The University of Chicago vs. Middlebury College

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>I was recently admitted to both of these schools and have to make a decision by May 1, obviously. Posting in both Midd/UChicago forums because I know it'll be biased on each side, but hopefully, someone can also post in depth about the respective school.</p>

<p>I know I should take the internet with a grain of salt, but since I can't visit either school through April, I'm trying to get a general feel of each school.</p>

<p>I would be studying economics and intend to go into investment banking or management consulting. I'm fairly positive I could fit into both schools, so I don't foresee that as a problem. I have to pay $9k more at Middlebury, so I'm hoping that FA office will attempt to match it, or at least something close to it. If not - well, then the decision is very simple.</p>

<p>I'm mainly concerned about job opportunities out of the schools. Can someone please shed light on investment banking/management consulting?</p>

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<p>If you’re going into economics/investment banking, you shouldn’t even be considering this, especially if Chicago is giving you more money than Middlebury. UChicago will hands down get you the best job opportunities. It’s a name brand in business that Middlebury (and any liberal arts college, really) simply can’t match, and when it comes to on-campus recruiting, you’re not going to have nearly as many opportunities at Middlebury as you would at Chicago.</p>

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<p>agreed. Hands down:U chicago. There is no ambiguity here. U Chicago is a very powerful brand name both domestically and internationally that Middlebury has no hope of matching in any chosen field.</p>

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<p>Middlebury for sure. It’s a top feeder school for top Wall Street firms. U Chicago is great if you want to stay in the Midwest.</p>

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<p>Arcadia:</p>

<p>It’s hard to come up with definitive conclusions like the one you make. UChicago and Midd probably both place well on Wall Street and otherwise.</p>

<p>Fit is key here. That’s pretty much all there is to say, as the schools are so different. UChicago probably has a wider array of opportunities and networks in the business world (by virtue of its size), but both schools are great.</p>

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<p>U Chicago as a midwestern feeder school vs. middlebury for a stronger showing in Wall Street??? I don’t know where you get this kind of idea. </p>

<p>Absolutely not true. U Chicago has very good reputation in Wall Street. I have business connections into the wall street firms, and this is NOT the case. Chicago is on a campus recruiting schedules in all big name wall street firms- GS, MS, etc.</p>

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<p>One more thing–at Middlebury, you won’t find shirts that say “Where fun goes to die.”</p>

<p>Just sayin’.</p>

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<p>Arcadia:</p>

<p>That’s a pretty old, outdated t-shirt for the U of C. Doesn’t capture the vibe on campus any more, and is just not true any more, from what I know. </p>

<p>It’s similar to folks who still think of Middlebury as a lily-white Williams or Dartmouth backup - it’s just not true any more.</p>

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<p>Arcadia’s comments are filled with levity. I don’t think it’s necessary to respond.</p>

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<p>Middlebury is in the middle of ****ing nowhere. Trust me, I live near there. It’s beautiful, but if you don’t think hiking, lakes, skiing, etc. are fun, then you’ll have a hard time finding things to do in VT.</p>

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<p>Okay. I don’t know about Middlebury’s presence as a proportion of their total student population so I won’t comment on that here. The strong IBs here are Credit Suisse, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Consulting is Bain with some BCG sprinkled in and virtually no McKinsey (correct if I’m wrong but I don’t believe they’ve recruited at the undergrad level in the last couple of years).</p>

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<p>McKinsey does not recruit at the undergraduate level, but I do know two people who have worked there as summer interns. You have to apply individually, but just know that it is obviously an exceptionally competitive process.</p>

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<p>DivineComedy:</p>

<p>Seems like UChicago needs to improve with its representation at McKinsey. McKinsey is a huge player in the consulting world and, seeing that it was founded by a UChicago professor, the College needs to step up its game here.</p>

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<p>From what I have heard, McKinsey has had a poor history getting their UChicago summers to return full-time (as opposed to joining say Goldman). CCIB is making efforts to bring in consulting panels, McKinsey alumni, etc.</p>

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<p>Arcadia,
I’ll make again a point that’s often been made in these threads when posters raise the spectre of “fun comes to die” as a knock against UChicago: you do realize that that studiously self-deprecating slogan (dreamed up by a house to make a few bucks selling gear) is but one of many examples of the kind of humor one tends to find among the UC student body. Those who appreciate the joke will probably “get” Chicago and be comfortable with its student body. Those who don’t may not. Nothing wrong with being self-selective.</p>

<p>The kernel of reality (but not truth) in the slogan is that the UC education is more rigorous than most, leaving somewhat less time for non-academic pursuits. However, students come to UC because they value and enjoy academic pursuits, and are happy to let these bleed into their “non-academic” life. It’s not a negative; it’s what draws them to UC, so that’s fun, too, at least for them. btw, Middlebury, as a top LAC, is no walk in the park either.</p>

<p>But here is the important point: most of them also enjoy having other kinds of fun, too (even drinking at frat parties), for which there is more than ample opportunity and, generally, sufficient time. </p>

<p>Do think about it – 5000+ young men and women with normal hormone levels living together within a resource-rich 15,000 student research university located in a world-class city with all its attractions. Even if the university didn’t accommodate ~400 RSOs, film screenings 7 nights a week through DOC films, plays, concerts, and so on, UC kids would have fun. What’s amazed me, observing as a parent, is just how much how many of them do in addition to their admittedly demanding course work.</p>

<p>If I were inclined to be snarky I might say: “One more thing, at Middlebury you won’t find” a world class city at your doorstep . . . you’ll find . . . cows? </p>

<p>But let’s get back to the point of the post. Middlebury is a fantastic school and the OP would do him/herself no disservice going there. Nevertheless, UChicago is clearly the stronger brand with the broader network and richer array of internship and on-campus recruiting opportunities (the notion implied above of its strengths or advantage being for a regional market when it is generally ranked among the top 10 universities world wide is beyond ludicrous). That said, “fit” must be considered when comparing such different animals. Middlebury is good enough that it would make sense for someone who will thrive at a rural LAC and languish in an urban university (of course, the undergraduate experience at UC is definitely that of a liberal arts-focused college). So, is the OP a city mouse or a country mouse or one of those mice who is happy in either locale?</p>

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<p>The University of Chicago is one of the great universities of the world, and in some ways a unique one, with a strong culture of critical thinking, rigorous inquiry, and civil, nonideological debate. That culture extends down to the undergraduate level. It’s a community of scholars in an exciting, diverse, vibrant city.</p>

<p>Middlebury is a nice, preppy liberal arts college in ultrarural Vermont. Its reputation seems to have spiked in the past few years, perhaps because people confuse it with Williams. In any event, people who go there like it and learn stuff.</p>

<p>If all you want is a job in investment banking or consulting, by all means go to Middlebury, because you will just be taking up space at Chicago.</p>

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<p>lol! nice, unbiased comparison.</p>

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<p>

A nice description of non-U of C schools, from the U of C’s perspective. ;)</p>