Admission & test scores

Bates College SAT scores and acceptance rate

Admitted students scored 1420–1530 on the SAT. Bates College admits 13% of applicants — highly selective. 91% of first-year students return for a second year.

SAT range1420–1530middle half of admits
ACT midpoint—admitted students
Acceptance rate13%highly selective
First-year retention91%return for year two

Reading the score band These are the scores admitted students had — not a cut-off.

25th percentile
1420
Average
1468
75th percentile
1530

A quarter of admitted students scored below 1420 and a quarter above 1530. Being under the lower figure does not rule you out — it means the rest of the application has to carry more weight — and being above the upper one does not secure a place at a selective university. This intake sits inside a student body of about 1,760.

Universities with similar scores Useful for building a realistic application list.

UniversityAvg SATACTAcceptanceIn-state tuition
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1469 — 13% $64,410
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan 1465 — 16% $17,736
Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, Massachusetts 1463 33 36% $67,018
University of Maryland, College Park College Park, Maryland 1473 32 45% $11,809
Brandeis University Waltham, Massachusetts 1462 33 41% $68,080
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1475 — 22% $67,642

Getting in is the first question, not the last

Admission data says nothing about what the degree costs or returns. Before accepting an offer, read the net price for your family's income and the earnings of previous graduates — a place at a selective university financed with heavy borrowing can be a worse outcome than a place at a less selective one that costs little.

Bates College admission: common questions

What SAT score do you need for Bates College?
The middle half of admitted students scored between 1420 and 1530 on the SAT, with an average of 1468. A score inside that band is competitive; below it you would be relying on the rest of the application.
What ACT score does Bates College require?
ACT figures are not published for this institution.
How hard is it to get into Bates College?
Bates College admits 13% of applicants, which is highly selective. Of those who enrol, 91% return for a second year.
Does Bates College require SAT or ACT scores?
This page reports what admitted students scored, not what the university requires. Many US universities went test-optional and have not returned to a requirement — always check the admissions page before deciding to skip a test.
What it costs Student loan record Debt vs graduate salary Highest SAT universities Highest acceptance rates SAT & ACT preparation

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — SAT/ACT scores of admitted students, acceptance rate and first-year retention as most recently published. Scores describe past intakes and are not an entry requirement.