It took the dual cricket and basketball international a little longer than expected but then she did manage to pack in a fair bit of extracurricular activity during the past six years.
A few months before the White Ferns captain started her university education, she blazed an undefeated 183 for Otago in a State League match and rewrote the record books in the process.
It was obvious then the multi-talented athlete might have to put her studies on the backburner at some stage.
"The woman next to me [at graduation] said it took her 18 years," Bates said with a broad smile.
"She made me feel a lot better about taking six years."
Bates, of course, had to cram the four-year course into her busy sporting schedule. The 24-year-old had a gap year in 2007 when she moved to Christchurch to play for the Sirens in the semi-professional Australian Basketball League.
Then there was a wee trip to China with the Tall Ferns to compete at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The following year the White Ferns made the final of both the cricket world cup and the ICC women's world twenty/20 only to lose to England both times.
Victory in the final of the ICC women's world twenty/20 also eluded them in the Caribbean in 2010.
The three-run loss to Australia still hurts and is being used as motivation for this year's tournament, which gets under way in Sri Lanka next month.
"We watched that final on video recently," Bates said.
"We just thought we didn't debrief it very well and they are similar conditions to what might be playing in. So we watched it and analysed it, I guess with the emotion aside, and tried to learn as much as we could from it. But it was apparent we should have won."
"I've been involved in three finals which we have lost, and we just haven't played well, which is even more disappointing."
Ten of the 14 members of the 2010 squad have returned for another shot at glory. Sophie Devine and Nicola Browne did not play last summer but unfinished business has lured them back.
The draw has been kind to the White Ferns. They have avoided the so-called pool of death which includes India, Australia and England, and will open their campaign against the West Indies on September 26.
"The other pool is the pool of death, I guess. But if we want to make the final, we've still got to beat either England or Australia.
"But the way the women's game is going, South Africa and the West Indies are a threat still and we can't take any game lightly."
The women's world cup will be staged in India next year. Once both tournaments are over, Bates plans to do some travelling before looking for a job.
