Hi! I’ve just visited all three schools and have loved them all equally. Wondering what you think would be the best fit for me?
Cum Laude
34 ACT
national merit scholar
4.0 GPA (unweighted) school doesn’t weight
Several awards
3 seasons of sports
President of 1 club, treasurer of another, and i partake in several other charity organizations
I like a collaborate over competitive environment
interested in running cross country/track
i LOVE the outdoors(hiking, skiing, surfing)
I care about prestige but I would rather have an amazing four years than go to a high profile school that i dislike.
Thanks!
Also interested in econ, math, polisci or history. cost isn’t an issue
Three of my personal favorite NESCACS. Can’t go wrong! Each is a little different, and take my impresions with a grain of salt as they are subjective of course. I think (overall) all three schools are pretty equal in your academic areas of interest- some might be stronger than others in certain areas but overall it’s relative as all three are top notch schools.
Bates- wonderful community. Gorgeous (although small) campus/architecture. Very friendly vibe, students are welcoming and the close knit community feel is palpable. Strong academics, just a lovely school. Has the month long May plan which is useful for starting summer internships early or for traveling abroad. Major difference to me between it and the other two is a more laid back vibe. Doesn’t feel as intense. Definitely collaborative. Best food of the three. Nephew is a current student. D15 would have applied regular decision if her ED school had fallen through. Bates is very high on D18’s list this year.
Bowdoin- neat school. Lovely campus in it’s own quirky way. Location near Portland is nice, it is more suburban than rural if that matters to you. Great if you like the ocean. Pretty far away from mountains though if you like having them in your back yard. Of course great academics. Personally, I sensed a little more academic elitism at Bowdoin than the other three. I don’t mean it in a bad way, and perhaps I have used the wrong word. Just seemed a little bit more academcially snobby than the other two. Not sure how collaborative/competitive, don’t know enough kids who go there. D15 liked Bowdoin a lot, would have applied if her ED school fell through. D18 didn’t even look at Bowdoin, too intense of a school for her.
Middlebury- awesome location in the mountains, lovely campus. Feels considerably bigger than the other two schools. D15 went ED and attends. Loving her expereince, it is the right mix of academic intensity and fun for her. Raves about (most) of the professors/classes she has taken. Has found Midd more collaborative than competitive (she is env policy major). Heavily involved in the Mountain Club. Knows women on the cross country/track team and they are a great group. Jan Plan is very popular- fun to have the one block class in the middle of ski season. Lots of students ski. D18 not interested in Midd, a bit too intense for her.
Good luck!
Are you being recruited? Planning to apply ED?
If not, apply to all 3.
More similarities than differences but one big difference is size with Midd being about 33% bigger in terms of students. They are still all small schools, but the extra kids at Midd does make a difference for some. All have active outdoors clubs, but Midd probably has the most active one with the most serious outdoor kids. If you’re not outdoorsy, Bates or Bowdoin may more suit you. @lr4550 makes some excellent points, but I disagree about the food. Bowdoin’s is best! But if you’re looking at LACs, can’t go wrong with any of them. Good luck!
@wisteria100 Why would you say Midd has a more active outdoors club than Bowdoin? Bowdoin’s Outing Club is famous. They have their own permanent building on campus, and they own both an island and a remote cabin. They organize multiple trips a week. And to end up being a leader they send you on a 300 hour certification program that pretty much makes you an expert survivalist. But for casual members they do everything from simple hikes, biking or kayaking to extreme hiking and camping. Not taking anything away from Midd which is a great school too but would be hard to say any school is a level up from Bowdoin on outdoorsy student opportunity.
This was so helpful thank you!!
@citivas What I was trying to say, is that you aren’t outdoorsy, then Bowdoin or Bates would offer more non outdoorsy activities than Midd. That is in part due to locatIon. If you are outdoorsy all are great places but in particular Midd and Bowdoin
Thanks for clarifying, Wisteria100. I’ll add that to say Middlebury has the most serious outdoor kids of the three schools makes little sense based on my observations. I know that my son chose Bowdoin, in part, because of it’s tremendous Outing Club and the school’s emphasis on exploring nature. It transformed his life. Today he teaches, and lives, the outdoor adventure world (along with his day job of teaching biology) as do many of his Bowdoin friends now scattered about the planet combining education with the outdoors. I’ve no doubt Middlebury is similar, and have less connection with Bates. You’re correct in suggesting that Bowdoin is unique in it’s balance for those who may not be interested in the outdoors…It’s a school set in beautiful Brunswick and attracts a wide range of students from all cultures.
Bowdoin owns a nature reserve island. Midd owns it’s own private ski resort that students ski down in their gowns as part of a graduation ritual. Really can’t go wrong either way.
If you want a really outdoorsy NESCAC LAC in New England, with great track/XC programs and attractive running opportunities, with very strong social sciences and math departments, then Williams seems like a great fit. At least as good as Bates, Midd, and Bowdoin, and maybe better.
A lot of people are forced to skip Williams on their college visits because it is too far off the beaten track to fit into their schedule. But if you love the outdoors, then a remote location in a snowy mountainous corner of New England may be exactly what you are looking for.
Williams is even closer to the mountains. On the other hand, Midd arguably does have a lovelier, more carefully planned campus. The Williams campus seems somewhat randomly organized and has a two-lane highway running through the middle.
@corbett I was looking into williams but it seemed to intense/cutthroat for me. I’m looking for something a little bit more laid back.
Only the Feb admits/grads. Unfortunately, the snow has long disappeared by the May graduation.
http://www.middlebury.edu/student-life/annual-events/february-celebration
@lr4550 Did she ever complain about Middlebury feeling too elitist?
@doschicos I’m planning to ED to one of them, so that’s why I’m so torn. I feel like I won’t get into Bowdoin or Middlebury if I do RD
I would question whether there is really any discernible difference between Bowdoin, Midd, and Williams on the “laid-back vs. cut-throat” scale. Williams might have slightly higher stats, but not by much. Bates might be a little further towards the laid-back end of the scale.
This is a point where there actually would be a discernible difference. Williamstown MA is even smaller than Middlebury VT, and offers even fewer non-outdoorsy activities. Williams is arguably at the far end of the “outdoor vs. indoor activities” scale.
" I’m looking for something a little bit more laid back."
I think Bates would best fit this description.
All great schools. Middlebury being the most prestigious. Bowdoin is a step up with schools like Haverford. All great options though.
@joy12345 my daughter has never felt an elitist vibe at Middelbury. Her friend group is geographically pretty diverse, and generally speaking (at least from her experience) students really don’t know/care who is full pay or who gets financial aid. Of course there are always exceptions at every school but middkids are a prety down to earth group. I do, however, agree with @doschicos that Bates is arguably the most laid back of the three you are considering.
On a side note- when my daughter visited Williams she spent the day on campus. Attended class, danced in the studio, tried to take in as much as possible. She did feel the environment was intense at Williams, that it had a similar feel to Swarthmore, and for that reason Williams did fall off of her list. At Middlebury the students seemed like they were having fun; at Williams not so much that particular day. Having said that, she has two friends at Williams and they absolutely love Williams!
Bottom line is that all three are great school and the comparisons are truly relative and certainly subjective 
Bates is very outdoorsy! There are hiking trails that leave from campus and a lovely 380 acre bird-sanctuary literally across the street. Bates has a private 600 acre nature preserve, the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, with beaches, salt marshes and woodland. Bates also has a famous Outing Club and a sailing club. Many kids engage in winter sports.
I am not an expert, but from what I have gleaned over the years, Bates is probably the most laid-back of the three. Having said all this, I am biased because my D attends:-).