Bates College Top Questions

Academics are very hard and rigorous. Teachers tend to grade hard and therefore students are always in the library studying. Classes tend to be small (anywhere from 10-30 people in an average class) however some of the 100 level classes there can be up to 70 people. With small class sizes it is hard to skip classes becuase teachers tend to know who you are and expect students to be participating regularly in class discussions, etc.

unreal. the academics are so stimulating and the professors are passionate. i don't know anyone on campus who feels unchallenged or deprived. professors are fair and extensions and leniency is provided to students who pose a logical reason.

Bates is great for academics and generally underrated in the college books for reasons we Bates students don't understand. Most classes at Bates are very very small, and all are taught by professors. Most professors like to interact with students outside of class, and it is not uncommon to see a member of the faculty playing IM sports, acting in a play, or having lunch with a student in commons. Often professors work under their first names, and are very easy to work with. Class participation is the name of the game at Bates. The professors at Bates are there because they want to teach, and they are very passionate about that.

The class sizes are fairly small except in the intro sciences. They have just redone the curriculum for incoming years so I cannot speak to the ease of finishing gen-ed requirements and how competition for classes will come about. I know that the new requirements work to build writing skills However, the professors are amazing people who are almost always ready to talk with you if you go into their office. I loved the Classics department, they are curious people who instill passion in their students. Bates is fairly flexible in terms of creating their own major and the professors will help these students study what they wish especially in junior and senior year. Every student (except possibly math majors) is required to write a Senior Thesis. (My thesis advisor and I met over tea once a week during the evening to discuss my progress and my concerns. He even hosted my mother during graduation!) Length requirements vary among disciplines, but students pick a topic they are interested in and then spend a semester or a year researching and writing on that topic. This is the culmination of your education career, a chance to pull together everything you've learned in four years into something that you are passionate about. I wrote my thesis on Cicero as a Political Philosopher: examining and trying to prove that his philosophy was not merely a Greek copycat or something haphazardly thrown together to support his politics, but a product of his education and his Roman practicalities that is entirely different from, but not second to, Greek philosohpy. It is a long process during which you want to tear your hair out, but afterwards everyone is proud of what they have accomplished! Bates wants students to succeed after college. They are a liberal arts college. This means they are educating students to think critically in whatever field they study and to learn for education's sake. If you are looking for a place where you can just learn for its own pleasure, this is the place. The by-product of this philosophy is that you can succeed in any job you get because of the well-grounded background in critical thinking, problem solving, and love of a challenge. They have many programs to help students look for jobs and internships outside of Bates, and in your senior year you can use your thesis and classes as a way to tailor your education for the work force. I'm a Classics major - the skills I've learned are completely useless for any area outside education, but I have had no problem entering the work force, my talents are still valued. Like most places, what you get from your education depends on what you put into it. If you are willing to talk to the professor outside of class, do all the reading, ask questions and be engaged, then you will reap infinite benefits from the experience. If you are a passive about your education, then Bates will be less than stellar - go look somewhere else! The classes are rarely lectures. Even when they are, they tend to have smaller study-groups that are discussion based where students are Expected and encouraged to participate.

Because of the size of the schoool you become closely acquainted with your professors, most professors are easily accessible and excited to help. The nature of majors will force students to take small seminars and then a thesis which will create strong connections with teachers. I find that most students are interested in the events of the world and have interesting intellectual conversations outside of class.

The best thing about Bates is the small class sizes and therefore the recognition students get from Profs. Batesies definitely have intellectual convos outside of class, although they may be hard to find among all the drunken night before stories. My fav class was definitely Mammalogy... camping up at Moosehead and going "cruising" at night to try to see moose while munching on Oreos was unforgettable. Bates has changed thier general education requirements and it's really confusing now... I have no idea how it works.

Bates offers a top of the line liberal arts education. Classes are generally large at first (30) but as you progress into higher level classes that number drops to around 12. The professors are what makes such a special place. Professors always know you're name and are invested in each students' success. The senior thesis is one aspect of Bates that I really enjoyed. My thesis pushed me to work harder and smarter than I ever have. Furthermore when its all said and done the feeling of accomplishment is unparalleled.

Professors have a tendency to teach to the middle, subsequently green-lighting the more advanced students to do little reading. This problem is widespread and, I think, not specific to Bates. The General Education notion also needs to be re-thought. All in all, the professors are fantastic and classes, if you choose them carefully, can be extremely rewarding. Bates also has a very encouraging study abroad department which I think is one of its features.

Bates professors are unique in that they truly care about their students and are willing to go the extra mile. They encourage students to drop by during office hours and dine with students at Commons, or invite their classes over for a meal. Professors are great to talk to because 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of them have the highest degrees in their field and they are extremely knowledgeable. Batesies are not competitive with each other. I do not even know my class rank.

Academics are all above average. There are a few teachers who perhaps should be considering another career, but that is true of almost anywhere. Classes are mostly small size (especially as you get into higher level courses) and engaging. The only complaint I currently have is that the current Spanish department is pretty unimaginative and unexciting.