Bates College Top Questions

Class particiaption is very common and high. This could be due to its smaller classes compared to other school. Average number of students per class is 15.

While there are overacheivers here that ask a million questions in class and always have to act their smartest, most people are relaxed about academics. We take four classes a semester which makes the workload really managable. Professors usually make an effort to learn names, even in bigger classes. Lots of professors will respond to emails almost immediately. My professor used to edit our papers for us before we passed them into him, which was obviously really helpful.

I had a class of three last semester where i was doing original research. As with any place some professors are good and some are bad but my experience is at the upper levels the classes can be very challenging but very very rewarding. Professors often go by first names and are very approachable and available. Biology is the only departement where any kind of competition seems to come into play at Bates. The pre-med people seem to be a little more competitive than the average batesie especially in the major required courses like cell hell. But Ecology people like myself usually get over that quickly working with a fantastic marine ecology professor.

Professors are all really accessible here, and although you will happen upon a few crazies, in general I have been very happy. There is a lot of enthusiasm within the departments. Some classes integrate opportunities within the community into the curriculum and many of the science classes -- the ones with labs in particular -- involve work outside the classroom.

The new requirments fo 1st years are so so so much easier.. I wished sometimes that I came a year later because the older requirements are just a mess. Poeple at Bates are here to do two things study and socialize. It is competitive regarding many people at Bates seem to push themselves to do better than the previous year, but is not like highschool where you are competing to be at the top of your class or beating your friend by getting a A on your Econ exam. Professors know your name!!! even in the rare classes that are over 35 people, professors will learn your name int he first week and never miss class, because although there are some professors that lack interest, most professors are so engaged in the subject and are entertainment that keep you awake and excited for class.

I'm on a first name basis with all my professors and they're really accessible with flexible office hours. I saw my French professor at the pool today and my politics professor on the quad with his wife and daughter, if that's any indication of how intertwined in the Bates community the professors are.

My professors do usually learn my name pretty quickly, and some I even have a great personal relationship with. Students at Bates study a lot. Its kind of ridiculous. I guess we value our weekends and know that if we want to go crazy on them, and still be able to stay in school, we have to work our asses off to get there. Since classes are small, class participation usually counts for more than homework. The Bates academic requirements (or at least the old ones that I have to do) I feel are a good balance of all areas of the departments. I personally dont like the science requirements (because I am far beyond a science person), and I wish there were more languages offered, but other than that I think the old requirements are okay. From what I've heard, the new requirements are much more free, and overall better. From my perspective, Bates classes can either be preparing you for a job, or they can be learning for the sake of learning -- I think it highly depends on what department/area you're referring to.

Academically, Bates is a lot to handle, though I never found a professor unwilling to help outside of class. Classes, in general, are interesting, though the fact that few sections are offered can be limiting-- and very annoying. GPA competition between students is kept at a relative minimum, mostly because students are too busy competing with themselves to get and maintain a high GPA, that there is little time to compete with others. This is, in part, the reason why the academic environment seldom extends beyond the classroom, midterms week, and finals week. Quite simply, Batesies get their intellectual fill in the classroom and in the homework (which is plentiful). Not having grad students at the school is a Godsend. This means that undergrads have real opportunites to interact and study with professors, as well as 100 percent of the resources of the campus. Professors care and they get involved if you want them to be-- and sometimes when you don't want them to be. This is especially helpful for seniors, who have to write a Senior Thesis to graduate. The saying goes that Bates thesis is generally on par with, or better than a graduate thesis. Each student picks a member of the faculty, within their major, to be their thesis advisor, ensuring one-on-one time with a professor. The core curriculum, or "general education requirements" as they are called, leave much to be desired in a few ways, something recognized by the fact that the faculty is in the process of rewriting gen-eds First, gen-eds do not really emphasize any "core" values that make Bates different from any other school. Second, gen-eds require students to take an inordinate amount of science requirements (three), with two as a set. This is problematic for non-science majors, who have to spend millions of hours in labs and therefore miss out on taking other, more major-related, courses. Third, the availability of gen-ed classes is limited by the limited number of sections offered for any given course; and whereas a student can petition to get into a class, some professors flat out refuse to accept petitions. Some of Bates's finer departments include the Economics depaartment, the Political Science department, and the Rhetoric department. Each of these departments is recognized nationally for their excellence.

Academics is just one aspect of life at Bates, but it is certainly an important one. Education expands outwards from the classroom to discussions with fellow students or professors over dinner, or lectures in the evenings. Professors are always available through office hours and email, and are willing to help not only as part of their job but because they want to. Expect to work hard at Bates; the library is a second home for many students, especially during exam periods. Almost all graduating students complete a Senior Thesis which helps to bring closure to their academic career at Bates.

I feel that at Bates I was held responsible for the education I received. I took it upon myself to get what I could out of the courses I took and it was a choice I had to make every time. But that's usually exactly the right environment for the kind students that go to Bates. The educational opportunities are definitely there. It is up to the student to either take advantage of them or ignore them. Sure, a student could graduate from Bates having spent the last four years skating by, doing just enough to pass and not really knowing much more than when they arrived...except maybe having refined their palate for different beers. But for the students who really are invested in and genuinely interested and excited by learing and bettering themselves, there is much to indulge in at Bates. I have found that many students who choose to come to Bates really do appreciate the opportunities here and are actively engaged in their education. My friends and I really do get excited about things discussed in class and it's not unusual to hear "intellectual" discussions at lunch. But that doesn't mean that's all we talk about. Most of the time those discussions of an "academic nature" flow into deeper topics such as the appropriate ratio of syrup-to-waffle or the best Beatles song off the White Album or who is responsible for the lastest snow chicken that appeared on the quad overnight.