If you applied to Bates College to join the Class of 2029, chances are you were charmed by this private liberal arts college’s quaint campus life, excellent academics, or location in Maine. You’ve probably stumbled across this post because you were waitlisted and are trying to plan your next move, and you’ve come to the right place! Discover Ivy Coach’s game plan for turning a waitlisted application to Bates into a letter of acceptance.

Bates College Waitlist Acceptance Rate and Statistics

To get started, let’s review the last decade of waitlist acceptance rate statistics at Bates, as compiled in its Common Data Set:

Bates College Class Year	Number of Students Waitlisted to Bates	Number of Students Who Chose to Join the Bates Waitlist	Number of Students Accepted Off the Bates Waitlist	Bates Waitlist Acceptance Rate
Class of 2029	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published
Class of 2028	1,940	883	34	3.85%
Class of 2027	2,198	855	68	7.95%
Class of 2026	2,441	1,264	0	0.00%
Class of 2025	2,473	1,245	2	0.16%
Class of 2024	1,995	676	4	0.59%
Class of 2023	1,605	643	42	6.53%
Class of 2022	1,903	994	0	0.00%
Class of 2021	1,640	773	7	0.91%
Class of 2020	1,063	334	49	14.67%
Class of 2019	1,535	671	11	1.64%
Class of 2018	1,595	694	26	3.75%

Your Chances of Bates Admission After Being Waitlisted

Does the above data paint a clear picture as to how Bates conducts its waitlist process? It’s difficult to say, as there’s a decent amount of variation from year to year. According to the most recent data available for admission to the Class of 2028, Bates admitted 34 out of 883 waitlisted applicants, producing an acceptance rate of 3.85%. The year before, that figure was doubled to 7.95%. And the year before that, well, let’s say the waitlisted applicants were left out of luck as Bates didn’t end up dipping into their waitlist.

Given all of this variation, we’re left in no position to speculate about the waitlist acceptance rate for the Class of 2029. This variation can be attributed to the ever-changing yield rate at Bates. Yield describes the proportion of admitted students who end up enrolling. The higher the yield in a given year, the less incentivized Bates admissions officers will be to fill out the incoming class with waitlisted applicants.

While Ivy Coach cannot predict the yield rate for the Bates Class of 2029, we can provide you with the tools you need to maximize your chances of admission. Our focus is on equipping you with the right strategies and resources so that if Bates can admit waitlisted candidates, yours is one of the first names they think of!

Your Chances of Admission to Bates After Being Waitlisted with Ivy Coach’s Help

So, how does Ivy Coach’s process for waitlisted students to Bates work? It’s a two-step process that goes as follows:

1. Our unique two-step process begins with a PostMortem application review. We carefully analyze how a waitlisted candidate presented their narrative, ensuring it aligns with their initial approach. For instance, a student initially interested in marine biology cannot suddenly become a poet. We help them present a more compelling narrative, daring Bates admissions officers not to admit a student who could one day discover a secret trove of knowledge about dolphins.
2. Submit a compelling Letter of Continued Interest to Bates. Most waitlisted candidates know that doing nothing is an unlikely strategy to earn admission out of limbo. Most waitlisted candidates know they should submit a letter to Bates’ admissions office after being placed in limbo to express their continued interest in attending. But most waitlisted candidates also think such letters should be filled with brags and updates. That is most certainly not the approach of Ivy Coach’s letters. Our students’ letters contain no boasts or updates. Instead, they’re love letters to Bates — filled with specific examples of how a student will contribute their singular hook to the elite institution.

Getting Started with Ivy Coach on the Bates College Waitlist

If you’ve been waitlisted to the Bates College Class of 2029, take the first step towards optimizing your case for admission. Fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form, specifying that Bates waitlisted you. We’ll then reach out to you to set up a consultation and discuss our go-forward service for waitlisted candidates in detail.