Hi all! I was recently accepted to Middlebury and it’s one of my top choices but I still have a bunch of questions. First I was wondering about student life at Midd. I’m a pretty social and outgoing guy so I’m a little worried that the social scene might be a little too small but would love to hear what everyone else thinks. I’m also pretty outdoorsy, does anyone know if there are large student clubs that lead trips/how active they are? Lastly, I’m curious to see if anyone has any insight into the food/dorms at Midd?
My kid attends Midd, and has been telling me a lot about it (we’re all stuck at home…).
So, the social scene is what you would expect in a college of 2,500. Pretty decent, especially if you are outgoing. My kid, who is also outgoing, does not feel that the scene is too small, and she grew up in Chicago area, and attended a high school which has over 3,500 students.
Midd and its students are VERY outdoorsy. Hiking is a major activity, and there are multiple hiking trails around Middlebury. The food at Middlebury is excellent, and much of the produce comes from its own gardens, when in season. The meal plan is also excellent - no meal plan. You can simply use your student card to walk into any dining room whenever it is open, and eat whatever and however much you want. There are always fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as thing like fresh bread, dairy free options, etc. The coffee in the dining halls isn’t very good, however, there are a number of very good coffee shops in the area.
The campus and the area are beautiful all year round, as well.
The dorms are nice, except the largest freshman dorm, which was built circa the 1950s, and has yet to be truly renovated. However, the kids who stay in that particular dorm love it. It is well know as being the most socially active, and it has both common rooms and kitchens. My kid has baked cookies and bread in that kitchen, so it works.
As is true for all colleges in relatively isolated areas, there is a lot of drinking, especially on the weekends.
My kid loved her freshman year, old dilapidated dorms and all, and is extremely unhappy to have her year truncated. It says something that she and her friends all are talking about waking up at home, and then feeling sad because they are not in their dorms…