<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 at Middlebury to see campus and get a feel for the student body vibe...I have siblings at Gtown and have visited multiple time. 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. Things I am considering are size, energy of student body, academic rigor, and what the geographic setting can offer.</p>
<p>I have posted this to both the Midd and GU forums.</p>
<p>Neither is better for everyone. You need to decide which is better for YOU. A visit to both will help tremendously. Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Firstly, congratulations on your admission into both schools.</p>
<p>Georgetown has a great linguistics program - GURT is one of the top internationally recognized linguistics conferences that is held every year at Georgetown.</p>
<p>If, though, you are leaning towards English language, literature, and writing for your major, then Middlebury is best. Bread Loaf rules.</p>
<p>In the end, though, do not just choose a school based on its academic rankings or reputation. Pick the one that will make you feel most comfortable not only as a student, but as a person.</p>
<p>“Things I am considering are size, energy of student body, academic rigor, and what the geographic setting can offer”</p>
<p>What exactly are you looking for in regards to these characteristics? If you love the outdoors, Middlebury certainly offers a different - perhaps superior - environment in this regard. Swimming, hiking, skiing, are just some of the options. The students tend to be quite outdoorsy as well, so you’ll certainly find quite a few people that share that interest. I’d say that Georgetown lends itself to a different experience altogether - more of a city environment, with restaurants, bars, etc. Both have beautiful campuses, but Middlebury has that classic ivy covered campus with mountains in the background kind of feel.
With regards to language, Middlebury has incredible offerings for that. So does Georgetown, I’d say you can’t really go wrong.</p>
<p>Academically, both are top-notch. As you know, Middlebury is a LAC, and Georgetown is a “student-centered” university. I believe that Georgetown offers more in terms of academic opportunities amd resources given that it is a university while still maintaining its focus on undergraduate education. There is also a different academic focus at Georgetown–practical, real-life applications and a commitment to knowledge for service of others–than the “ivory-tower” approach at Middlebury (my cousin goes there). Obviously, location and setting are major differences as well–Middlebury provides a “bubble experience” in an ivy-covered idyllic campus in a relatively rural setting–Georgetown has a wonderful campus in a great college-town and phenomenal city with unlimited resources for social, academic, cultural, and professional engagement. Attending either institution will tend to get you where you want to go afterwards (graduate/professional school, employment, etc.), although Georgetown carries much more name recognition in certain domains (Wall Street, internationally, social prestige, etc.).</p>