Best Ivy for Romance Languages? And Middlebury?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>I fall comfortably within the test score range for all of the Ivy league schools. I'd like to apply to some, and I've done the research on specific language departments at some of the Ivies. That's the objective part. Subjectively, which Ivy has the reputation for the best Romance language programs?</p>

<p>Also, I don't really like Middlebury much. But I'm very strong in languages and I think I have a chance to be accepted there. Is Middlebury like THE college for languages? It just seems so isolated and plain to me. </p>

<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>

2

<p>Middlebury has a fantastic language school, especially in the summer. I don't know which Ivy has the best languages, but you could do languages at a different school and go to Middlebury for the summer. They are probably better known for that program. So you could have the best of all worlds.</p>

3

<p>I'd direct you to look strongly at Princeton and Harvard for Romance languages in the Ivies. Brown is especially strong in the classical languages and also has fine Romance languages.</p>

4

<p>If you are female, the Romance Languages at Smith are hugely strong (and, for my d., who is now a graduate student at Princeton, significantly stronger at the former than the latter.)</p>

5

<p>Thank you for all of your input! Mini, I'm a guy Casey =) so Smith wouldn't be for me, but I've heard great things about it! </p>

<p>I heard Columbia was incredibly strong in languages -- any truth to that?</p>

6

<p>And Dartmouth has John Rassias, a guru in the world of teaching languages. His "Rassias Method" is an extremely interactive process for learning languages that is much copied and the approach used at many K-12 schools now. I can't contrast it to other colleges but my son chose Dartmouth over the others raving about the opportunities in both course work and studying abroad in multiple places.</p>

7

<p>Honestly for something as liberal artsy as a language major individual department rank won't matter that much between the top schools. The LACy schools are likely to offer strong study abroad and indivudual programs. Choose the best school you get into and pick for fit.</p>

8

<p>have you been to middlebury? What do you mean when you say it seems "plain"?</p>

9

<p>I went to the Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy for kids (13-18) and it was amazing. They know what they are doing and Monterey is offered to college students every summer. It is fantastic. The town is also very special with a calm, placid feel.</p>

10

<p>Dartmouth does have a really cool language program too. In the morning you have language drills that begin your day with your language...my friend speaks highly of the drills and their affectiveness.</p>