Middlebury Summer Language Program

Colleges and Universities A-Z Middlebury College
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<p>I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the summer language program at Middlebury College? </p>

<p>Here are some questions I was thinking about! If you can answer any of them it would be very helpful!</p>

<p>-What is a typical week day like? How about the weekend?
-What are the living situations? Do students studying the same language all stay in the same dorm? Do most students have roommates?
-How are the teachers? Are classes taught strictly in your target language?
-What type of grades do students typically receive? If students put the study time in is it likely that they get A/A-'s? I care more about how much I learn/get out of the program then my actual grade but it would be nice to know!
-Is it easy to make friends even though you can only talk in your target language?
-How do you feel after the program?
-Were you able to transfer credits from the program to your school?</p>

<p>Any other advice or information about your experience would be much appreciated!!</p>

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<p>I know a bit about the Middlebury summer language program (granted it is from a long time ago).</p>

<p>But, first, did you go to their website?</p>

<p>A lot of your questions are answered there.</p>

<p>[The</a> Experience | Middlebury](<a href=“Language Schools Experience | Middlebury Language Schools”>Language Schools Experience | Middlebury Language Schools)</p>

<p>[FAQs</a> | Middlebury](<a href=“Language Schools Experience | Middlebury Language Schools”>Language Schools Experience | Middlebury Language Schools)</p>

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<p>Thanks! I was looking over the website and that helped. I was wondering if anyone could give me a first hand experience about the program though because I’m guessing the website might be a little bias. It also doesn’t talk that much about living situations and the grading system so any information on that would be great!</p>

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<p>My s did the program last summer. He would describe it as grueling. Students sign a pledge to speak only that language, listen to music in that language, watch TV and even post on Facebook in that language. Classes are five days a week, tests every Friday, and you have language tables for meals as well. he wasn’t allowed to come home or have visitors on weekends diuring the program.
Grades depend some on the department, with some programs being much harder than others, but it is by no means easy( or a sure thing) to get an A. Classes and language labs started at 8 am most days, and went til lunchtime, with the language table, and more required activities til 3 pm at least 3 days a week, and an evening activity once a week
Nonetheless, he felt it prepared him very well for his semester abroad, and made it much easier for him to succeed at that. plus the prestige of doing the program is useful.
Many of the students were in the military and not allowed to discuss their usual employment…
So I would encourage anyone willing to work hard to really gain fluency to apply. Financial aid is available and somewhat dependent on early submission of your application.
He had a single on a floor in a nice dorm with all students doing his language. I think he asked for a single…The students hung out together, went places on weekends etc, but there was a lot more studying than partying.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the info! I will be going to the program for German. I have two friends who are also attending. They are going for Russian and Spanish and they have the same questions that I have. If anyone knows about or has attended the schools for either the Russian, Spanish or German programs in particular that would be awesome!</p>

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<p>I realize this thread is a little old, but I figured I’d post anyway in case you’re still looking for information. I went to the Russian school twice, so this is all from my experience there. I’m not sure how it is in other schools, but I’d assume pretty similar.</p>

<p>Like OldbatesieDoc said, classes are 5 days a week and they last 4 hours. My classes started at 10 AM in my first year and 8 the next. Classes are meant to be taught strictly in the language, but it depends on your level. They are definitely more lenient with beginners and large parts of the level 1 classes are taught entirely in English, but you will rarely hear a word of English in the higher levels. There is homework every day and an essay every weekend.</p>

<p>You are encouraged to participate in activities outside of class but there aren’t any set requirements. Weekends were pretty open, in my experience. Depending on what activities you’re involved in, there might be practices or rehearsals and some weekends there would be a performance or a day trip of some sort.</p>

<p>Dorms are grouped by language. The Russian school has a dorm with only Russian students. I believe there is usually at least one dorm with a few different languages and they are kept separate as much as possible. Russian school students rarely have roommates.</p>

<p>The teachers are wonderful and incredibly well-qualified. The teachers I had were all great at inspiring class discussions and making students feel comfortable to make mistakes and learn from them.</p>

<p>It’s incredibly easy to make friends! It may seem like it would be more difficult because of the language barrier, but it actually brings everyone closer together. I’m very shy and quiet but I made friends almost instantly and I still talk to some of them today.</p>

<p>The end of the program is a weird feeling. You might find that English doesn’t come to you as easily as it did before :slight_smile: Both times I went, I didn’t notice much difference in my language skills while I was there or immediately afterward. Once I went home and spoke English for a couple weeks, however, I realized what huge progress I had made.</p>

<p>Sorry for the long post, but overall my experiences at Midd were wonderful. It’s a very stressful environment, there is a lot of work, and it is not easy, but if you stick with it, it’s completely worth it and you will make amazing strides in your language. It’s key to be open to new things and not to be afraid to make mistakes!</p>

<p>Hope I helped. Good luck!</p>

1 Like
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<p>Thanks! That was super helpful :)</p>

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<p>very helpful… just get admitted for spanish! :slight_smile: so excited</p>

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<p>I’ve accepted Bowdoin’s offer of admission, but I was close to accepting Middelbury’s. One thing that really attracted me was their Language School (Russian, for me). I would LOVE to go up one summer for Langauge School, but i was wondering: how competitive is the application? How often to non-Middkid’s get accepted?</p>

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<p>Barvoets: of the 1500+ students in the summer intensive Language Schools, about 10% are Middlebury undergraduates preparing for junior abroad or just improving their language competency. So, 1350 are not “Middkids.” The admissions process is self-selecting: one only applies and goes if he or she is serious about an intensive learning environment. The language pledge is central to the learning that goes on and so it is taken very seriously. One does a full academic year in 8 weeks (Russian) so it is 24/7 target language. Acceptance rates are high, but misleading as only the truly serious apply. The yield is high, too, for that reason. Vsego Khoroshego if you go!</p>

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<p>Thank you pantherpride! So, it looks like the summer before junior year is maybe the best year to attend the language school? I plan to study abroad in Russia (Midd’s programs are SICK) so it looks like the Language School would be really beneficial.</p>

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<p>Yes – doing “3rd year” at the Language Schools in Russian gets one really ready before going to Moscow, Yaroslavl, or Irkutsk!</p>

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<p>Hi. I’m looking to attend one of Middlebury’s summer language schools, however, I have a few questions their website can’t answer for me due to their nature. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Why doesn’t the language school have a GPA requirement? Even though they are separate, aren’t the language schools as prestigious and reputable as the college itself? </p></li>
<li><p>Because of # 1, do the language schools ever decline/not accept an applicant?</p></li>
<li><p>If one is admitted into one of the language schools, attends and does well, can one also transfer to the college itself to complete their undergraduate and/or master’s degree? </p></li>
<li><p>Do you think attending the summer program can help one gain admissions into their Master’s program? </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Basically, because of # 1 one of my professors finds it’s merit questionable and tells me a study abroad is preferable.
And most of the others who had originally thought it was a very, very selective program are now questioning it’s worth when I inform them about # 1. So, I’m torn between applying or just doing a study abroad. Honestly, they thought one has to be admitted into the college itself in order to go to attend one of their language schools.</p>

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<p>Older d’s friend who is currently in grad school was sent by her grad school program for last summer’s Russian intensive. It is a grueling experience and many of the people in the program were sent by their respective graduate schools for professional preparation for foreign service positions, ngo’s etc. D’s friend is a native Russian speaker, she emigrated to this country at age seven and Russian is the language spoken in her home. She just left for summer internship in Krisgistyan… which I know I did not spell correctly.</p>