graduate, but advisors and professors are pretty good at helping sort through it with you. Because of the liberal arts thing, we are required to take classes in lots of fields, which I really like, obviously, but if you're really focused on one subject, like one or two of my friends, the requirements and become a bit of a burden. Particularly if you're a science major and need to take gen-eds in humanities or vice-versa and you're not a big fan of the other subject. But being one-track minded isn't really the point of a liberal arts education, so...

Professors are really close. Other than beginner classes (like gen chem or psych 101), classes are typically 20-30 people. When you reach the 300 level courses classes can be between 30-even 6. I had an immunology class with only 8 people. But the semester earlier there were 20 people in that class. Some professors will offer to have dinner with the class. I never experienced that. Bates academic requirements are intense but you're going to a great school so its worth it. Education is geared towards both getting a job, preparing you for entry tests to graduate school and learning for its own sake. The professors are very dedicated to their students. Remember you are going to a college without graduate programs. Therefore, the professors are there for YOU and you only!

Since the campus is fairly small, the classes are also small enough that you really get to know the professors. In all of my classes except for maybe one or two, the professors all knew my name. Even in the two large science classes that I have taken with about 70 people in the class, the professors still knew my name and the other subjects and activities that I was interested in. The teachers really care about getting to know their students and they encourage us to meet them for office hours for extra help. I have always felt comfortable visiting teachers for help or to just talk about other issues/problems that I may have. Class participation is more common in the small classes and the teachers really encourage us. I am not big on participating in class so I often met with teachers outside of class to discuss topics. One thing that I really like about the academic environment is that students do not compete with each other, but rather help each other out. We form study groups before exams and students are always eager to help each other out. It is far from a competitive environment. My favorite class so far was CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY with Professor Fraser-Thill. This class convinced me that I wanted to be a psych major and the professor was so wonderful that I immediately asked her to be my adviser. Another psych course that I think I learned the most from was MOTIVATION AND EMOTION, which was taught by Professor Kelsey. He is a very tough professor but I learned so much and he was very encouraging and helpful. I had to work the most for this class that semester, but I definitely got the most out of that class. The psych department is really wonderful and I spend a lot of time in the psych lounge doing work. The teachers often stop in to say hi to me and my many other friends who are also psych majors. The one problem that I have with the academic system is the major requirements. I think that there are too many requirements that prevent students from taking some classes that they want to take. There are many 200 level psych courses that I want to take but I dont' have room for them because of the other required courses. However, I have still gotten the chance to take many courses for general interest rather than for a requirement.

Class sizes are amazing, I really feel like my professors care about what I work on and I´ve gotten plenty of recommenations from them. Language courses, of course, are a plus, because you are actually forced to speak in class instead of just writing and doing grammar. Plus, I´m writing a dream thesis that´s gotten lots of grants from the Abroad Office that lets me travel all over the country I´m abroad in at the moment. Class participation depends on the class obviously a liberal arts education is what you make out of it... However, Science courses and professors are awful, but the Humanities are usually interesting and well taught. Sometimes, students are really tame and don´t speak out, but most professors know how to get us talking whether from a joke or an interesting topic. Watch out for the Gender Studies though.. A Bates education is summed up by its motto: Amore ac Studio, Love of learning, pretty much, you do what you want with it, just like how your thesis (essentially, a graduation requirement ) is

Exceptional. I set out to find a place where I could enjoy small, discussion-based classes and get to know my professors and I found it. Academics are challenging and the faculty is top-notch. While most professors spend time doing their own research, they are primarily teachers which radically improves the quality of instruction - you will never be taught by a TA of any sort at Bates. That said, I loved some profs and hated others. I think the profession draws "unique" individuals unlike any other. Some departments at Bates are also much larger than others. The economics department is certainly among the largest and best on campus and, it seems to me, even one of the best in the NESCAC. I spent a year at the London School of Economics and, while the courses list was far more extensive, the quality of instruction at Bates blew the LSE of out the water.