<p>I am going to be struggling with this one for the next month....I was just accepted to both schools and, while I think both would be a good fit for me, I want to make sure I make the best decision. I'll be attending a preview day in a few weeks to see campus and get a feel for the student body vibe. So which school would you choose and why? Is one "better" than the other? They are just about as different as two colleges can be and I fear that choosing the wrong school will condemn me to a year of torment...</p>
<p>Ps, I plan to major in linguistics and/or literature. I am most interested in the humanities. I also love the outdoors. I am a little worried about size, though; does Midd seem like a tiny school? Sorry for all of the questions!!</p>
<p>Wow, two totally different schools. Both are good for Languages and Humanities. Just depends on the environment you want to study. Since you love the outdoors, Middlebury wins. Also, Middlebury has 4 years of housing, it’s own ski mountain and flexibility in it’s core requirements. In addition, is well known for it’s language program. Georgetown is in an exciting city, but outdoor activities include museums and monument touring. If you want to go rock climbing or skiing a car is required. Housing is not guaranteed all 4 years and you may be living off campus. In Georgetown, it gets expensive. Living off campus makes some feel “disconnected” from campus. Georgetown also is heavy on the “core” requirements and has a Jesuit influence. Both schools will provide you with the education you are looking for. The types of kids and the environment will make the difference. I am a Georgetown Alum and have a Daughter who is at Middlebury. If I had to do it over, I would have chosen the smaller Liberal Art schools for the more personalized attention. But some prefer the Jesuit education and the big city. The Georgetown name is more recognizable if that makes a difference to you.
Congratulations on your great acceptances. I am sure you will be happy at both schools but for different reasons because they offer different things.
Just one last thought. You can only go to an LAC for undergrad but you can always go to a university in a city for graduate school or work in a larger city later.</p>
<p>^^^^All good advice. If your batteries recharge while walking down a busy urban sidewalk, vs hiking to the summit of a rocky peak, you’ll have your choice.</p>
<p>Plus, you can do a semester in Washington, or a summer internship from Midd. My S has a friend who just graduated and is now a White House intern. There is a great network of well-connected faculty and alums to make sure you get what you need.</p>
<p>Purplegirl, I liked your response and appreciated your honesty. While I wouldn’t argue that the average guy on the street will know the Middlebury name better than Georgetown, it’s largely because of the basketball team, Patrick Ewing, and Allen Iverson (not sure I’d want to claim him as an alum though 
). The people who will be on Admissions at Grad Schools or hiring you for your first job will certainly know the both names and hold Middlebury in the highest esteem (as they would Georgetown). After that, the name doesn’t matter too much.</p>