<p>“From 1991 to 2003, the Bates endowment grew 131 percent while Middleburys grew 156 percent, Bowdoins 180 percent, and Colbys 352 percent. The four schools began the 1990s less than $140 million apart in endowment (Colby and Bates were just $10 million apart), but right now the Bates endowment is $186 million while Middlebury is at $703 million, Bowdoin at $514 million, and Colby at $357 million.” (bates.edu)
Yeah, it’s true, Bates has a very small endowment campared to most of the NESCACs. It’s like, according to the website, Bates’ first priority to get it up to its peers’s. BUT Bates is still spending the same amount of money as the other schools on the things like financial aid (44% of Bates’ students recieve finaid while 40% of Bowdoin’s do). AND, this year Bates was ranked 19th in “alumni giving rate” by USNews, the endowment is growing quickly. Go to this link to look at other good aspects of Bates: <a href=“http://www.bates.edu/national-rankings.xml[/url]”>http://www.bates.edu/national-rankings.xml</a></p>
<p>But seriously, as a student, who cares about things like endowment??? Let’s not get too snobby about all this stuff.</p>