<p>So I've been digging around the forums looking for "Midd vs Vassar" but I haven't been able to actually find the concrete answers that I wanted. I posted a similar thread in Midd but, anyway, here it goes:</p>
<p>I was waitlisted at Midd and committed to Vassar for now, and I'm very happy with my decision, but I want to get rid of any reservations I might have in coming to the school.</p>
<p>Midd tends to be pretty isolated, and is very sports-active, but Vassar appears to be known as well for the "vassar bubble." But it's pretty close to NYC, so I was wondering how often students visited the city (on the weekends, or holidays, etc.).</p>
<p>I was also wondering how strong the neuroscience program, economics program, and foreign language program (Spanish) is. Midd is renowned for its foreign language studies but I don't necessarily need a world-class program to continue studying a language I love. </p>
<p>I was also wondering how strong Vassar's pre-med program is (advisors, class difficulty, etc.), and how often students place into top 10, 20 med schools.</p>
<p>Overall, I'm still really happy with Vassar, and I can't wait to go back to NY (went to highschool in SoCal and I don't like hte weather here... where's all the snow at?) and the music program is so amazing and overall the student body seems liberal, which I can identify with a lot, and there are just so many things that are appealing. I just want to remove any doubts about my decision.</p>
<p>Middlebury is renown for its summer programs. You will receive an equally excellent education in Spanish at almost all of the top LACs, including Vassar, as you will at Middlebury. </p>
<p>Yeah I think I’m attending Vassar, and I’m so incredibly excited! </p>
<p>I’m trying to pick a major between Neuroscience, Hispanic Studies, Music, and Economics, so it’ll be tough narrowing it down. I’m probably studying Spanish regardless of whether I major in it or not though.</p>
<p>Vassar has only a few distribution requirements so you will be able to explore each major a bit and easily double major if you choose to. Also music is much stronger at Vassar so if that is important to you, you are in the right place at Vassar. The temperatures in the Hudson River valley are definitely milder than in northern Vermont if that also matters. Congratulations on your acceptance!</p>
<p>Thank you @chemusic I actually lived near Albany for a while so I’m totally ready for the weather there LOL. And yeah music is definitely a deciding factor.</p>
<p>Agreed with what Crewdad said. Middlebury is known for languages because of its summer school programs (which individually I think are mostly run by other colleges that may have stronger languages than Middlebury). A good example is Chinese, which is quite weak at Middlebury College, but really strong at Middlebury Summer School and at Middlebury’s programs abroad.</p>
<p>I know several people who majored in Chinese at Middlebury, and thought the program was outstanding. What data are you using to judge the quality of the program? Number of courses offered? Number of full time instructors? Quals of instructors? Number of majors? Outcomes of graduates? Facilities? Hearsay? </p>
<p>Midd allows hunting. In addition to letting hunters on school grounds, the school also allows students to hunt and let them keep their guns at school (in a separate room). I will never choose a school where the administration allows students to kill wildlife in their spare time.</p>
<p>What about killing fish? Is fishing a no-no as well? ;)</p>
<p>How would you suggest college administrators enforce an off-campus, legal activity? Unless I’m mistaken, hunting is permissible in all 52 states.</p>
I actually lived near Albany for a while so I’m totally ready for the weather there LOL. And yeah music is definitely a deciding factor.</p>