<p>Hi there. I’m a Bates student and may be able to help you with some of your questions. Participation is definitely valued by most of the professors here and is highly encouraged. The percentage of grades based on participation varies from class to class but in my experience it has been typically around 10 percent. This may not seem like much but some of my professors have stressed that it can make the difference between a grade- ie- if your average is a B+ but you participate frequently it may be raised to an A-.</p>
<p>As for off-campus study, Bates is rather lenient as far as the minimum GPA they require which I think is around a 2.75. Also, nearly all Bates students who apply to programs are accepted. </p>
<p>Hope this helps and good luck to your son in his upcoming college years!</p>