Hey guys,
I got accepted into both Middlebury and Yale-NUS, along with several others but I’ve narrowed it down to these two. I have a full ride along with some stipend at Middlebury whereas I would have to cover my personal expenses+travel and pay less than 1k a year at Yale-NUS. I am having a confusion choosing between these two. I would like to go to one of the top grad school programs and also have a chill, enjoyable college social life. I am planning to major in Economics and Computer Science/International relations. My ideal job, at least until certain years after post-grad school is to work in some kind of established multinational US firm. What opinion do you have about the pros and cons of either of these schools?
Definitely Middlebury, and Yale-NUS in fact has nothing to do with Yale. Most professors are from NUS.
I’d go with Middlebury. It sounds like your EFC is 0, and the costs of travelling to Asia can be significant. The financial aid package at Middlebury will ensure that you don’t have to worry even about the cost of buying a coat and boots (a necessity). In addition, Middlebury is one of the best schools in the country sp if you’re worried about prestige or opportunities, I’d say Middlebury’s better for both.
Middlebury would be perfect for your situation and is a simply wonderful school.
Middlebury has a very good computer science department as well as international politics & economics. It sounds ideally suited to your interests.
In terms of college experience, Singapore college life is quite different from in the U.S. in the sense that drinking is not a huge thing at all (which I personally appreciated when I studied abroad there). You can go out to clubs but the $ rack up, esp with the high taxes on alcohol. The travel opportunities are quite amazing, however, and Singapore is a very well developed country. It may be ideal for some people but it seems like Middlebury can serve you well (and at a cheaper).
@dblazer @MYOS1634 @ormdad @harveyross Thank you for the comments. However, it seemed like Yale-NUS would have a lot more connections with Yale and other Ivy leagues. Also, the opportunities sound very lucrative, internships in silicon valley and semester abroad at Yale, silver scholars program and such… Many people compared Middlebury as slightly inferior in terms of prestige compared to Yale-NUS. However, I felt like I would not have enjoyable of a social life there as in the US. Could you be able to tell me if I can seek out opportunities even if middlebury is in quite a rural location? I only applied to Liberal Arts for Undergrad but I do want to make it to one of the ivies for graduate school education.
@kiwi367 If I were you I would really consider Middlebury. While Yale-NUS is indeed affiliated with Yale, Yale-NUS does not have the historical prestige that its New Haven cousin has. Middlebury is widely respected in academia and Midd grads are overrepresented in top grad schools. Indeed, Yale NUS is the first liberal arts college in Asia but Middlebury IMO has a more authentic liberal arts feel to it because Midd is located in rural Vermont (off topic but Midd’s food, which is one of the best college foods and all-you-can-eat is included in the overall fee!) and Midd has a much larger range of classes than Yale-NUS.
@kiwi367 And I have visited both of the schools (I studied in singapore). Even though Yale-NUS’s facilities are amazing, I was more excited about Middlebury because of the engaging classes that I sampled during preview days. Bottom line is if you are seeking pure prestige and an experience in Asia, go to Yale-NUS. If you are seeking for a more well-rounded experience with lots of opportunities for studying abroad and a good social life, go to Middlebury.
Well, I graduated from Middlebury and went on to grad school at an Ivy (was accepted at all three of the Ivy grad schools I applied to) Also, I had classmates attending every Ivy for grad school. When I ask those same friends today which part of their education was the best (which school gave them the best education) nearly everyone says Middlebury. I think Middlebury won’t be holding you back.
Frankly, despite having "Yale’ in its name, Yale NUS is NOT more prestigious than Middlebury. Middlebury is a top10 college. Don’t base yourself off what your ffriends may say - people who work on Wall Street or recruit at Ivy League grad schools know Midldebury very well. It’s small and doesn’t have a football team that’s on TV, so people on the street may not know it, but those who “matter” for prestige and power know it very well.
Thanks guys! @croesus @urbanslaughter @MYOS1634 I am trying to be critical with your opinions just that I can get a clearer picture of which one I would prefer to go to. The reason I am kinda hesitating to go to Yale-NUS is I’m not sure how social life would be like there. Also, I’m not sure if I would like Middlebury because I heard it’s very influenced by “priviledged american” culture. What do you think of the option of applying to transfers to Ivies or other top liberal arts schools if I absolutely happen to hate the social culture at Yale-NUS? Would you think I would stand chances? Otherwise, this would be a huge risk considering transfer rates are very low. Despite, what do you think of that idea of going to Yale-NUS and transferring if I don’t happen to like it. Is it worth it?
The issue is that, if you transfer , you lose your scholarships. Transfers get lousy aid, sometimes just the federal loan.
Did you apply to Ivies and get rejected? If so, you have almost no chance of getting in as a transfer. Plus financial aid for transfer students is terrible (if you get accepted in the first place). What were your stats? Where else did you apply?
OP, Middlebury has made a strategic and very specific effort to establish itself in the global arena (beyond the Vermont campus) and this move only heightens international awareness of Middlebury and the opportunities a Middlebury education offers to prospective students interested in international studies such as yourself. Its extensive language program utilizes its own network of campuses throughout the world. The Internationally recognized Breadloaf Center for Writing is located next door. The more recently acquired Monterey campus for graduate programs in international studies as well as foreign languages further adds an international dimension to the Middlebury experience. These stand alone programs are an integral part of “Middlebury” and they help the undergrad school accomplish two goals. First, Midd students have easy access to top notch international programs whether they are interested in studying foreign languages or whether they simply want to study in a foreign country. Second, Middlebury’s stronger global academic presence means more international students (and companies) have become aware of and will continue to discover the undergrad program in Vermont. So it is a win win for both the school and the students- a more international presence. You can’t go wrong choosing Middlebury if your post grad goal is to find work with a multinational US firm.
Yale NUS is NOT Yale. The quality of education you would receive there is simply not comparable to the education you would receive from either the real Yale or Middlebury. Go to Middlebury.
Yale NUS may have Yale in its name, but it’s not Yale. Middlebury is Middlebury - not Yale, but much closer to it than Yale NUS.
MIddlebury for sure
kiwi367 -
Are you a US applicant or an international applicant? If you are an international applicant you need to know that you can’t just plan now to work “in some kind of established multinational US firm”. For Middlebury you will get a 12 month (most majors) or 18 month (science/tech/math majors) visa extension for OPT, and then you will have to leave if you haven’t found an employer who can get you an H-1B (work) visa. I have no idea what the situation would be at Yale-NUS. That would depend on Singapore’s visa and employment policies.
@happymomof1 I am an international applicant. I would be under F-1 Visa Status if I went to the US and would have a visa on arrival at Singapore.