<p>When I visited Middlebury, I loved the professors and the sense of health, fun and general spirit of the students, but everyone I met was sports-oriented, and that isn't me (I'd say I'm more artsy and social justice-oriented), so I was concerned that I might not fit in or have as much in common with everyone. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Everyone looks -no answers-
Midd is not known as a jock school, or for a sports oriented culture.</p>
<p>But most students do enjoy the outdoors. My older son has actually become more athletic-joined a club sport and played intramurals in two sports he had never played-because of the friendly and accepting culture.He had really enjoyed stretching himself and doing new things. He even got to travel with the club team and compete in his first season. And he is NOT an athlete, but a big political junkie. It was really awesome to him to be so easily accepted and to get to try something he would never get to do at other schools where sports are more serious.
My second son is a recruited athlete. Out of season, he spends more time doing other things like visiting NYC with friends, or going hiking in the beautiful Adirondack mountains.
Midd’s friendliness and lack of rigid groups and cliques make it really different from many institutions.</p>
<p>With around thirty varsity sports and an equal number of D3 national championships, clearly Middlebury takes athletics seriously. But then I suspect Middlebury takes everything a student wishes to participate in seriously. I’ve only known three Midd grads and all three played two sports while in school, are still physically active, and their children are now stars in their respective sports. But these folks are also incredibly smart and engaged other activities as well. Their fields are finance and law – not something particularly arts oriented.</p>
<p>Of the top LACs, Willliams and Midd probably have the most athletic campus culture (Amherst not too far behind). Have you considered Swarthmore (has solid sports, but not a big part of campus social life)?</p>
<p>I have to agree with Morandi. Just because Midd is successful at sports does not mean that it is a jock school. In division III athletics the best schools (academically) also have the best sports programs. In the current Directors Cup standings (a ranking of the best athletic programs by division) Wash U, Middlebury, Amherst, MIT, Williams, Johns Hopkins, and Tufts are all in the top ten. These schools attract athletes who don’t expect to go on to professional careers in sports, but have used their abilities in sports to get a fantastic education. One thing, I’ve mentioned before, that makes Middlebury unique is that the athletes and non-athletes all interact. There is a great deal of crossover among “groups” of students. There aren’t jock majors or artsy sports. I was a pretty artsy type when I arrived at Middlebury. I came to appreciate some sports and being outdoors after arriving at Midd. I have friends who were “jocks” who came to appreciate the arts while at Midd. One friend was a Rodeo Rider who became an art history major.</p>
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<p>Div III schools aren’t allowed to give athletic scholarships, though perhaps you mean used their abilities to allow them access to these schools.</p>
<p>Yes Sop, that’s exactly what I meant. These students couldn’t get sports scholarships, but they could get an education from a top school.</p>
<p>While off point of the OP, I don’t agree. I know quite a few DIII athletes who could have played DI, but choose an education vs being indentured to their sport. Plus, at a school like any of the NESCACs, you’re going to get excellent financial aid if you qualify and if you’re injured or can’t play for whatever reason, you don’t lose your ability to pay for school vs an athletic scholarship. A few DIII teams could very well compete on a DI level. I would typically point to lacrosse here, but unfortunately this year it’s the first time in the men’s program history they haven’t qualified for the NESCAC tourney. 
But like I said, this is very much off point.</p>
<p>I think Midd is very sports centric. But I think this is a function of a very passionate student body in general. As I’ve said all over this Midd Board, my kid was a big athlete in HS. And between that and APs, he rarely had time to take a lot of electives etc. He took his first art class over J-term at Midd and went on to take two more AND ended up getting a space to work on art in some space the school granted him in Old Stone Mill for the semester AND was invited to hang a piece in the gallery AND has a real passion and gift for some really creative stuff. Some of his work are my screen savers and one of his pen and inks I’ve actually framed. Another friend of his - soccer player and also science major - now has a minor in theater. And while I don’t know about a passionate political arm, you’ve got the green movement (which practically has it’s roots in Middlebury with Bill McKibben) and there are lots of ways to get involved with issues of social justice - Community friends comes to mind among others… </p>
<p>Honestly, Midd is full of passionate people. Some contribute hugely on the fields, ice and courts while others do the ALL the other stuff. It’s a community and as has been mentioned, I think in the last few years especially there has been a lot of bridging between the athletic teams and the “regular” folk. And too… maybe this is just a function of getting to really know individuals vs looking at them as solely a member of a team. In other words, not so quick to judge a book by his cover or an athlete by his team.</p>
<p>Honestly, I could write the marketing material for this school. I really think you need to go into college having a good feeling in your gut. The OP got that. Now you have to just keep an open mind and let life unfold a little for yourself.</p>
<p>Hi Moda. I knew, the second I clicked “Post Quick Reply” that someone would write what you wrote after my post. You’re absolutely correct. There are amazing athletes at Midd. One of my first year hall-mates ended up skiing on the US ski team. I simply meant to say that the majority of athletes, while excellent for a school the size of Middlebury, are not going to go on to careers in their sports (although, that’s true at Ohio State and USC too), and they’ve used their athletic ability to get them an amazing education first and foremost. I’m fairly certain that’s NOT what Allen Iverson was thinking when he chose G’Town, or what Andrew Luck was thinking when he chose Stanford, or what Christian Laettner was thinking when he chose Duke, etc.</p>
<p>Luck cared about the education, I’m sure.</p>