Middlebury Vs. Vassar

Colleges and Universities A-Z Middlebury College
1

Hi all,
I’m strongly considering applying ED to midd, but I also like Vassar. I’ve visited Midd but not Vassar. I really like Middlebury, and I want to study Japanese and Environmental Science (probably). However, I’m more of a musical/creative person and less varsity athlete vibe. I’m very much appreciative of the outdoors though.
I feel like I have to visit Vassar in order to really decide that I like Midd over everything else.

The main things that make Vassar a close contender is that it’s :

  1. easier to get to
  2. Closer to a major city
  3. more artsy/creative impression.
2

Middlebury definitely has a much better rep for language programs than Vassar, if you’re definitely thinking of studying Japanese.

3

They’re quite different schools, so if you can visit Vassar, do. Midd also has access to the Middlebury Institute in Monterey, CA which has some very interesting stuff going on in the Environment / Oceans space, so that may be worth considering, too.

FWIW, Vassar is also has a higher admit rate (26% vs 17%) but both are clearly very competitive.

4

For Japanese and environmental studies, Middlebury would be excellent. Middlebury, additionally, offers quite credible programs in creative fields such as theatre and dance.

In terms of the overall campus atmosphere you’ve indicated you might prefer, though, Vassar could serve as a really nice match for you.

With respect to selectivity factors (mentioned above), Vassar places really highly (34th in the analysis below) when compared to all schools nationally when viewed by standardized scoring (as does Middlebury, 46th): http://www.businessinsider.com/the-50-smartest-colleges-in-america-2016-10#48-college-of-william-and-mary-average-sat-1373-4.

5

Both are wonderful colleges! You can’t go wrong here. Visit both and look through both course catalogs.

6

If you are wavering, visit Vassar before applying ED. The vibe is pretty different and if it’s what really appeals to you, Midd may not be ideal. Yes, it has great programs in your area of interest, but it’s not the only place that does.

7

Middlebury for Japanese and Environmental Studies for sure!