Middlebury vs Colby

I am lucky enough to be deciding between these two schools and would welcome any advice in making my decision. I attended the admitted student days at both schools and stayed overnight at both, and I had a good experience at both campuses. I am a female non-athlete interested in Computer Science, although I might switch to another science field.

One big factor is that I was admitted to Colby as a Presidential Scholar. This would give me the opportunity to do research my freshman year and access to a $3,000 grant to put toward whatever opportunity I wish (internship, travel, research, ect). I feel like this would be a great way to connect with a professor. At Middlebury, would research or close relationships with professors also be accessible?

As financial aid is virtually the same at both schools, research, professor-student relationships, and social life are the main three factors driving my decision right now. Do many students do research at Middlebury? How prevalent are drinking and exclusivity on these campuses? Does financial aid carry over if I want to study abroad? Are minority students treated differently? What do students do for fun? Any and all information is appreciated.

Thank you!

I promise you that you will not have to worry about research and close relationships with professors at Middlebury. None of my friends and I had such a scholarship at Middlebury and each and every one of us had close relationships with our professors and those of us who sought research opportunities where able to get them . . . all of us. Research opportunities have only increased as Middlebury has focused more on the sciences recently. I’ll let some current students or recent grads speak to the social life now. Good luck.

@urbanslaughter Thank you for your reply and luck! Middlebury seems like a really incredible place