<p>I understand that Middlebury versus Williams threads were shot here so many times before, but I couldn't find what I do need here. I am an international student who's planning to apply to either school as an early decision applicant this year. My academic records and everything else are top notch, I received great evaluations from my teachers and I am currently working on my essays. </p>
<p>I have already signed Williams College's early decision agreement, but when comparing Middlebury and Williams, I find that there's no major differences between them. The only thing that stands with Williams and doesn't with Middlebury is the prestige. And since I'm willing to study law in the states and aiming at Yale and UChicago, I think that will help me a lot. But I also think that Williams's location and Massachusetts cannot be compared with Vermont and Middlebury. </p>
<p>I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. They are both excellent schools. Personally, I don’t think Williams is going to give you any edge at law schools relative to Midd, but if you like the Mass. location better, then I think you’ve made the right decision to apply to Williams. Good luck.</p>
<p>While it may be true that Williams is considered SLIGHTLY more prestigious than Middlebury, the degree of difference is SO small that no Law School Admission member would see them differently. Williamstown is very close to the Vermont border. Middlebury and Williamstown are quite similar, with Williamstown feeling a bit more remote in my opinion. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Law school admission is heavily numbers-driven, so GPA and LSAT are the most important requirements for admission. A well-rounded undergrad background is good preparation for law school, regardless of undergrad major (I am a law school prof). </p>
<p>Interest in going to law school should not affect a choice between schools such as Williams and Middlebury. Good luck with your applications.</p>
<p>Both are great schools. Have you had a chance to visit Williams or Midd? The vibe is similar, but the campuses are very different. Keep in mind–if you apply ED to Williams and get deferred, you always could appy to Middlebury ED II.</p>
<p>Yep. There is no meaningful difference between the two except personal preference.</p>
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<p>Stop it, now. You’re comparing two schools in the top 5 of all LAC’s in this country and you think there is a significant prestige difference? There isn’t. They are identical on this measure for all intents and purposes. </p>
<p>As for location, you’re both talking small towns in New England. Again, this comes down to personal preferences, but these are two schools where there are no factors that are so appreciably different that one becomes an obvious choice over the year.</p>
<p>My son is a graduate of Williams. The Williams name definitely helped him securing internships, s post-graduation job and graduate school acceptance. Would the results had he attended Middlebury been different? In his field yes; in law, hard to say. I would give Williams a slight edge, but just borderline.</p>
<p>I’m not clear why you are having doubts about your ED choice. Could you explain it further? What is it that’s now attracting you to Middlebury?</p>
<p>If it’s location/environment, could you explain what you like and dislike about both places? Have you visited? Is your understanding that Massachusetts is preferable to Vermont? Actually the general locations are very similar. I haven’t been to Middlebury so can’t compare but for sure there are a lot of overlaps in the student body.</p>
<p>For my son Williams insular and remote location was a plus. He enjoys outdoorsy activities and took full advantage of them. He managed to get to New York or Boston once or twice a term, but was always happy to return to Williamstown.</p>
<p>How is your financial situation? If you need aid, that’s another consideration.</p>
<p>Williams is on the border of Vermont. It is extremely similar to Middlebury, just with a slightly different feel (more sporty, less environmental). In terms of almost all other factors, there is no meaningful difference.</p>
<p>I like the views from the Middlebury campus better. It’s on a small ridge. From the top of the ridge you can see both the Green Mountains a few miles to the east and the Adirondacks a little further to the west. Gorgeous.</p>
<p>Middlebury also has its own ski hill; I don’t believe Williams does, though I could be mistaken. </p>
<p>Apart from that they’re remarkably similar: highly selective New England liberal arts colleges with outstanding academics, located in small towns (both about 8,500) in remote locations. Williamstown is literally smack on the Vermont border; you can’t get any closer to Vermont without being in it. Williams is not much closer to Boston (about 3.25 hours) than Middlebury is (about 3.5 hours), but Williams is closer to New York (about 3.5 hours) while Middlebury is closer to Montreal (about 2.5 hours).</p>
<p>Actually, you’re the one who is mistaken. Williams doesn’t own its own ski mountain or facility (I believe the teams train at Jiminy Peak Resort). </p>
<p>Middlebury owns and operates the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. </p>
<p>I’m not a Middlebury “type,” just a neutral observer. I have daughters who have had some interest in both schools. I’d be fine with their attending either. I don’t see a dime’s worth of difference between them, except Williams is ever so slightly more selective. And perhaps has a higher opinion of itself, though in my book that’s not necessarily a positive.</p>
<p>Another similarity: perhaps partly due to their isolated locations, both schools are said to have pretty serious problems with binge drinking.</p>
<p>LOL. And are they all as innumerate as you at Williams? The figure for Williams in the WSJ survey is 9.06%; for Middlebury it’s 3.64%. That makes the Williams number 2.49 times the Middlebury rate, a figure closer to 2 than to 3.</p>
<p>Not that these figures mean anything. So a higher percentage of Williams than Middlebury students in a one-year snapshot sample were attending a non-scientifically selected, extremely small sample of elite law, medical, and business schools. But we don’t know that a higher percentage of Williams students who applied to those schools were accepted. We don’t know how many from each school were attending other elite law, business, or medical schools; or how many were in *other *elite graduate schools, like top Ph.D. programs. W don’t know what percentage of the graudates of each school elect to pursue law, medicine, or business as opposed to some other career path. And the numbers are so small in any case–9.06% of Williams’ graduating class represents just 46 students, while 3.64% of Middlebury’s graduating class represents 23 students—that with just a few more students or a few less students at either school deciding to attend law, business, or medical school a few years later, the numbers could easily be flipped. When you’re dealing with numbers that small there are often huge fluctuations (in percentage terms) from year to year as a result of just a small handful of individuals deciding one way or the other, so a one-year snapshot tells you approximately nothing.</p>