How to get into Bates
What 39 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 128 Bates results that students posted for the 2018 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to Bates? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
Bates admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.90
Middle half 3.80 to 3.96
Median SAT
1,530
Middle half 1,473 to 1,550
Median ACT
34
Middle half 34 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.31
Middle half 4.19 to 4.51
Results posted: 39 admitted, 36 rejected, 53 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Bates acceptance rate; the official rate is in Bates’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.90 | 3.97 |
| SAT | 1,530 | 1,480 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What Bates admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service74%
- Debate/MUN/Speech51%
- Research51%
- Athletics49%
- Work/Job46%
- Music44%
- Tutoring/Teaching41%
- Advocacy/Politics33%
Held a leadership role
90%
Founded something
41%
National or intl. award
69%
Did research
51%
Intended majors of Bates admits
- Political Science15%
- Biology13%
- Pre-med/Health13%
- Chemistry8%
- Economics8%
- Neuroscience8%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 8% first-generation, 10% low income, 13% underrepresented minority, 26% legacy, 0% recruited athlete and 8% international.
Three recent Bates admits
2026 cycle · Chemistry
Multi-year chemistry researcher and basketball starter who led a regional youth volunteer network.
GPA 3.85 UW · SAT 1550 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Neuroscience
First-gen environmental and film-focused student with research, nonprofit, and family-responsibility work.
GPA 3.20 UW · SAT 1110 · Original post
2026 cycle · Sociology/Anthropology
Art-minded applicant combining WHO and cancer research with debate, drama, and literary leadership.
GPA 3.92 UW · SAT 1560 · Original post
Where else Bates admits got in
Bates admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Bates?
- Among 39 applicants who posted a Bates admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.90 and the middle half reported 3.80 to 3.96 (30 reported a GPA). Bates sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Bates?
- Among 39 applicants who posted a Bates admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,530 and the middle half scored 1,473 to 1,550 (22 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 34.
- What extracurriculars do Bates admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (74%), debate/mun/speech (51%), research (51%), athletics (49%). 90% held at least one leadership role and 69% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Bates acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Bates in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Bates?
A Specialist who got into a school like Bates can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2018 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Bates. All colleges