Bates College: Acceptance Rate and Your Chances

Updated June 2026 · CollegeCalcAI

Quick answer: Bates College has a 14% acceptance rate, which makes it a highly selective school. Admitted students typically score around 1470 on the SAT or 33 on the ACT. Use the free calculator below to estimate your personal odds at Bates College.
Acceptance rate14%
SAT (75th percentile)1470
ACT (75th percentile)33
LocationME
School typePrivate

Bates College is a private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. It accepts roughly 14% of applicants, which means it is highly selective by any standard. The school has a long history as a test-optional institution.

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How hard is it to get into Bates College?

At a 14% acceptance rate, Bates admits only a small fraction of the students who apply each year. That said, the school takes a genuinely holistic approach to applications, which means your transcript, essays, activities, and recommendations all matter.

Bates was one of the first schools in the country to go test-optional, so it has decades of experience evaluating students without standardized scores. This levels the playing field somewhat, but the overall applicant pool is still highly competitive.

Test scores that make you competitive

For students who choose to submit scores, the SAT 75th percentile among admitted students is 1470 and the ACT 75th percentile is 33. Reaching those marks puts you in strong shape on testing. Because Bates has been test-optional for so long, not submitting scores is a genuine and accepted option, not a workaround.

What Bates College looks for

Bates wants to see that you have challenged yourself academically and done well. A rigorous course load with solid grades is the foundation. Beyond that, the school pays attention to how you spend your time outside class and whether you show genuine intellectual curiosity. Bates has a strong culture of civic engagement and outdoor life, so students who connect with that culture can make a compelling case for fit. Short, specific answers in essays tend to work better than long, general ones.

Estimate your chances at Bates College

Use the free CollegeCalcAI calculator at collegecalcai.com to get a quick estimate of your personal odds at Bates. You enter your GPA, test scores if you have them, and your activities, and it shows you where your application is likely to land.

Frequently asked questions

What is Bates College's acceptance rate?

Bates College accepts about 14% of applicants.

What SAT or ACT score do I need for Bates College?

Among students who submit scores, the SAT 75th percentile is 1470 and the ACT 75th percentile is 33. Bates is test-optional, so scores are not required.

Is Bates College hard to get into?

Yes. With a 14% acceptance rate, Bates is highly selective. A strong application is needed to be competitive.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS), NCES, and publicly reported Common Data Sets. Acceptance rate and score figures are rounded and reflect recent admissions cycles. How we calculate chances.