Since its founding by idealists in 1855, Bates College has been dedicated to the emancipating potential of the liberal arts and sciences.The first coeducational college in New England, Bates educates the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community of more than 2,000 undergraduate students from 82 countries and most U.S. states. The 54-hectare main campus in Lewiston (Maine’s second-largest metropolitan area) is the perfect site for engaged learning in a vibrant, dynamic, and accessible community. Submission of standardized testing is optional. Need-based financial aid is available.