@merc81 that’s interesting. According to Startclass, Bates has a much higher SAT average, and Naviance at our school shows Bates to be significantly harder to get into than Pitzer (for our students).
My information may be out of date - perhaps Pitzer has become much more difficult to get into in the last few years. I have no personal connection with either school.
Bates is very difficult to get into if you are from the NE and I am sure the same can be said with Pitzer if you are from California; that said all of the top-30 schools are difficult to get into in today’s environment - there aren’t any safeties in that group.
@ThankYouforHelp
Bates SAT 1380-1460 for the class of '21
ACT 30-32
https://www.bates.edu/admission/student-profile/
Pfizer SAT 1300-1450 for class of '20
ACT 29-32
https://www.pitzer.edu/admission/test-optional-policy/
@CrewDad, Bates data is ‘21 and Pitzer is ‘20, but in neither case do we know whether it’s accepted or attending -I here’s the 2016-2017 self-reported CDS data for each:
Bates
25th Percentile 75th Percentile
SAT Critical Reading 570 690
SAT Math 580 700
ACT Composite 27 32
Pitzer
25th Percentile 75th Percentile
SAT Critical Reading 650 730
SAT Math 650 720
ACT Composite 29 32
Both great schools, but definitely different climates and settings.
Both are test-optional also. Agree that both are great schools and not a significant difference in prestige.
I clearly stated the data was for '21 and '20. Pfizer has not published the '21 scores. In Pitzer’s case, it’s clearly stated on the website that “Test-Score Data for the Enrolled Class of 2020” Obviously, scores for admitted students are higher. If you’ll notice, the scores you posted are identical to mine. 
After a reread, I’ll admit the Bates webpage is ambiguous. Good point.
I sincerely wish that schools would state more clearly what the scores represent. But then again, I wish some contributors on CC had the integrity to acknowledge that they’re affiliated with college(s) that they recommend. It probably won’t happen.
I missed the ‘20 and ‘’21 notation. Agree that schools pick and chose whether they publish accepted or admitted data - not certain which basket Bates is utilizing. Given both schools are test optional and that can make up 30-40% of acceptances/admittances, scores don’t give the full picture anyways.
Both great choices - California sun vs Maine snow.
US out of the ‘18 World Cup - I can’t go on tonight :((
Here’s a possible explanation for what people are seeing re. the two schools’ stats.
US News has a bizarre ranking formula which docks schools for reporting less than a certain percentage of SAT scores for students. As a result, on the CDS Bates has chosen to report scores for all students for whom they can get scores, not just those who submitted them with the application, while Pitzer seems to have reported only those for students who submitted scores with the application. Although both schools are score optional Pitzer reports scores for 53% of students, Bates for 91% (assuming no double ACT/SAT reporters.) In reality, if the two schools used the same reporting methods Bates would probably show higher SAT scores but Pitzer’s US News ranking would rise. In other words, taking the numbers from each school’s CDS is like comparing oranges with tangerines.