<p>I know this comparison has been made countless times, but I have to choose between the two schools, and any opinions and personal insight would be appreciated.</p>
<p>I was all set to go to Middlebury, and I just got off the waitlist at Bowdoin, which was my tied first choice (with Middlebury). I’m now in love with Middlebury, and I doubt I would switch to Bowdoin, but I just wanted to know if, given my personal interests and goals, there are any reasons why I should consider it. I’ve done hours and hours of research on the two schools, so I guess I’m just looking for some opinions and personal insight.</p>
<p>I want to be pre-med, but my true interest is psychology, so I’ll probably major neuroscience. Does either school have a more respected or superior neuroscience program? Will one or the other be better for medical school placement? I mean, all things equal, would a 3.80 neuroscience major from Middlebury do any better in medical school admissions than a 3.80 neuroscience major from Bowdoin, or vice versa?</p>
<p>One big reason I’ve come to have feelings for Middlebury over Bowdoin is the size–at first, I really liked Bowdoin’s small size and thought it would be cool to have such a small, close community. After thinking about it for a while though, I feel like a student body that small could get kind of smothering after a few years. Midd’s size seems small enough for that aspect of community and close-knit-ness, but large enough to be able to consistently meet new people. Does anyone have any affirmations or corrections of my interpretations of the sizes of the schools?</p>
<p>Lastly, and I know it’s in bad taste to ask this, but does one have any more overall “prestige” or “reputation” than the other? I know that both are relatively unknown by laypeople, but is the name of either going to give you a step up in the real world? Or is one more well-known than the other? I would not make a decision based solely on this, but when it comes down to hairsplitting differences, I think it’s fair to consider.</p>
<p>They are tied in prestige and reputation: excellent.</p>
<p>If you like one over the other, there is no need at all to switch.</p>
<p>It seems to me that Middlebury is all bright and shiny and Bowdoin is all cozy and comfy, and both are wonderful.</p>
<p>You have pinpointed one of the two most important differences: size.</p>
<p>I would say the other is location. Bowdoin is by the sea and cheek-by-jowl by a large town/small city: Brunswick. Middlebury is in the mountains in a small town with Burlington about an hour away.</p>
<p>I would imagine that most students that were happy at one would be happy at the other.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>If you’ve fallen in love with Middlebury, then you shouldn’t change. The schools are equal in reputation and prestige, even in what you want to study. Congratulations on getting off Bowdoin’s waitlist, but it sounds like your heart’s with Middlebury now. Bowdoin was just too late! Good luck.</p>
<p>Yo, Catch – Middlebury’s Psych and NeuroSci looks stronger than Bowdoin’s. You might review the faculty pages and the ratemyprof to get the scoop. If you’re worried about medical school, there used to be this manual of med schools, and their college admissions compositions, that came typed up in an IBM Selectric format – maybe ask around CC because someone can probably direct you to a PDF or something.</p>
<p>Bowdoin people have Middlebury people friends, and of course vice versa. You can always visit on weekends for parties whichever place you decide on. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Catch - Did you at first get the letter from Bowdoin that many people on the waitlist (including my D) got informing them that there wouldn’t be anybody taken off the waitlist at Bowdoin this year?</p>
<p>No? That’s interesting. I got a letter about a week after the enrollment deadline because I hadn’t yet responded to the waitlist offer (just saying they assumed I enrolled somewhere else).</p>
<p>False alarm. It looks like I made a mistake. I just l found the letter and looked it over again and it just says that they assume I have declined their offer to be put on the waitlist–doesn’t say anything about admission.</p>
<p>My apologies. I must have just skimmed some key words and jumped to a conclusion.</p>
<p>Catch,
To answer your questions:
- Like other people have mentioned, Bowdoin and Middlebury are so similar, except by size and by location, although a difference of ~600 kids will not be that significant. If you love Middlebury and its location, no need to switch to Bowdoin.</p>
<ol>
<li>As for neuroscience and pre-med, they will both be really similar. Bowdoin has about 25-30 neuroscience majors every year (a little less than 8% of class on average), and I do not know about Middlebury. There are so many factors when looking at a medical school application (MCAT, ECs, etc.) that if a candidate has a 3.8 GPA from either of these schools, committees will see the GPA as equivalent and then consider the other stuff and the interview. So, pick the school based upon how you feel because they will be similar academically.</li>
</ol>
<p>Middlebury is known more, although both are relatively unknown outside of New England to most people. Middlebury is usually known for its language programs, although to anybody familiar with colleges/graduate schools, etc. both schools have a fantastic reputation.</p>
<p>Go to Middlebury if you love it there. You won’t regret it because most NESCAC schools are so similar as it is.</p>
<p>Wow, who took the teeth out of these arguments? “back in the day” we would argue back and forth - Bowdoin has better food, Midd has better dorms, etc. Now, we all just agree that there’s virtually no difference in terms of academic quality and prestige. We say things like, “They’re both amazing schools,” or “you’re lucky to have been accepted to both of these schools, thousands of rejected applicants each year will kill to go to one of these schools.” </p>
<p>What’s happened to us. Is there no longer any fight left in us?
;)</p>
<p>^^^^^^It <em>is</em> fun to have those arguments, isn’t it? But I guess we all see how silly they are.</p>