ED2 to Vassar or Middlebury?

Applying to College
1

Hi CC,

I’m a senior at a small private school in Maine and I have been planning for a while to apply ED2 to Vassar. I visited Vassar in September and absolutely loved it- the beautiful campus, the diversity of the students, the strong art program, everything. Despite my love for Vassar, I stayed overnight with my friend at Midd in October and absolutely loved it as well. The social scene was very welcoming and the area, of course, was beautiful! I have done too much research for my own good and I now have a slight preference for Midd ( but probably just because I haven’t been able to overnight at Vassar.) I’m still planning for ED2 at Vassar due to the higher, yet upon further investigation I have found the acceptance rate for females at Vassar is only 19%. Both schools are certainly reaches for me but I adore both. I would love to hear your opinion on where I have a better chance!

Heres a little about me:

I’m from a white, upper income bracket family ( I’m not sure if that would make a difference between either. )

My school doesn’t do rank or gpa, but I have taken the hardest classes offered ( intensive / accelerated ) all four years. I have mostly A’s and A-'s, but I have 2 Bs this year in AP-equivalent Calc and Physics. I feel pretty confident about my recs because I have a very good relationship with my teachers but I guess I can’t be sure.

1430 SATs, 740 english 690 math

My essay is about my experience farming quail in my backyard and the ethics surrounding farming, which my guidance counsellor ( an ex-bowdoin admissions officer ) said was strong.

I have a longtime love of visual art and many extracurriculars and I have several awards relating to this. I’m planning on submitting an art supplement to both schools.

I’m a 3 season varsity athlete ( xc, nordic / swimming, track ) and would love to run in college but am not recruitment-ready so this doesn’t factor in much.

I love the outdoors! Hiking, skiing, ect.

I am interested in likely majoring in biology with a minor in studio art. My current goal is to go to veterinary school after college ( I was a technician assistant at a veterinary hospital this summer ), though I also am interested in ecology and environmental studies so being a veterinarian is not set in stone. I also would love to study spanish, physcology and history just for the sake of it if i have time :slight_smile:

I know I will have an incredible experience at either college and will be so grateful wherever I end up. I would just love to hear your opinion on where I would have a better chance ED2.

Endless thanks for your help!

2

If you don’t have a clear number one maybe you shouldn’t ED at either one.

3

They are peer institutions academically so it is really personal preference. If you have a top choice then go ED2, if not maybe don’t put in an ED2 application.

4

You can’t go wrong. Both are amazing schools.
Some reasons you might like each, based on your stated interests:
Middlebury excels in languages and environmental science. It has its own ski mountain.
Both are near great hiking. I personally love hiking in “the Gunks”-- Minnewauska State Park, Mohonk Mountain House, etc., which are reasonably near Vassar.
Vassar has a good psychology department. My spouse majored in psychology there and is now a psychologist.
Vassar is more artsy.
Biology would be equally strong at either.
One of my spouse’s friends at Vassar went on to the veterinarian graduate school at Cornell.
Vassar is more overtly liberal/ political. Vassar is also a leader among colleges in increasing socioeconomic diversity.

Imagine yourself choosing one and not the other. Which do you feel more disappointed to “let go” of? Apply ED2 to that one. Happily apply RD to the other, too.

5

Since you are both sporty and outdoorsy, Middlebury might be more fun for you. You can get a great education at both schools.

6

P.S. Just a crazy aside that might interest you:
In the public school district where I work on Long Island, our elementary school students have switched from hatching ducks to hatching quail. Apparently releasing quail into the wild after the study is better because they eat the deer ticks of which we have way too many on Long Island.

7

Thank you for all the help! I think I was having second thoughts just because the college process is overwhelming, but I’m going to stick to my original decision with ED2 to Vassar. It definitely seems like the place for me- glad to hear the hiking is good! And thanks for the quail anecdote :slight_smile: