Regarding transportation to Iowa, note that the OP resides in a contiguous state (Wisconsin). In this case, travel to Grinnell, at perhaps within four hours by car, would be more convenient than to Middlebury.
I would say, go with Middlebury. Yes it’s preppy, but it’s not Southern Prep, it’s New-England, LL-Bean-ish outdoorsy prep, which includes the crunchy-hiker set. The school is probably in one of the most beautiful natural settings in the Northeast between the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains, near Lake Champlain and Burlington.
Middlebury is more preppy-crunchy-outdoorsy. Grinnell is more crunchy-woke-radical.
Middlebury is stronger in the areas you want to study.
Both schools have excellent resources. Both schools attract smart kids. Both offer excellent financial aid. Grinnell’s money comes from Intel stock they got. Middlebury got it by being a bastion of wealth and privilege for over 200 years.
The advantage of going to Middlebury is the social capital you might build by rubbing elbows with privileged kids. I know this sounds distasteful and mercenary - but it has it’s advantages.
At Middlebury 4.4 % of the students - nearly 1 in 20 - have parents who earn over 2 million year, and close 24% - or 1 in 5 - have parents who earn over 700,000 a year.
Some may say this social networking doesn’t happen, and the rich simply hobnob among themselves. So, you’ll hang out with the other 50% of students who went to public school.
And Middlebury, on average, has it’s grads earning more than Grinnell grads when they graduate and more 10 years out.
I dunno what’s in Grinnell Iowa, but I’m guessing topographically it’s a little less interesting than Vermont.
So…what matters to you? Better Program - Middlebury. Outdoors - Middlebury. Social Capital - Middlebury. Career Prospects - Middlebury. Diversity - Grinnell. Drinking and Weed Smoking - a draw.
Mind you, you’ll have a great time at each school and you would be indeed lucky to get accepted to either place.
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My understanding is that Grinnell’s wealth / endowment benefited from Warren Buffet’s advice & guidance both while serving as a trustee and afterwards.
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Grinnell’s large endowment also stems from its investment in Intel, providing capital to the startup company in its early years. One of Intel’s founders was Robert Noyce, a Grinnellian and the co-inventor of the integrated circuit.
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How did your decision go, @BronxBomber2?
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I am applying for ed1 and really concerned about what you are worrying…
To which school did you apply ED I, @Tracy_Zhou?
Middlebury. I am fascinated by its beuatiful landscape and snow bowl. But its preppy and white air kinda scares me.
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You followed your fascination. I suggest you place peripheral concerns aside and let this adventurous ideal support you until you see Middlebury’s decision.
There are plenty of non-preppy kids there, my kid being one of them, and plenty of non-white kids, though there should be more. My kid is about as un-preppy as they come, and she has a large friend group, and is doing very well both academically and socially.
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