Colleges like Middlebury

College Search & Selection
1

Hi I’m a rising senior. I recently did the online informational session for Middlebury and absolutely LOVED it. I am looking for colleges that are similar to Middlebury.

Here are my stats before someone asks:
SAT: 1580
GPA: 4.0 UW (doesn’t weight any classes, nor class rank)
NMF: Not a national merit finalist or semifinalist

APs: AP Human Geo (5), AP Psych (5), Taking APES, APUSH, AP Lang this year, Taking AP Bio, AP Calc BC, AP Euro next year

Here are some of my achievements:
-Part of famous summer program (one at MIT)
-Has won a few national competitions (trying to keep this ambiguous, but STEM related)
-Published Environmental science research with T20 university

Middlebury is a reach school and is highly selective, so I am kinda looking for some schools that are similar (to fill up my reach category). In addition, if you have some schools similar but are matches or safeties, feel free to let me know.

Thanks in advance and let me know if you have any questions.

2

What are you looking at majoring in? What did you like specifically? My D really liked and applied to Midd and the rest of the schools she visited and applied to all shared similar characteristics. Some were just different enough in one or two areas to turn her off completely so if you know what you’re trying to find that might be helpful.

3

Hi helpingmom40, thanks for responding. I hope to go into environmental studies at Middlebury. My other academic interests are geology, physics, and history. I really like the strong emphasis on sustainability. In addition, the rural location and diversity among the student body are big draws for me. The focus on study abroad as well is nice. I like LACs in general and the ability to be inside nature.

4

Skidmore, Hobart & William Smith, and St. Lawrence are a few less selective options that come mind.

Check out Allegheny and Conn College as well if you’re interested in environmental science. Juniata has an excellent program as well and would likely offer merit aid.

5

Thanks warblersrule. I will definitely look into those options.

6

I was browsing the HWS website and saw that they do give merit aid out. How competitive are the full tuition scholarships at HWS?

7

Also is HWS a safety or match based on my stats?

8

The first college my D toured was a LAC and she decided right then that was what she was looking for. I agree with Skidmore, Conn and HWS. I would also suggest looking at Bard and Hamilton. My D applied ED at that first school, was accepted and had to withdraw her other applications so I am also going to shamelessly plug Colgate. It was the first college in the state of NY to achieve carbon neutrality, has a great outdoor education department, and she found it to be more diverse in person than it looks on paper.

9

1580 SAT / perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA / won a few national STEM competitions / published research

Not safeties: Williams College, Bowdoin College, & Dartmouth College.

Consider applying ED I or ED II.

10

Thank you Publisher and helpingmom40.

11

I suspect that you will also like Colgate University as well as Davidson College in North Carolina.

My concern with some of the other schools recommended in this thread is the lack of academic talent in the student bodies relative to your accomplishments.

12

NESCAC Member Institutions
The New England Small College Athletic Conference is the home to 11 private colleges and universities located throughout New England and New York.

Amherst College

Bates College

Bowdoin College

Colby College

Connecticut College

Hamilton College

Middlebury College

Trinity College

Tufts University

Wesleyan University

Williams College

13

I second Williams. If you apply ED to Williams, I’d say you would have a fair shot at admissions.

14

Also, Conn College offers Environmental Engineering as a major. You should look into that department.

15

“Has won a few national competitions (trying to keep this ambiguous, but STEM related)”

You may be underplaying these but those are very significant for the colleges you’re interested in, especially if it’s intel or olympiads. Do you want to stay in the northeast or would you consider other LACs - Pomona, Grinnell, Macalester etc? Also any hooks?

16

@theloniusmonk Yes, one of the National competitions is a STEM olympiad. Is this considered a hook? Besides that, I don’t have any hooks. Also I’m fine with anywhere in the country. Pomona and Grinnell in particular caught my eye, but are high reach schools.

17

In normal (noncovid) times, I would guess you would get merit aid at Hobart, St. Lawrence, Connecticut College, Skidmore, and that the first 3 would be safeties for you. I am just a parent not a college counselor, but have had 2 kids already go through the college process, applying to some of these schools.

18

Hi cinnamon1212, thanks for the advice.

19

Note that Conn’s (interesting) program requires an off-campus year at WPI: https://www.conncoll.edu/academics/majors-departments-programs/majors-and-minors/environmental-engineering-studies/.

Grinnell lacks a geosciences major, however.

20

Many good choices here. Colby comes to mind as you like the country. As a retired farmer, not too far from Colby, I can vouch that Colby is truly in the country. Their big sport is skiing.

As they accept about 13% of applicants, it is more in the “reach” category. They have a range of environmental majors:
Environmental Computation
Study human impacts on the environment and solutions to promote environmental sustainability.
Environmental Policy
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies