LEWISTON, ME: Recently I visited Bates College. With about 1500 students, the campus is 35 miles from Portland, the largest city in the state. The campus has an urban atmosphere and "The Quad" acts as the center of campus, where the Science and English departments are located.

The dorms are co-ed by floor and some buildings are Victorian in style. Freshmen have roommates but singles are available.

The athletic facilities include a four-lane indoor track, pool, and weight center. The new baseball field, with its full dugout and excellent drainage is considered one of the finest in New England, as is the soccer field. There are also fields for softball, soccer, field hockey, and cross-country courses and tennis courts.

Bates has a spring short term, which allows a student to concentrate on one area of study. Students can stay on campus or do an internship at hospitals, government offices, newspapers, etc.

Bates has a 13: 1 student-faculty ratio, so students get to know their professors well and vice-versa. The General Education requirements include at least 3 courses in biology, chemistry, geology, or physics, at least three in economics, political science, psychology or sociology, a cluster of five courses in the arts, English, foreign languages and literature, history, music, philosophy, or theater, and at least one course in Math.

Bates is one of a very small number of colleges that still requires a Senior thesis, which should be between 40 and 80 pages. This isn't as bad as it seems since some college work may require a ten page paper every two weeks.

Among the many activities at Bates, there is a television station, radio station, newspaper, and numerous theater productions. In the winter the pond provides nightly skating.

Bates is a closely-knit community where everyone seemed to know each other.




Reviewed in 1990