Middlebury vs. Colby

Help! Decision day is tomorrow and I’m still undecided. Colby is cheaper and has a no loan package. I am also a Bunche Scholar and get a 3,000 stipend to do an internship or research project. Middlebury is higher ranked and has amazing Language programs as well as more access to hiking, skiing, and other outdoor activities. Which should I choose?

Both are excellent LACs. Middlebury is nominally higher-ranked, but I don’t think there will be receive a significant difference in educational quality at either one. What do you want to study? If its languages, unless Colby is really much cheaper, I would go with Middlebury.

It’s not as if Colby is a concrete jungle in comparison to Middlebury - both have great outdoor opportunities http://www.colby.edu/outingclub/ I don’t think the difference in ranking is so significant as to forego a much better financial package for. It’s true that Midd is especially known for languages. If that is your primary area of focus, then it may be worth paying more for Middlebury. If foreign language is a secondary consideration, though, it may be that the course offerings and study-abroad options at Colby would be ample for your needs - look into your particular interests and see. What are you hoping to major in? The named scholarship and research stipend could end up enhancing your resume more than the ranking difference between two T20 LAC’s.

Lots of LACs offer summer research opportunities and funding to their students. Colby just tries to package it a little different and spin it as being a “Scholar”. Check out what Middlebury has to offer:

http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/resources/ctlr/students/uro/funding

How much cheaper is Colby than Middlebury for you? Kind of hard to opine without that info.

However, I prefer Middlebury between the 2 colleges.

Depends upon how significant the COA is between the schools.

Seems obvious to me that Middlebury College is the school which you prefer, but that the superior financial aid no-loan package from Colby is weighing on your family.

If costs were equal, then Middlebury College has a far more attractive location & campus as well as proximity to a great small city of Burlington, Vermont.

P.S. Have you asked Middlebury for a better financial aid package more in line with Colby’s offer ?

Sounds to me like the OP is just repeating what they know, not what he or she feels. Unless we’re talking about a mountain of debt, I’d say go with your gut.

Languages are more of a secondary interest. I’m thinking about majoring in either psychology or neuroscience. The price difference between Colby and Middlebury is around 5,000 in loans from Middlebury. I asked if they would match Colby’s offer but they wouldn’t. I know that Middlebury is more prestigious and ranked higher but is it worth turning down the no-loan offer from Colby?

Regarding rankings, you may want to consider overall score in U.S. News. By this measure, Middlebury registers a 91, Colby an 86. For perspective, this margin extends only a trace greater than the four points that separate the first and second NLACs.

5, it's almost an hour to Burlington from Midd. Great town, for sure, but unlikely to be a major part of the experience.

The outdoorsy activities at both are similar.

I might look at the course catalog for both, looking at requirements for expected major and general requirements and map out what the 4 years might look like to see if it’s worth the debt.

As someone who graduated with student debt ages ago, it’s important to understand what that will mean. For me, it meant bypassing jobs I would have loved but that wouldn’t pay both the rent (in a shared, less nice place) and the loans. And if you want to go to grad school and need to pay for it, you’ll be starting in the hole.

If you want to do research, it’s guaranteed now at Colby. Lots of schools offer this, but it can be competitive to get the positions.

In the end, though, it’s personal. I’m assuming you went to admitted student events. If you really can’t see yourself at Colby, then the debt could be worth it. If you are simply feeling like it’s prestige/rankings, you’re splitting hairs.