<p>This is a more detailed pitch of the speech I, a Class of 2013 member, like to make to "prospies" (people interested in attending Middlebury). I hope it gives you a little more insight into the experience here.</p>
<p>I look at Middlebury's value from four perspectives. First: academics. It's well-known for languages, and hey, the other programs aren't bad themselves. I feel a little uneasy about quoting the U.S. news ranking (given how hard it is for a formula to evaluate the value of a college), but our #4 position for liberal arts schools has to mean something.
But the college offers a lot more than that. You also have wonderful buildings and facilities. I'm typing this from our new library, an impressive-looking place with three floors, lots of study carrels, reclining chairs facing the Green Mountains (ahh...), a great periodicals collection and so on. We also have Bicentennial Hall, a huge (apparently the 2nd largest building in Vermont) complex offering room for science classes, the lovely Axinn Center and a Student center. (And other buildings too, of course!)
The location is really important to me. Sure, the high today was 58 with rain, but for the most part, January means snow on the ground. (That's either an advantage or disadvantage to you, but I'm quite a snow lover.) We have mountains on either side, which gives some variety to the view. Middlebury itself is a lovely little town. People here aren't rich, but there is a variety of shops and botiques. Forth and Goal and the Alpine Shop are two go-to sites for winter recreation. If you happen to be Christian, there are a lot of lovely churches from a variety of denominations. As someone who grew up in a suburban location, I appreciate that so many resources are within walking distance. For those further away, you can use a local bus service.
One of the best things about our longitude and latitude are the great outdoor recreation opportunities. We have a large trail around Middlebury, and over at Bread Loaf (another campus location), a nordic skiing center. If you're even remotely interested in alpine skiing, check out the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. Season passes are a great price, and there's a free shuttle that can get you there in 40 minutes. Talk about a good study break!
Transportation-wise, it's not too difficult to get to the Burlington airport from here. You can certainly drive to the college from Boston or New York. Just be careful of slippery roads!</p>
<p>Finally--and this is certainly important--there are so many friendly people here. Sure, not everyone is going to become your best friend, but you'll find yourself in a supportive, caring community. I'm not the most outgoing person, but I consider pretty much everyone in my hall to be a friend, since they're all genuinely nice to me. Why go to a pressure-cooker school where you find yourself in competition with other kids when you can find great academics in a nurturing environment?</p>
<p>Some disadvantages: no juice at dinner, which makes all of us sad; some classes are only offered certain years, though there are plenty left from which to choose; the wi-fi is pretty slow, so bring a cable if you want to use the internet; there's not a huge selection in the dining hall (but the food is still pretty good); the college could stand to keep more Regular Decision slots available; professors' office hours seem limited to me; some classes are more university-sized (meaning less opportunity to interact with your professor); and finally, it does get pretty freezing here sometimes. Those are the ones I can think of now.</p>
<p>I've been at Middlebury for about 5 months. Can I be positive that this is the right school for me? No; there are thousands out there! But this is an amazing place to learn, ski, make friends and grow. My five-letter advice for anyone looking for a wonderful liberal arts experience: apply.</p>