Which is the best for Economics and a path in Corporate Finance?
Either Hamilton or Middlebury would offer you one of the country’s very strongest economics programs. These two schools also excel at preparing their graduates for highly regarded MBA programs, should this relate to a potential interest of yours. Lafayette would be strong as well for your expressed goals, but in this case you are comparing it against two of the best.
I agree with what Merc81 says, I would add that for Investment Banking, Middlebury is truly a leader and among the best schools including National Research Universities.
My son just graduated in May from Midd with an Econ degree. Was fortunate enough to get a job in finance by Thanksgiving of senior year in New York. As parents we were extremely pleased with the amount of internship interviews offered and job interviews due to his college choice. He also swam on the swim team if you have any questions with regards to that. Seeing your screen name as it is I figured you might
good luck
Thank you for those thoughts. And swimming wise they all seem comprable with Hamilton being the weakest, then Middlebury and Lafayette is the strongest. But the Middlebury Natorium is absolutely beautiful. Middlebury is definetly the top option but is the most “reach” of them all.
Middlebury, by the standardized scoring of their students, would be second in this group. If you like the school and are qualified for all three, you should definitely consider Middlebury to be a reasonable prospect:
http://www.businessinsider.com/smartest-colleges-in-america-2015-9
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-610-smartest-colleges-in-america-2015-9
Hamilton’s natatorium offers a touch of wooded, colored, textured-glass personality:
@apple23 I’m confused. Why did you mention Hamilton’s natatorium, but post pictures of a kiddie pool? 
I comment on CC as time permits, occasionally that requires posting links across several days:
http://athletics.middlebury.edu/facilities/natatorium
http://www.goleopards.com/facilities/lafa-ruef-natatorium.html
Re #7: In swimming, the lap distance for competition is specified by NCAA rules, so this pool dimension appears to be standardized. A greater number of lap lanes, and therefore a larger pool, may be necessary for schools with larger enrollments. In the cases of Middlebury and Hamilton, Middlebury’s natatorium must serve over 30% more students, so that could be one factor as to why they need a larger facility.
I think it might have something to do with Middlebury’s sense of humor Merc ;p
@merc81
Actually the Midd pool is 50 meters long, similar to an Olympic size pool
It is 25 yards wide which is the length of the other pools
Basically it is twice as long as the other pools
Midds pool can hold swim meets in either yards or long course meters
Has nothing to do with enrollment
Midds facility is way nicer than the other two pools
Not even close
“[Midd’s] facility is way nicer than the other two” (#11)
This is opinion, and should not be criticized.
“Basically it is twice as long the other pools”
However, this is factually incorrect. Middlebury’s pool is 50 meters in length, Hamilton’s is 38.4.
“Has nothing to do with enrollment”
*ipse dixit
The size and shape of the pool is not chosen by coincidence. The reason it is 50 meters in length is for long course training and long course swim meet capabilities. It is not 50 meters because of student body numbers. It is that size to conform with Olympic Qualifying Standards and that type of competition.
When I was making the statement of it being Basically twice as large it was for the benefit of those not familiar with the size/shape of competition pools
Swim competitions are based on lengths of 25 yds. 25 meters or 50 meters
The usable length as you mentioned above was sanctioned by NCAA for the length of a lap that makes it double at Midd when used as long course meters.
The majority of pools are built 25 m/yd for competition so to have
the capability to go long course is not the norm
There is a reason that the Nescac Swim Champs are only held at 4 facilities and Hamilton is not one of them
As I am typing, I keep thinking that I must be being trolled but I cannot seem to get off of this train
I think it is important to note that a serious swimmer would not be handicapped in any way by choosing Hamilton or Lafayette over Middlebury, should other substantive factors result in a preference for either of them. Much like in my sport, horseback riding, Mt. Holyoke clearly has the finest facility, but Smith’s also excellent facility would meet all the needs of any serious rider should a student prefer it for other reasons.
“it might have something to do with Middlebury’s sense of humor” (#7)
Well, I hope the Middlebury swimmers wear their water wings, @urbanslaughter . . . Kenyon humor.
This thread has really gone in a strange direction. I can’t imagine choosing Lafayette if you can go to Midd or Hamilton unless there is a big cost difference.As for choosing a school based on the swimming pool, unless you are a likely Olympic qualifier, that seems foolish to me.
However Middlebury has by far the BEST pool in the entire NESCAC! It also has the best field house.
But seeing as you are seeking a job in finance, that shouldn’t sway you. Their fabulous alumni network and close connections with some of the best firms should.
Should the option interest you, you’d have access to a Harvard Business School program while enrolled at Hamilton:
“. . . HBS says it has reached agreements with five elite liberal arts colleges [Hamilton, Williams, Wellesley, Grinnell and Carleton]. The business school had previously formed a partnership with Amherst . . . and the online program is already available to Harvard undergraduates.”
This analysis pertains to the study of economics:
https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.uslacecon.html
This relates to graduates who then pursue an MBA at highly regarded business schools:
@OldbatesieDoc “I can’t imagine choosing Lafayette if you can go to Midd or Hamilton unless there is a big cost difference.”
I can see how some kids think that while Hamilton is a great place that with only 1,800 undergrads it is too small for their liking. Lafayette is a bit bigger, at around 2,600 and that can make a difference for some. My D, loved Hamilton, but came away thinking that any college with less than 2,000 students was going to be too small for her.
And I remember a kid from last year who was deciding between Bucknell and Hamilton and chose Bucknell, which would be a similar choice as Hamilton and Lafayette.
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Sorry but Hamilton and Midd are top tier. Lafayette and Bucknell are second tier. A better comparison would be Colgate. I could just be splitting hairs tho. People can like what they like, I just post my sometimes annoying opinion.